TL;DR: Working trials aren’t like regular bookings. They’re auditions for long-term roles. But with the right preparation, you can demonstrate your skills and how well you fit the culture of the school or nursery.

Interviews are where you talk about what you can do. Working trials are where you show it.

In UK schools and nurseries, it’s far more common for SLTs (senior leadership teams) to try out a supply educator on a working trial (a one or two-day booking) before offering a long-term role.

These trials give schools the chance to see you in action, observe how you work with colleagues, and gather feedback from staff such as teaching assistants.

As an educator, this is a challenge. But it’s also your opportunity. 

And our long-term teaching interview toolkit will help you make the most of it.

Schools and nurseries are busy places. 

And when they need a supply educator to step in long term for a permanent staff member, they often won’t have time to set up formal interviews.

For settings, a working trial is the best of both worlds.

They bring in educators to cover the immediate need (teaching the children) while also gauging how a potential long-term supply teacher fits within the classroom and wider team. You may:

• Deliver lessons with support staff present
• Interact with pupils across different abilities
• Adapt to school systems and routines
• Receive informal feedback from colleagues
• And have a short chat with the headteacher or leadership team afterwards.

As you can see, your working trial might not be like an ordinary day. It’s not a formal interview. But there are elements of an interview that may pop up. 

Don’t worry. We’ve got your back, so you’ll be prepared.

The two biggest impressions you want to make are how well you can do the job and how well you fit the setting.

Here are the key things you should do during a working trial:

• Prepare thoroughly: Research the school’s ethos, curriculum, and recent Ofsted report. If you have an informal chat with a decision maker, this will help you answer questions about how you can fit their culture.
• Show professional reliability: Arrive early, dress appropriately, and bring the right resources. A strong first impression sets the tone.
• Work well with colleagues: How you collaborate with teaching assistants and other staff is crucial. Their opinion of you could make the difference.
• Demonstrate adaptability: If a lesson goes off track, stay calm and adjust. Leaders look for resilience under pressure.
• Engage with pupils: Build rapport quickly, show empathy, and manage behaviour consistently.
• Reflect on your practice: Make mental notes. If asked, highlight both what worked and what you would improve. It shows self-awareness and a growth mindset.
• Do a quick check of your socials: 36% of UK employers reject candidates based on their social media profiles. Make sure your social presence reflects your professional one.

Now that we’ve covered how you can ace the working trial (and get the long-term job), let’s discuss how not to lose it.

Avoiding key mistakes can be just as decisive in securing the long-term role as doing the right things. 

Here are the pitfalls you need to avoid:

• Don’t ignore support staff: Disregarding TAs can hurt your chances — their perspective often feeds into the SLT’s decision.

• Don’t be casual about punctuality: Arriving late or under-prepared signals unreliability.

• Don’t “wing it”: Even if you’re experienced, schools can tell when you’ve not prepared a lesson properly.

• Don’t disengage outside the classroom: Leaders notice how you interact in the staffroom, corridors, and playground. An aloof vibe outside the classroom can undermine everything you’ve done inside it.

Don’t crumble under observation: If an SLT pops in to observe you, don’t sweat it. You wow them by doing exactly what you were doing before they turned up. You’re teaching the students, not the SLT.

Working trials can be inherently stressful.

You aren’t just teaching. You’re auditioning.

But there is a workaround.

If the school or nursery has already seen what you can do by working a short-term booking at the setting before (without the stakes of the long-term role hanging in the balance), it’s likely you can bypass the working trial altogether.

And Humly can help.

With the Humly App, you have the power to see every job (long or short) and book the ones you want. 

Because at Humly, you’re in charge.

So, if there is a school or nursery you really like, you can book a few short-term jobs there to make a good first impression – all on your terms.

And when a long-term job becomes available, you’re that much closer to getting it. Because short-term jobs are perfect stepping stones to long-term ones

A working trial is more than a test run — it’s your chance to demonstrate your teaching skill, professionalism, and overall fit within the culture of a school or nursery. 

With the right mindset and preparation, you can turn short-term opportunities into lasting placements.

Remember: treat the trial like an interview, respect and collaborate with colleagues, prepare well, and avoid common pitfalls. 

Do that, and you’ll not only ace your trial but also stand out when leadership makes long-term hiring decisions.