Supply Work Survey Analysis Report

Total Respondents

Total Respondents: 346 (100%)

Overall Summary

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the supply work survey results. The survey asked respondents the availability of supply work since the start of the academic year, August 2024. The data reflects the following general patterns:

• No Supply Work: 39.7%

• Very Little (Less than 1 month): 40.6%

• Fixed term (less than 1 year): 0.58%

• Short term supply until middle of November: 0.58%

• Fixed term contract until October break: 0.58%

• Fixed Term (Less than one year): 0.29%

• Quite a bit: 0.29%

• Longer term supply that has been across the whole term: 0.29%

• Offered 2 month fixed term contract: 0.29%

• Permanent Supply: 0.29%

• Permanent supply: 0.29%

• Varies Minimum 2 days a week: 0.29%

• Regular although at different schools on a day to day basis: 0.29%

• Long term (very very lucky!): 0.29%

• Not contacted after paying pvg: 0.29%

• Fixed term (1 year): 0.29%

• Lots and lots of day to day supply available: 0.29%

Key Insights:

1. 1. The majority of respondents (80.29%) reported either "Very little" or "No supply work".

2. 2. Only a small percentage (8.12%) were offered fixed-term contracts of 1 year or more.

3. 3. There is a wide variety of supply work experiences, ranging from no work to permanent positions.

Councils with the Least Supply Work:

1. South Lanarkshire Council

   • No supply work: 74.07%

   • Very little (less than 1 month): 22.22%

   • Fixed term (1 year or more): 3.70%

2. Scottish Borders Council

   • No supply work: 66.67%

   • Very little (less than 1 month): 33.33%

3. East Dunbartonshire Council

   • No supply work: 52.94%

   • Very little (less than 1 month): 41.18%

4. East Ayrshire Council

   • No supply work: 52.94%

   • Very little (less than 1 month): 41.18%

5. Renfrewshire Council

   • No supply work: 50%

   • Very little (less than 1 month): 32.50%

6. Clackmannanshire Council

   • No supply work: 50%

   • Very little (less than 1 month): 50%

Councils with the Most Supply Work:

1. The Highland Council

   • Lots of short-term supply: 23.08%

   • Fixed term (3 months): 15.38%

   • Regular, day-to-day work at different schools: 7.69%

   • Fixed term contract until October break: 7.69%

2. Moray Council

   • Lots of day-to-day supply: 25%

   • Lots of short-term supply: 25%

   • Quite a bit of supply: 25%

   • Very little supply: 25%

3. Shetland Islands Council

   • Lots of short-term supply: 100%

4. Aberdeen City Council

   • Lots of short-term supply: 33.33%

   • Very little supply: 33.33%

   • No supply work: 33.33%

5. Perth and Kinross Council

   • Fixed term (1 year): 25%

   • Very little supply: 25%

     
     

High Rates of "Very Little" Supply Work

Across multiple councils, a significant proportion of respondents report receiving "very little" supply work (less than 1 month). This trend suggests that while opportunities exist, they are often short-lived, inconsistent, and do not provide sustainable employment. Examples include:

• Aberdeenshire Council: 77.78% report very little supply work.

• Angus Council: 50% with very little supply work.

• Glasgow City Council: 53.85% of respondents reported very little supply work.

  
  

Councils Offering Fixed-Term Contracts

A few councils offer more stable, fixed-term contracts (usually lasting a few months to a year or more). While these opportunities are rare, they offer some hope of stability:

• Perth and Kinross Council: 25% report having a 1-year fixed-term contract.

• Falkirk Council: 12.5% report receiving a 1-year fixed-term contract.

• East Renfrewshire Council: 5.56% report receiving a fixed-term contract of 1 year or more.

• Renfrewshire Council: 7.5% offered a 1-year fixed-term contract.

  
  

Multiple Short-Term Contracts in Some Councils

In a few cases, councils are offering multiple types of short-term contracts, although they are not widespread. Examples include:

• Renfrewshire Council: Offering contracts as short as 3 months (2.5%) or until the middle of November.

• Dundee City Council: Offering 3-month contracts (14.29%)

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Disparity in Work for Secondary vs Primary Teachers

The report doesn't explicitly distinguish between primary and secondary supply work, but based on general knowledge, secondary teachers often have slightly more opportunities due to the more specialized nature of their work (especially in subjects like STEM).

