Anonymous survey answerSurvey Nº 186

I have almost reached my continuous service twice now within the 5 years I have been teaching.

School tried to keep me but the council refused

Published 5 October 2026 · 1 min read

Employment situation: Supply teaching
Sector: Secondary

Continuous service

I have almost reached my continuous service twice now within the 5 years I have been teaching. Each time schools have been delayed in being able to book me when I have been requested since the start of term – even though I am in supply, I have been booked at the beginning of term every other year in between my two year service. Or I have had my service broken by the council for the two weeks and then rehired after the two week break to a different school, and in that situation the school went out of its way to try and keep me but the council refused.

This is answer 186 of the 269 written answers that teachers let us quote anonymously in the Scottish Teacher Employment Survey 2026. It answers the survey’s last question: what do the people who make decisions about teacher employment need to know?

We have corrected spelling, added paragraph breaks and removed details that could identify anyone. Words in square brackets are ours.

Every answer in the report (PDF) Survey results

You are not the only one

Has this happened to you too?

Tap once to add your voice to the tally. It is anonymous: nothing about you is stored, and it helps the campaign show how common this is.

Be the first to say so.

Or share your own account

Keep reading

Accounts like this one

All teacher voices →

SupplySurvey Nº 017

In January they called us to a meeting to tell us this would not be happening and that we should still be grateful that they gave us the opportunity of our probation year and they could not guarantee supply interviews.

Primary · 1 min read

Daily supply
Chasing interviews
Home & mortgage
+2

Read the account

SupplySurvey Nº 043

It is nearly impossible to build meaningful relationships with a school community when you are sometimes only there for 1 day.

Primary · 1 min read

Daily supply
After probation
Continuous service

Read the account

SupplySurvey Nº 047

Since schools returned in August I have not had any work. Further, to get onto a permanent supply you have to have 2 years continuous service, this seems impossible when not getting any work at all.

Primary · 1 min read

Daily supply
Chasing interviews
Money worries
+2

Read the account