Qualified, experienced and desperate for the chance to teach: the reality for teachers in Scotland

I’ve debated whether to write this, but I feel like more people need to know what is actually happening to teachers in Scotland.

I’m a qualified primary teacher with years of experience, and I genuinely love teaching. I’ve dedicated a huge part of my life to my career, studied for my qualifications and worked hard to build experience in the profession.

But I haven’t had a single supply shift since June 2026.

I previously moved abroad because, after struggling to secure work in Scotland, I simply couldn’t see how I could build a life here. Moving abroad gave me the opportunity to work, save and eventually buy a home.

I’ve now returned to Scotland because my parents are getting older and I don’t want to spend the next few years of their lives living thousands of miles away. I wanted to come home and build my life here.

Instead, I’ve come back to a teaching job market where there simply doesn’t seem to be enough work.

I’ve managed to get onto one supply list, but it’s around 40 minutes from Glasgow. The Central Belt supply lists appear to be full, and there doesn’t seem to be any indication of when more opportunities will become available.

So I’m currently unemployed.

I’ve had to sign on because I’m struggling to pay my bills, and I’ve applied for part-time work in a library simply because I need an income to keep myself going.

My partner has also had to move back abroad for work after he couldn’t secure teaching work here. We now have a mortgage to pay, and although we are doing what we can to keep things going, we are having to live apart just to make ends meet.

The hardest part personally is not knowing when I’ll see him again. I can’t afford to simply book a flight, and I’m almost scared to leave Scotland in case I miss the opportunity of getting a supply shift.

So I’m stuck in this horrible position of being desperate for work, desperate to see my partner, anxious about money and constantly wondering what happens next.

And I think there is a bigger issue here that isn’t being talked about enough.

It can feel as though experience is actually working against teachers. Experienced teachers come with a higher salary cost, and with councils facing huge financial pressures, it can feel like there is an incentive to employ someone newer to the profession because they cost less.

I completely understand that councils have difficult decisions to make financially. But what happens to the teachers who have spent years building experience, developing their skills and dedicating themselves to education?

Where are we supposed to go?

I don’t want to leave teaching. I’m not looking for a career change. I want to teach. I want to work in Scottish schools. I want to contribute to the profession I’ve spent years training for.

But right now, I feel incredibly anxious about my future.

I know I’m not the only teacher experiencing this. There are qualified and experienced teachers across Scotland struggling to get regular work, and I genuinely don’t think enough people outside the profession realise how difficult the situation has become.

This isn’t just about wanting a job.

It’s about wanting the chance to continue doing the job you love, while being able to pay your bills, support your family and actually build a life.

I really hope we start talking more openly about what is happening to teachers in Scotland — because something doesn’t feel right when experienced, qualified teachers are desperate for the opportunity simply to work.