# Cover the absences before the bell

“Cover the absences before the bell” is a cover officer job simulation on FinderK. You work at Brookfield Academy, an original fictional company, and complete 3 assignments in about 50 minutes. It is for anyone who wants to practice cover officer work. No previous work experience is required.

- Role: Cover officer
- Industry: School administration
- Career: Public and nonprofit services (https://finderk.com/careers/public-and-nonprofit-services)
- Level: Early career
- Time: About 50 minutes, 3 assignments
- Access: Included in Plus
- Created by: FinderK
- Work tools: Mail, Office documents and spreadsheets, Calendar, Chat
- Page: https://finderk.com/simulations/cover-the-absences-before-the-bell
- Last updated: 2026-10-10

## Summary

Three teachers are absent and the cover list must be on the staffroom screen by 08:30. Build it within the cover rules, tell the people affected, and deal with the change that comes at lunchtime.

## Full brief

You are the cover officer at a secondary school. Three teachers are absent today, nine lessons need cover, and one of them is a Year 11 chemistry practical the science department badly wants to keep. You build the cover list from the staff records and the cover policy, tell the deputy head and the head of science what you have done, and handle a late change before period 5 with the options and costs the policy allows. Automated checks confirm your counts and saved work; your judgement is reviewed against the standard for the role.

## What is Brookfield Academy?

Brookfield Academy is a fictional secondary school in Sheffield with 1,100 pupils aged 11 to 16 and about 75 teachers. A cover officer arranges supervision for classes whose teacher is absent, under a cover policy agreed with staff. This case runs on Thursday 19 November 2026. Times are local and amounts are in pounds.

## Who do you play?

You are the cover officer in the School office team. You arrange cover when teachers are absent. You may allocate cover supervisors up to five lessons a day and teachers in free periods that are not PPA time, up to three cover lessons a half term. You may never use PPA time, give cover to an early career teacher or exceed the limit. Supply bookings, combined classes and any exception need Rebecca's approval.

## What will you do?

1. 1. Build today's cover list (20 minutes)
2. 2. Tell Rebecca and Farid (15 minutes)
3. 3. Fill the gap in period 5 (15 minutes)

## Which skills will you practice?

- Allocate cover within workload and safety rules
- Weigh a department's priority against the policy
- Tell colleagues what has been arranged and what it risks
- Choose between costed options when the day changes

## Frequently asked questions

### How long does “Cover the absences before the bell” take?

About 50 minutes, across 3 assignments. When the time is up, you get 10 minutes to round up and submit. Pausing stops the clock.

### Is “Cover the absences before the bell” free?

No. It is included in FinderK Plus. With a free account you can also do it without grading.

### Do I need cover officer experience?

No. No previous work experience is required. The listed level is early career.

### What do I get when I finish?

You get feedback on each assignment you submit. Completing all required assignments earns a completion certificate. It records participation and is not professional accreditation.

### Is Brookfield Academy a real company?

No. Brookfield Academy is an original fictional company made for practice. Its coworkers may make mistakes, so check their suggestions against the evidence.