5 Free Online Courses Every Supply Teacher Should Know About
Read this to find out about the best free online courses for supply teachers, including classroom management, special education, and more.
If you want to level-up your teaching, consider taking free online courses for supply teachers that can be used to help with classroom management, safety, special education, and more, to ensure that you know all the key areas and can provide students with the best experience possible.
If you want to register as a supply teacher, our step-by-step guide can help you. Or, if you want to find out more about CV tips for applying, and our gender pay gap report, we are happy to help.
Why Free Online Courses Are Essential for Supply Teachers
Supply teachers can enhance their skills with free online courses in classroom management, safeguarding, reversing underachievement, and subject-specific strategies to boost confidence in the classroom.
Free online courses for supply teachers are essential as it can provide additional knowledge and support for teachers who want to improve their skills and learn how to better navigate working in a school. For some teachers, classes might be necessary in order to serve as a reminder for materials, methods, and more.
However, there are lots of free classes that you might choose to take as a supply teacher if you really want to level-up your teaching and make sure that you can put your best foot forward when you start a new job. Depending on the subject you teach, you may also want to look for subject-specific courses to help you learn new materials and techniques that are being used.
Top 5 free online courses for supply teachers:
- Fundamentals of Classroom Management
- Basics of Safeguarding Children
- Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Inclusion in Schools
- Behaviour Difficulties in School
- Reversing Underachievement in Students
Course 1: Fundamentals of Classroom Management by Learndrive Education
The first course we recommend that all teachers take is the Fundamentals of Classroom Management. This course can transform a classroom and will teach you everything you need to know about managing your space so that it is a fantastic learning environment for your students.
As one of the free online courses for supply teachers that we recommend, this two-module course focuses on educational psychology and what you can do to make your classroom the place where student brains thrive and learn. You will learn about body language techniques, phonics, health and safety, and much more, to ensure that you are well-equipped to handle anything that a new learning environment might throw at you as a supply teacher.
The key takeaways for this course include, but are not limited to:
- Learn how to arrange seats for better lesson interaction
- Outlining policies and guidelines for safeguarding students
- Identify skills needed for counselling
Course basics:
- Course level – intermediate
- Course length – 3–4 hours
- Accredited? – CPD accredited
Course 2: Basics of Safeguarding and Children by Training Express
We highly suggest taking free online courses for supply teachers on safeguarding children, with a fantastic course being the Basics of Safeguarding Children. You never know what is going on in a child’s life, and as a teacher, you should have a good idea of what to look out for, and also know the laws around safeguarding students and children.
This course is made up of two modules, and goes into the laws against UK sexual abuse, the principles of child protection, and the importance of safeguarding children. Here, you will learn about difficult topics including the types of child molestation, signs of abuse, and what preventative measures can be taken to protect children.
Please be aware that this course discusses challenging topics that can be incredibly difficult to read and learn about.
The key takeaways for this course include, but are not limited to:
- Learn about myths and truths about safeguarding children
- Identity signs and the place of sexual abuse on children
- Outline what steps you can take once an abused child has been referred to childcare services
Course basics:
- Course level – intermediate
- Course length – 3–4 hours
- Accredited? – CPD accredited
Course 3: Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Inclusion in Schools by Learndrive Education (Key Takeaways)
This Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Inclusion in Schools can be a crucial tool for many supply teachers who may be working alongside students with special education needs and disabilities in their day-to-day work.
The course is made up of two modules, and you will learn about the law regarding SEND, how it is implemented, how you can be more sensitive to the topic, and how to make reasonable adjustments to make sure that your students’ health and safety is always a key priority.
The key takeaways for this course include, but are not limited to:
- Understand SEND and outline the models and laws that govern its implementation
- Distinguish between non-inclusive and inclusive practices
- Identify reasonable adjustments to ensure student safety
Course basics:
- Course level – intermediate
- Course length – 1.5–3 hours
- Accredited? – CPD accredited
Course 4: Behaviour Difficulties in School by Sabina Vukic
Another one of the free online courses for supply teachers that we highly recommend is Behaviour Difficulties in School. Unfortunately, things will not always go your way as a teacher, and there are bound to be misbehaving students in some classes, and it is crucial to know how to manage it.
This course consists of five modules, and teaches you about how to identify problematic behaviours and overcome them through understanding their causes and correcting them in a suitable manner to ensure the classroom remains a productive and safe space for everyone. Here, understanding the correct approaches and strategies can be the difference between a disruptive classroom, and one that thrives under your care.
The key takeaways for this course include, but are not limited to:
- Identify common causes of problematic behaviour within educational settings
- Learn about useful practices for directing behaviour
- Recognise suitable reward and punishment strategies for classrooms
Course basics:
- Course level – beginner
- Course length – 5–6 hours
- Accredited? – CPD accredited
Course 5: Reversing Underachievement in Students by Asuni Abiola Zikroh
This Reversing Underachievement in Students course can be crucial for supply teachers and permanent teachers alike. As one of the free online courses for supply teachers that we highly recommend, this course will teach you how to help struggling students reach their full potential inside and outside the classroom.
The course is made up of three modules, and teaches you about identifying underachieving students, how to encourage better behaviour and results, and identify triggers that could be impacting students.
The key takeaways for this course include, but are not limited to:
- How to identify the common behaviours of underachieving students
- Learn about the four characteristics that help to motivate underachieving students
- Outline the Sharzelos Model and how it works in reversing underachievement
Course basics:
- Course level – beginner
- Course length – 1.5–3 hours
- Accredited? – CPD accredited
Subject and Age-Specific Teaching Strategies
In addition to the above-mentioned courses, we also recommend that you take free online courses for supply teachers for subject and age specific teaching strategies. These can help you work with young children, teenagers, or specific lessons such as art, English, science, and more, and will ensure that you are up-to-date and use the best practices to help your students thrive.
Some examples you might want to look at could include:
- Project-Based Learning in ECE
- EYFS Comprehensive Teaching Guide
- Playwork in Child Development
- Understanding Inclusive Teaching and Learning Approaches
- Early Childhood Development of Empathy Skills
How First Class Supply Supports Professional Development for Supply Teachers
There are many free online courses for supply teachers that can be crucial in improving your teaching and your approach to students. However, it’s up to you to take the time to learn and gain these new skills.
Looking for more ways to boost your skills as a supply teacher? First Class Supply is here to support your professional growth – contact us today for expert guidance and teaching opportunities!
For more information, why not check out our community support, testimonials and meet the team? We also have information for schools and teachers, and like to keep you up-to-date on news.
Contact us today
Looking for a new job?
