How it works

How teaching employment works in Scotland.

Finishing probation, picking up supply work or looking for a permanent post? Start with the situation you’re in.

Where are you now?

Choose a topic. The answer opens here.

After probation

Full registration does not come with a permanent job.

The Teacher Induction Scheme offers eligible graduates a one-year placement. Securing work afterwards is a separate recruitment process. [1]

Check your MyGTCS record with your reviewer while you apply for jobs. Full registration depends on assessed practice and the required evidence; the employer decides which applicants to appoint. [2]

The after-probation checklist

Sources

GTC Scotland: Teacher Induction SchemeChecked 20 September 2026
GTC Scotland: induction requirementsChecked 20 September 2026

What to check

Confirm any outstanding registration evidence and who submits your recommendation.
Ask councils how to apply for permanent posts, temporary work and supply lists.
Record each vacancy’s hours, contract type, closing date and outcome.

Council permanence policies Optional · local agreements and their limits

These records concern transfer towards permanent employment. They do not describe supply bookings or every stage above. Only councils with reviewed material are listed; a missing council does not mean it has no policy.

Choose a council

These explanations cover Scottish council teaching. For advice about your own contract or entitlement, speak to your union or Acas.

The practical guides

A closer look at your next step.

GUIDE 01

Finding work after probation

What happens after induction, how to prepare your applications, and what to check before accepting a teaching post.

Read the guide

GUIDE 02

Supply work and temporary contracts

Understand the arrangement you are being offered, check your paperwork and pay, and find out how local permanence processes work.

Read the guide

GUIDE 03

Making sense of teacher workforce figures

People, posts and working hours tell different stories. Here is how to read the numbers and avoid misleading comparisons.

Read the guide

Making work more secure

What can better employment look like?

A permanent supply pool can give teachers a contract while allowing them to cover different schools. Fair Work adds questions about hours, income and a say in decisions. See the documented examples and what they tell us.

Read about employment approaches