I began university when my children were 5 months old and 1 and a half. I wanted to be a teacher since a young age and was determined after having my kids that I was going to go to university and do it.
6 years on i am now without a teaching job and have 0 confidence in myself.
I graduated during covid and completed my probationary year during covid. Lost my father in law and cousin during this time and took no time off due to worrying it would end up effecting my probation year and future.
I was so lucky to gain a fixed term post for a year following probation, working in various schools and gaining experiences. After that I was put onto supply, on the last day of term.
The next 2 years were spent on the supply list, the first year I was so lucky to gain nearly a full year in the one school, it was cut short just before the summer holidays and I had to pack up my class on 2 days notice. The following year of supply I got 3 days and had to work in McDonald’s for 6 months to pay the bills before settling in another job out with teaching.
I went for the big interview and managed to gain 2 more years of contracts, to then this year be put back onto supply with 0 work.
I have my own 2 children, one of which has asn needs, to provide for.
I qualified as a teacher 6 years ago - 6! In this time I have never had a permanent teaching position.
In a climate where the government are continually advocating for more young people to study for a career in teaching and how Scotland needs more teachers it is completely shocking that a career I have dedicated my life to achieve that I still do not have a permanent position. Current students going into courses for education do not realise the job situation until they are at the end of the university education.
This situation breaks my heart personally and professionally. It concerns me for the future of not only the profession but the country as this lack of stability for our staff and for our pupils.
I am fed up of the constant anxiety over whether I have a job after the summer and I believe whoever makes these decisions to penalise longer qualified teachers truly do not understand the pressures and the impact on mental health this is causing. I am fed up of taking on out of teaching jobs over the summer and beyond as I have a house and family to provide for, having a degree this can be very demoralising for me, having to continually re tell my story!
I already raised concerns as to how the interview process was unfair this year when I found out newly qualified teachers were able to view the questions beforehand, have mock interviews with the person and in the school they were being interviewed in and also take notes into the interview panel with them. Has this been the reason why the council have put me straight onto the supply register? Because I raised the issue of fairness and equality?
I am not being given the opportunity in any way shape or form to progress my career - the supply register is not progression!
I have a young family, a son with additional support needs and a house to run. These decisions impact not only me but my immediate family and not only is an offer of non guaranteed supply teaching damaging my mental health it is catastrophic to my family financially.
I feel that I am now on the brink of having to leave the profession completely - which many others already have - and will have to given the dire situation surrounding permanent employment. This completely breaks my heart as I have dreamed of being a teacher since I was a child. I am the third generation of teachers in my family and the effect that not ever being given the fair opportunity to continue on that legacy has completely destroyed my mental health, my confidence, my family's happiness and it constantly leaves me with the feeling every summer when I get that long awaited email of being considered for supply / short term contracts that I am letting not only my own immediate family down but my grandmother and mothers legacies as teachers down. And this is all due to the contract climate and people being given unfair advantages at interview. This is the definition of unfair and is most definitely not an equal opportunity process.
Every ounce of confidence I had has now gone and I am now in the position where I have taken on a job outwith teaching as I have a family to provide for, i finished working in a school on the Thursday and started a new job on the Monday. I have worked the full summer in a job knowing I don’t have a teaching job to come back to, I have had no holidays again for the 2nd year in a row, how demoralising to be sitting here with a teaching degree that I ultimately cannot use!
I cannot sit on a supply list with the option that I might get work in September/October if I am really lucky, how do I pay my bills until the day I get supply? How do I feed my kids? I’ve taken a job out with teaching in order to provide for my family but schools are back and my mental health is in the gutter sitting here thinking about how I should be back at school doing what I love and what I trained to do.
I have contacted the council, first minister and MSPS back in May when I first found out about being put onto supply and honestly the response was shocking, I had a few replies from some lovely MSPS who wanted to help me and have reached out and ultimately did all they could, I am yet to receive any reply from the council on this matter.
I am at my wits end with the whole situation. I am about to lose my house, we have sold our car because we simply cannot afford to keep it and my mental health is in the absolute gutter. I now feel I am sitting here with a degree I cannot use and the more time goes on the more I feel a permanent job is not going to happen for me.
Shared anonymously with the contributor’s consent and reviewed by the campaign. Light edits may have been made for readability and to remove identifying details.
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