For some teachers, working in one school permanently may not be suitable, perhaps because they want to be able to choose their own days of work because of family commitments or they only want to work part time and there are no part time roles available. Working for a teaching agency is a valuable route into teaching and it has many benefits.
There are many agencies specialising in teaching roles to choose from and it is important to check the terms and conditions of the agency you are applying to before you sign up. One of the main things to check is that the rate of pay is comparable with the pay scale that is offered by the local authority. Agency pay could be less than working for the local education authority but should still reflect the professional status of a qualified teacher.
One of the main attractions of working for a teaching agency is that they find the work and then put you in touch with the school or arrange the dates and times that you are required to teach. This saves a lot of time on your part filling in application forms and getting enhanced checks that are needed for you to work in school as the agency will organise all these things when you sign up.