I had to move council due to [my partner's work]. It meant leaving an 8 year permanent teaching post I loved while pregnant. I lost my maternity entitlement causing financial implications to my family as I couldn’t move my family 500 miles with two young children in less than a week following [their employer's] timelines.
Councils need to take into consideration the break in service times. If I was moving a few towns it would have been achievable but a long-distance move cannot be done in 1 week.
I have been shocked at how difficult it is to get work in Scotland at all. I have been teaching 8 years and have a young family and financial responsibilities. I had to sell my home in [area removed] as there was no way to even get on the supply lists there as they were closed for two years. Moving there would have meant having family to support our young family.
[My partner's work] moved us to [another area] where the work situation sounded better but it’s not. All that is available is 1 day temporary contracts and a few maternity covers. I am frustrated. After completing a short time in a [local] school I was appalled at the way schools seem to be run, the lack of progression and behaviour. Attainment is terrible and I worry about sending my own children to schools like this.
This is answer 68 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.