Standby Education

About Standby Education

Finding the right teacher or teaching assistant for your school shouldn't mean trawling through a national agency database and hoping for the best. At Standby Education we do things differently.

We are a small, Derby-based education recruitment agency run by people who genuinely know the local schools, the local communities and the local education landscape. We cover Derby, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire, placing supply teachers, teaching assistants, SEND support staff and exam invigilators in primary, secondary and specialist schools every day.

What sets us apart is simple - honesty. We brief every candidate thoroughly before placement. We visit our schools. We turn down work from schools that don't treat supply staff well. And when something goes wrong, you speak to us directly - not a call centre.

We place candidates in day-to-day supply, short-term cover and long-term positions across all key stages from EYFS through to Sixth Form. We specialise in SEND placements including autism support, SEMH, complex needs and resourced provisions.

Every candidate we place is DBS checked, fully referenced and safeguarding compliant before they set foot in a school.

If you are a teacher or TA looking for flexible work in Derby - or a school needing reliable, vetted staff - give us a call.

Standby Education was founded by Jo and Matt, two people who had seen first-hand how the education recruitment industry was failing both schools and candidates. Too many agencies were focused on filling gaps quickly rather than making the right match.

Too many teachers were being sent into schools with no briefing, no context and no support.

We built Standby Education to be the agency we wished existed - small enough to care, experienced enough to get it right.

Our Services:
- Supply Teacher Recruitment - primary and secondary, all key stages, day-to-day and long-term across Derby and Derbyshire.
- Teaching Assistant Recruitment - general TA, HLTA and learning support roles across primary, secondary and SEND settings throughout Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
- SEND Teaching Assistant Recruitment - specialist placements in autism schools, SEMH provisions, resourced units and mainstream settings with complex needs pupils.
- Exam Invigilator Recruitment - flexible, seasonal invigilation work in Derby and Derbyshire secondary schools for GCSE, A Level and mock examinations.

Every placement we make is underpinned by thorough compliance - enhanced DBS, two professional references, right to work verification and full safeguarding checks. We take compliance seriously because the safety of children depends on it.

We are proud to be a genuinely local agency. Our office is in Little Eaton, Derby. We know our schools personally. We care about getting it right - every time.

Whether you are a teacher, teaching assistant or support staff member looking for flexible work in Derby and Derbyshire, or a school searching for reliable and fully vetted education professionals, Standby Education is here to help.

For Candidates:
We understand that choosing the right agency matters. You want consistent work, fair pay, schools that respect supply staff and an agency that actually picks up the phone. That is exactly what we offer. We work hard to find you the right school - not just any school. We give you an honest picture of every placement before you accept it. We support newly qualified teachers, experienced practitioners, career changers and everyone in between.

Registering with us is straightforward. We guide you through the compliance process - DBS checks, references, right to work and safeguarding training - and once you are cleared we work quickly to find you suitable placements across Derby, Derbyshire and the surrounding areas.

For Schools:
We know how disruptive unreliable supply cover can be. We know the frustration of an agency sending someone unsuitable at short notice. We built our service around solving exactly those problems. Every candidate we recommend has been personally vetted, fully referenced and matched to your specific requirements.

We cover Derby city, all of Derbyshire, parts of Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire. We place primary teachers, secondary teachers, teaching assistants, HLTA, SEND support staff, cover supervisors and exam invigilators.

To register as a candidate or to discuss your school's staffing requirements, contact us today.