Cover Manager

Cove School, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 9RN

17 days remaining to apply

• Closing date

  31 May 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  14 May 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Other support roles
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time: Term Time Only. Monday to Friday. 7.30am to 3.15pm
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £27,780 - £30,564. ACTUAL SALARY based on hours worked - £23,280 - £25,613

What skills and experience we're looking for

Cove School is seeking to appoint a confident, organised and enthusiastic Cover Manager who will be responsible for coordinating and managing daily whole-school cover arrangements for the short-term absence of teaching staff. The successful candidate will also supervise classes during teacher absence, ensuring high standards of behaviour are maintained and that learning tasks set by teachers are completed effectively. The cover work is supplied by our teaching staff and used as the basis for lessons.

This role includes responsibility for organising whole-school cover using ARBOR, the school’s Management Information System (full training will be provided). A Cover Supervisor will also be reporting to you.

This role is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in developing a career in education or teaching and wishing to gain valuable classroom and operational experience within a school environment.

Training will be provided in classroom and behaviour management, and the school offers excellent opportunities for professional development and career progression. Cove School has strong links with Teach First and the i2i Teaching Partnership, supporting the training of between 5–10 trainee teachers each year.

Whilst previous experience within an education environment is desirable, it is not essential, as training will be provided.

Key Responsibilities:

• Organise and manage the daily cover programme, ensuring all lessons and duties are appropriately staffed throughout the school day
• Use ARBOR to coordinate staff cover arrangements and maintain accurate records
• Prepare a summary report each term on cover needs
• Re-homing/room changes during exam periods
• Prepare cover packs for external staff members
• Supervise classes during the short-term absence of teaching staff
• Ensure pupils remain on task and engaged with the work set by the class teacher
• Respond to pupil questions and manage classroom behaviour effectively
• Ensure pupils are aware of any homework or follow-up tasks set by teaching staff
• Provide feedback to subject teachers regarding lesson progress, behaviour and completed work
• Provide breaktime supervision as required
• Register form groups as required
• Support and shadow trainee teachers where appropriate
• Work within relevant policies, codes of practice and legislation, including safeguarding, child protection, health and safety, security and GDPR requirements, reporting concerns to the appropriate person
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and external professionals to uphold high standards across the school

Person Specification:

• Good standard of education, including GCSE Grade C/4 or above in English and Maths (or equivalent)
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills with the ability to prioritise workload effectively
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with pupils to encourage, motivate and support them
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and respond flexibly to changing priorities
• Confidence using IT systems; experience of ARBOR or similar school MIS systems is desirable but not essential
• Previous experience working with young people in a professional environment is desirable, though not essential

What the school offers its staff

Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Lifestyle discounts through our employee 'Lifestyle Savings Platform'.

Access to free counselling service via our provider ‘Health Assured’.

Onsite parking.

To be part of a school which has a real ‘team approach’ where you will be valued and supported.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Cove School and Hampshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Check as well as other relevant pre-employment checks.

Applying for the job

This job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Cove School

• School type: Local authority maintained schools, ages 11 to 16
• Education phase: Secondary school
• School size: 1010 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 16
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Cove School website
• Email address: s.downham@coveschool.uk
• Phone number: 01252 542397
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/cove-school

Cove School is a larger-than-average, co-educational secondary school for students aged 11–16, located in the north of Hampshire. As a local authority-maintained school, we are ideally situated within easy reach of London, the historic city of Winchester, and the stunning landscapes of the New Forest.

We are a forward-thinking, caring, and – above all – happy school. Our students, from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities, are ambitious and work hard to achieve high standards. We are equally ambitious for our staff and take great pride in the comprehensive support and high-quality professional development (CPD) we provide, especially for those new to the profession or joining our team for the first time. We believe that motivated, well-supported staff are key to every student’s success.

Our extra-curricular offer is extensive, with students participating in a wide variety of sports, music and drama productions. Beyond this, we run a vibrant programme of clubs and activities all of which contribute to a rich and inclusive school experience.

We are also proud to host a specialist unit for students with hearing impairments, with all classrooms equipped with specialist audio equipment to ensure an inclusive learning environment.

We invite you to explore our website – www.coveschool.uk – for a glimpse into life at Cove School and what it means to be part of our vibrant community. To truly experience the atmosphere, we warmly encourage you to visit us during a normal school day and see our staff and students in action. We hope you’ll be inspired to apply and become part of the exciting journey we are on.

Arranging a visit to Cove School

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email s.downham@coveschool.uk.

School location

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