Relief teaching—also known as casual or supply teaching—has a reputation for being the flexible, part-time option. But what if you want to do it full-time? Is it possible to build a reliable, fulfilling teaching career without locking into a permanent classroom position?
The short answer: Yes, but it depends.
Let’s explore the factors that can make or break your ability to do relief teaching as a full-time job.
✅ The Perks of Full-Time Relief Teaching
1. Flexibility with Freedom
Relief teaching gives you control over your schedule. No reports. No parent-teacher interviews. No long-term planning. If you love teaching but want your evenings and weekends back, it can be an ideal balance.
2. Variety and Experience
Every day is different. You’ll teach across year levels, subjects, and schools. For many teachers, this variety keeps the work interesting and helps sharpen classroom management and adaptability skills.
3. Teach Without the Burnout
Relief teaching allows you to enjoy the best parts of the job—interacting with students, delivering engaging lessons, and making an impact—without the constant pressure of deadlines, assessments, and school politics. It’s teaching with fewer strings attached, helping you preserve your passion and energy for the classroom.
🤔 But What Are the Challenges?
1. Inconsistent Income
This is often the biggest challenge. While the daily pay rate can appear attractive, it doesn’t match a full-time salary—especially once you factor in school holidays, student-free days, and fluctuating demand. Workload varies from term to term, so income can be unpredictable. If you're the sole breadwinner, this may feel too unstable. But if you're comfortable with a part-time wage and can budget around quieter periods, it can be manageable. I've known plenty of teachers, both male and female that have been teaching casually full-time for over a decade, so it is doable once you build up a strong network of schools.
2. Getting on the "Preferred Teacher" list
Some schools use apps to book casuals, while others rely on preferred lists. Getting regular work often depends on building strong relationships with local schools and being consistently available. If you’re starting from scratch, expect to hustle at first.
3. Emotional Load
Relief teaching means stepping into unfamiliar rooms—often with minimal instructions and sometimes tricky behaviour. It can feel isolating at times, especially if you don’t have a “home base” school. You may not always feel part of a team, which can affect job satisfaction.
🔍 What Makes Full-Time Relief Work Feasible?
To sustain full-time relief teaching, you’ll need:
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A reliable network of schools who know and trust you and are requesting you.
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Willingness to travel to broaden your booking radius, especially if you are struggling to fill your weeks with work.
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Professionalism and flexibility—being early, prepared, and adaptable goes a long way. Saying yes to any grade or subject will also give you that competitive edge.
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Great resources on hand to handle any grade, subject, or surprise. Check out Teacher for a Day resources to have you covered.
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Realistic financial expectations, especially for school holidays and quiet terms. Be sure to pocket your tax return and save a bit each week to account for the quieter times. Or pick up casual work or start a side hustle to help counteract the slow weeks.
💡 Top Tip: Treat It Like a Business
Think of relief teaching like freelancing. Build your reputation. Be consistent. Follow up. Invest in tools that make you better and more confident in your role.
And most importantly—be prepared. The better equipped you are to walk into any room and take charge, the more often schools will call you back. The students, neighbouring teachers and teacher aides will all give feedback which will either increase or decrease your chance of repeat work depending on how your day went.
In short, if a better work/life balance is what you are after and earning the big bucks isn't the priority then this career move might be just what you need right now.
