One of the reasons most of my work has been in the same council has been because it is even more difficult applying outwith your usual council e.g. due to not knowing the specific wording of policies used in another council’s schools in an interview or application even though the principles are the same as another council.
There are so few jobs (permanent, fixed/temporary, and even supply) advertised across the central belt particularly during August-October periods that every job, even 1 day of supply, is extremely competitive. For example, if an email is sent out offering supply work in West Lothian, the job is gone even if you call the school a minute later than the email being received.
This is answer 44 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.