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TL;DR: Supply teaching can be a wonderful way for educators to work in education. It can also be scary. There are many monstrous negatives to avoid. But the good news is that supply educators have all the power to do just that.
Supply teaching in the UK can be one of the most rewarding ways to work in education.
It can be flexible. It can be varied. And it can be full of opportunities for you to thrive personally and professionally.
But when it’s not those things, it can be scary.
From disappearing consultants to pay cheques that secretly get siphoned away, there are moments that make even the most experienced supply educators shudder.
So this Halloween, we’re shining a light on the scariest sides of supply — and showing you how, with Humly, you can finally scare them away for good.
If you work with a supply agency, you’ll know that everything runs through a consultant.
They have all the power. They know what jobs are available. They decide whom to call and offer them to. Or not to.
So while you’re waiting (and waiting and waiting) to hear about an opportunity, you’re really just being ghosted.
Being left in the dark is one of the most frustrating parts of supply teaching, and it doesn’t have to be your norm.
With Humly’s supply teaching platform, you’ll never be ghosted. We empower you to see every available job and book the ones you want to work.
No waiting. No chasing. No problem.
Few things drain your energy faster than realising a big chunk of your supply teacher pay (up to 10% of it) has quietly been drained away.
Umbrella agency deductions and “processing fees” are a modern horror story in supply education, leaving many supply teachers and nursery nurses wondering where their income went.
At Humly, we do things differently.
We pay you directly under PAYE. It’s fair. Simple. And how it should be.
What you earn is what you keep — no fine-print frights, no hidden deductions, and no vampires.
At supply agencies, consultants know what opportunities are out there. You don’t.
So you’re just happy that they call you with one.
But, often, it’s not one you really want. And you have no real ability to say no because you don’t know if there’s a better opportunity (more days, closer to home, etc.) available.
And that’s because you don’t have the power to see every available job.
It’s a scary problem for supply teachers — and one Humly was built to fix.
At Humly, you can browse every available supply job, apply and book the ones that actually suit your life.
No mystery. No gatekeeping. Just job visibility for supply educators and full transparency.
You can’t see the opportunities. You can’t apply to opportunities. You have no real power or say.
It’s easy to feel like someone else is pulling the strings, that your supply teaching career is being directed for you instead of by you.
That sense of powerlessness can be the scariest thing of all.
At Humly, you’ll break that spell.
You decide when, where, and how you work. Whether you prefer daily flexibility or long-term consistency, you can finally work on your terms and have full career control.
You know, the way it should be.
Supply teaching flexibility should give you freedom, not burnout.
But between waiting for early-morning calls, last-minute changes, and long commutes, many educators find themselves dead on their feet.
But you don’t have to feel like a zombie.
With Humly, you’ll always know when you’re working. You can plan ahead, manage your schedule, and find a proper work-life balance again — all from our app.
One of the hardest parts of supply is feeling like you’re always on your own — stepping into new classrooms, new teams, new systems.
It’s rewarding work, but sometimes you can feel disconnected from a real supply teacher community.
Humly changes that.
Behind every booking and message, there’s a real person who understands your world and is with you every step of the way. We share stories, insights, and news through our newsletter, The Whiteboard, to connect you to our community of educators.
At Humly, we use technology to empower your career, but people to empower you.
Your supply education career never has to feel like a horror story.
And while the monsters are all real, their power over you doesn’t have to be.
At least, not at Humly.
Because unlike every supply agency, we give you all the power, the freedom, opportunity, clarity, transparency, and genuine support — all in one place and all on your terms.
Happy Halloween (and an even happier career in supply education).
Follow up. Be direct. And if nothing changes, move on. You deserve clear communication and consistent support — if that’s missing, find a provider who values you more.
Check your Key Information Document or payslip. If you see extra deductions, employer NI, or a third-party payroll name, you’re under an umbrella.
Take it back. Start saying yes to roles that work for you and no to the ones that don’t. Humly gives you total visibility and choice — that’s real control.
Agencies gatekeep info because it gives them control. You almost have to say yes when they offer you a job because it’s the only one you know about (even if you don’t want it).
We’re not an agency. We’re a digital marketplace. We want you empowered to find, choose, and book the jobs you want to work.
