I have been lucky enough to qualify for permanency through JNC20 this year, however, I am still not permanent to council, although I have more job security than previously as a supply teacher. I have suffered huge mental health issues over the past five years bringing up a family when I am basically out of work and unpaid between the end of June and October/November each year.
Luckily my council do not insist on consecutive service but on a set amount of weeks over 3 years, so I was still able to qualify for JNC20. This is the first year I can say I have worked since August.
The inconsistencies in teacher employment, where some people get long term supply and some don’t, regardless of ability, it [is] shocking, and the inconsistencies in council policies in qualifying for permanency and the underhand methods they use to stop people qualifying is an absolute travesty. And I fear the promise of a three year probation period will simply exacerbate the problem hugely as councils look for any way to save a buck.
The government or the unions really need to step in and codify the employment conditions for permanency/employment for teachers, as the current passing the buck and refusal to accept any kind of responsibility between Westminster, Holyrood and the council offices results in everybody losing out, children most of all.
This is answer 30 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.