I was signed off sick for a year before having to resign due to my mental health. My head teacher continually used temporary contracts and breaks to prevent me being able to qualify for permanency, despite working there for 6 years.
I gained 0.5 permanency 2 years after completing probation but then had temporary contracts or supply work on a regular, long-term basis which meant I worked very close to full-time hours the entire time I was employed there but “breaks in service” meant I did not qualify for the additional permanency to give me a full-time position.
This is answer 81 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.