Anonymous survey answerSurvey Nº 002

Instead of feeling like I have accomplished my probation year and feeling proud of myself, I feel I am being punished. It is soul destroying.

Probation completed, and I feel I am being punished

Published 5 October 2026 · 1 min read

Employment situation: Supply teaching
Sector: Primary

After probation

After working so hard at school to get into university to study my dream career as a primary teacher, to then studying for 4 years at university, working so hard, getting a first class honours degree, working exceptionally hard during my probation year and completing it. Instead of feeling like I have accomplished my probation year and feeling proud of myself, I feel I am being punished. It is soul destroying.

This is answer 2 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

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