Council-Level Breakdown of Supply Work Categories

The following table provides a detailed breakdown of supply work categories for each council, showing only the categories with non-zero percentages:

Council	Work Type	Percentage
Aberdeen City Council	Lots of short term supply	33.33%
Aberdeen City Council	No supply work	33.33%
Aberdeen City Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	33.33%
Aberdeenshire Council	Longer term supply that has been across the whole term	11.11%
Aberdeenshire Council	No supply work	11.11%
Aberdeenshire Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	77.78%
Angus Council	No supply work	40.00%
Angus Council	Some	10.00%
Angus Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	50.00%
Argyll and Bite Council	No supply work	25.00%
Argyll and Bite Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	12.50%
Argyll and Bite Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	62.50%
City of Edinburgh Council	No supply work	29.41%
City of Edinburgh Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	5.88%
City of Edinburgh Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	64.71%
Clackmannanshire Council	No supply work	50.00%
Clackmannanshire Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	50.00%
Dumfries and Galloway Council	Fixed term (3 months)	9.09%
Dumfries and Galloway Council	Fixed term (less than 1 year)	9.09%
Dumfries and Galloway Council	No supply work	18.18%
Dumfries and Galloway Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	63.64%
Dundee City Council	Fixed term (3 months)	14.29%
Dundee City Council	No supply work	14.29%
Dundee City Council	Some	7.14%
Dundee City Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	64.29%
East Ayrshire Council	Lots of short term supply	5.88%
East Ayrshire Council	No supply work	52.94%
East Ayrshire Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	41.18%
East Dunbartonshire Council	No supply work	52.94%
East Dunbartonshire Council	Offered 2 month fixed term contract	5.88%
East Dunbartonshire Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	41.18%
East Lothian Council	No supply work	33.33%
East Lothian Council	Short term supply until middle of November	16.67%
East Lothian Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	50.00%
East Renfrewshire Council	Fixed term (3 months)	11.11%
East Renfrewshire Council	No supply work	38.89%
East Renfrewshire Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	5.56%
East Renfrewshire Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	44.44%
Falkirk Council	No supply work	50.00%
Falkirk Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	12.50%
Falkirk Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	37.50%
Fife Council	No supply work	37.50%
Fife Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	12.50%
Fife Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	50.00%
Glasgow City Council	No supply work	38.46%
Glasgow City Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	7.69%
Glasgow City Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	53.85%
Highland Council	Fixed term (3 months)	7.69%
Highland Council	No supply work	15.38%
Highland Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	7.69%
Highland Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	69.23%
Inverclyde Council	No supply work	50.00%
Inverclyde Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	50.00%
Midlothian Council	No supply work	33.33%
Midlothian Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	66.67%
Moray Council	No supply work	25.00%
Moray Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	75.00%
North Ayrshire Council	No supply work	37.50%
North Ayrshire Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	12.50%
North Ayrshire Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	50.00%
North Lanarkshire Council	No supply work	44.44%
North Lanarkshire Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	11.11%
Orkney Islands	Fixed term (less than 1 year)	(100.00%)
Perth and Kinross Council	Fixed term (1 year)	25.00%
Perth and Kinross Council	No supply work	50.00%
Perth and Kinross Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	25.00%
Renfrewshire Council	Fixed Term (Less than one year)	2.50%
Renfrewshire Council	Fixed term (3 months)	2.50%
Renfrewshire Council	No supply work	50%
Renfrewshire Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more	7.50%
Renfrewshire Council	Short term supply until middle of November	2.50%
Renfrewshire Council	Varies Minimum 2 days a week	2.50%
Renfrewshire Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	32.50%
Scottish Borders Council	No supply work	66.67%
Scottish Borders Council	Very Little (less than one month)	33.33%
Shetland Island Council	Lots of short supply	100%
South Ayrshire Council	Fixed term (3 months)	6.67%
South Ayrshire Council	No supply work	46.67%
South Ayrshire Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	6.67^
South Ayrshire Council	Very little (less than 1 month	40.00%
South Lanarkshire Council	No supply work	74.07%
South Lanarkshire Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	3.70%
South Lanarkshire Council	Very little (less than 1 month	22.22%
Stirling Council	No supply work	36.36%
Stirling Council	Fixed term (1 year)	9.09%
Stirling Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	9.09%
Stirling Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	45.45%
The Highland Council	Fixed term (3 months)	15.38%
The Highland Council	Fixed term contract until October break	7.69%
The Highland Council	Lots of short term supply	23.08%
The Highland Council	No supply work	7.69%
The Highland Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	23.08%
The Highland Council	Regular although at different schools on a day to day basis	7.69%
The Highland Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	15.38%
The Moray Council	Lots and lots of day to day supply available	25.00%
The Moray Council	Lots of short term supply	25.00%
The Moray Council	Quite a bit	25.00%
The Moray Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	25.00%
West Dunbartonshire Council	No supply work	54.55%
West Dunbartonshire Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	4.55%
West Dunbartonshire Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	40.91%
West Lothian Council	Fixed term (3 months)	4.00%
West Lothian Council	Fixed term contract until October break	4.00%
West Lothian Council	No supply work	36%
West Lothian Council	Offered a fixed term contract (1 year or more)	12.00%
West Lothian Council	Very little (less than 1 month)	44.00%

Figure 1: Supply Work Distribution by Council

Advertising for Supply Positions

The following analysis shows the number and percentage of councils that have advertised for supply recruitment this year, excluding invalid responses:

Yes: 239 (70.09%)

No: 102 (29.91%)

Total valid responses: 341

Out of the respondents who reported 'No supply work', 84 (62.69%) indicated that their Local Authority has advertised for supply recruitment this year.