story 18

Age: 37

Teaching Experience: 5-8 years

Contract Type: Casual Supply (through calls, emails, teacherbooker etc)

Lecture hall at my uni’s PGDE year being told “95% of probationers will end up with a permanent contract in Modern Studies”.

That was the first of many lies.

Like most teachers NQT year was tough but at the end of the year I noticed there was only three permanent positions to apply for. I was unfortunate not to obtain those positions. I then spent the next year back in the same school I was probationer at covering all sorts of subjects then the pandemic hit. I was fortunate enough to be then contacted for Modern Studies cover in Inverclyde as it was still seen as unsafe for the permanent teacher to return due to pregnancy.

I then had to apply for the job I was already doing for six months to continue until summer time as it was covering maternity even though it was covering same teacher. Logic and common sense not in operation with the powers to be but I was successful and second lockdown occurred. June rolled round and I had to apply for a temp position for the same school doing the same job. Once again I was successful and spent another great year in the school.

At the end of the year they once again advertised the position but this time I was not successful as they would put an NQT of Modern Studies in my place instead. I had spent two years at the school and if a permanent position becomes available I should have been made permanent but decided to use an NQT. Following year I was in a school in Renfrewshire council but this required me to beg the education business manager at the end of each week to keep me on so I could pay bills.

Everytime I responded to teacher booker of text messages I missed out. Who knew to be a great teacher you need to have a superb internet connection, great mobile phone signal and extremely fast device to obtain work. At the end of the year I applied for a 0.8 permanent position in Inverclyde and then a week later the position was removed. I heard through former colleagues that a member of staff four years my junior was offered the permanency there even though they had yet to complete two solid years. I called the council they said he is dual qualified and I am not. I contacted my union they said they cant do anything.

The previous year I applied for my dual qualification in History but the GTCS stated my modules were not historical or relevant to the curriculum even though during my PDGE year I was allowed to dual if I taught enough History classes. Once again my union didn’t care.For some reason people seem to think History and Modern Studies are the same subject so instead of advertising for a Modern Studies teacher its always ‘Modern Studies/History’.I managed to get back into the same school for a third year filling out time sheets having a different wage every month but a wage none the less .

At the end of the year I was informed in a staffing meeting with Inverclyde that no job will be advertised as permanent. It will be temporary until staffing exercise takes place. First permanent positions will be filled using NQTs. If there are no NQTs allocated then it will go to internal transfers. If theres no transfers it will then go to those on the temp to perm list(to which two consecutive years in the authority must be completed first). If there is no one on that list it will then be advertised as temp for a year. The head of the EIS at the time was present in this meeting and supportive of this new structure. Head of education stated that the authorities budget was cut from £3million to £500K and this is the best way to maintain staff numbers.

In my 7 year career I have had one interview for a permanent position. In one instance for a temp position I was informed there was over 100 applicants. I have applied for a total of ten jobs in the past 7 years and three of those were in a school doing the job I was already doing!

I'm now back on casual supply begging for a days work. I cant get a mortgage or even a joint mortgage as banks see teachers positions on supply as unstable. My stress and anxiety are through the roof at times. In fact as I’m typing this I have just realized I haven’t ate anything in 26 hours I have been so busy refreshing emails and jumping at my phone every-time it makes a noise.

I want to go for a shower but I will need to wait until later tonight in case I miss a job opportunity while I’m in a shower. I have been actively considering moving to Texas in the USA to teach as there are no career prospects here.

Overall I feel anger. Anger towards the Scottish Government for not controlling a situation they caused by allowing local authorities to spend money how they see fit and use the NQTs for their own staffing instead of additional staff. I’m angry at the disgusting cowardly actions from politicians not taking responsibility and being active in fixing the situation.

I’m angry people with less common sense, logical thinking and intelligence are making money out of my misery.

SNP stated they wanted to reduce class sizes and reduce teacher class contact time. This would increase pupil attainment.

But they cant do that because they have literally no control over those areas as they like to inform us over and over because the solution for those two areas is increase staff numbers.

My story is about lies from the top to the public and it’s time grown men and women stopped acting like little children with their bare face lies and take responsibility for their actions.