The impact it has had on my life is unreal. I have delayed having a 2nd child, experiencing mental health issues as I have now got into debt. The worry of when I will be next working is unbelievable.
When visiting old schools I have previously done supply in, I leave upset as the children always ask why can’t you stay. You feel like you’re not a real teacher going from A to B and always used but never appreciated like you should be.
This is answer 40 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.