⭐ Absolute Essentials (the things you’ll use every day)
- Black/blue pens (several — pupils will ask, and you’ll lose a few)
- A working whiteboard marker (schools often give you a dead one)
- A small notebook for seating plans, behaviour notes, and end‑of‑day messages
- A clipboard or slim folder to keep cover work, registers, and notes together
- Your ID, DBS, and agency details
- A charged phone (for the portal, maps, and school comms)
📚 Teaching Tools That Save the Day
- Two or three simple starter tasks (e.g., “5‑minute writing prompt”, “quick maths warm‑up”)
- A USB stick with a couple of generic resources (optional but handy)
- A mini timer or use your phone — brilliant for behaviour and pacing
- A small pack of post‑its for instructions, reminders, or pupil notes
🧭 Organisation & Survival Items
- A compact planner or day sheet (periods, rooms, notes)
- Tissues (you’ll always need them)
- Hand sanitiser
- A small bottle of water
- A snack (you won’t always get a break)
- A lightweight umbrella (classic supply teacher problem: walking between buildings in the rain)
🧰 Behaviour & Classroom Management Aids
- A simple reward system (e.g., stickers for primary, praise notes for secondary)
- A printed copy of your 30‑second expectations script
- A few blank behaviour notes to leave for the class teacher
🗂️ End‑of‑Day Essentials
- Your end‑of‑day note template (the one we wrote earlier)
- A small wallet or pouch to keep all paperwork tidy
- A spare pen just for writing your notes
The “Don’t Bother” List (things you don’t need)
This is where most supply teachers overpack. You don’tneed:
- A full pencil case
- Your own stapler, hole punch, or scissors
- A huge binder of worksheets
- A laptop (unless you prefer it)
- A full lunchbox of resources
Keep it light. Keep it simple. Keep it usable.