Anonymous survey answerSurvey Nº 091

It seems insane to me that my decade of experience and glowing references seem to count for nothing in this current job market.

Permanent until I relocated, then short-term contracts and supply

Published 5 October 2026 · 1 min read

Employment situation: Temporary post
Sector: Primary

After probation

I was lucky to gain a permanent contract after my probation year and stayed at that school for ~7 years. Then when I relocated, I took a 1-year fixed term contract.

Once that finished I have applied for numerous teaching jobs, including my council’s internal recruitment process, but been unsuccessful. I have then bounced between short-term contracts and supply teaching. Finally, this June I have secured another 1-year fixed term post. It seems insane to me that my decade of experience and glowing references seem to count for nothing in this current job market.

This is answer 91 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.

Every answer in the report (PDF) Survey results

You are not the only one

Has this happened to you too?

Tap once to add your voice to the tally. It is anonymous: nothing about you is stored, and it helps the campaign show how common this is.

Be the first to say so.

Or share your own account

Keep reading

Accounts like this one

All teacher voices →

Temporary

I completed my probation year 25/26 and was completely let down by my council who had promised us interviews for permanence from the start. They completely pivoted and told us it was unlikely we would receive any work until January 2027. When they did advertise jobs they had d…

1–5 years · 1 min read

Daily supply
Chasing interviews
After probation

Read the account

Temporary

From my probation cohort of 187 probationers, 5 were given permanency. It came at no surprise that all 5 of those people had a parent who was a head teacher in that authority. Some people went to the union about this clear show of nepotism, but they were told there was nothing…

6–10 years · 4 min read

Chasing interviews
Home & mortgage
Family plans
+3

Read the account

Temporary

The notion of introducing a 3 year probationary year is a true slap in the face for us who have travelled, built strong experience and worked hard. This is merely a way to cut budgets for “expensive” teachers and continue the revolving door of probationers. The SNP should be a…

6–10 years · 1 min read

Daily supply
Money worries
Long journeys
+2

Read the account