story 22

Age: 37

Teaching Experience: 5-8 years

Contract Type: Fixed Term

I’m in my 7th year of teaching, I have experience at all ages and stages and have worked with children who have additional support needs and those who need social and emotional support. I have studied, alongside working, since I completed my PGDE and now have a masters degree in Education.

I am currently working abroad due to the lack of employment opportunities in Scotland. This was not through a lack of trying – I’ve actually applied for over 80 jobs in Scotland in that time (and all over Scotland)!!

While I have got some of these positions, the only permanent one I did get was a 5 hour drive from my home and I ended up moving back to a job outside of mainstream education. I tried doing supply locally but there was not enough work to make it worthwhile, once getting only three days in a 2 month period. I have been lucky and been employed for most of this time but to remain employed I’ve moved abroad twice and moved to the Highlands (from my South of Scotland base). In the past, my local area has been one which found it difficult to recruit teachers due to the rural nature of the region, however there is now a severe lack of opportunities. Some jobs that I’ve applied for stated they had received 80 applicants for a temporary job!

One job I applied for in Glasgow, in 2021 (permanent supply) had over 1200 applicants .

Usually if something permanent does come up there is already someone working in the school in a temporary basis who (understandably) get the job but it is very frustrating applying for and being rejected from so many roles.

I have fantastic references from previous headteachers, and I would love to continue teaching, however I also want to live near my friends and family so will probably have to consider a career change in the next couple of years so I can move back to Scotland.

When you consider the challenges which teachers are facing in the classroom, such as children communicating unmet needs through behaviour, alongside increasing numbers of additional support needs, the surplus of teachers could be used to support by providing nurture classes and working with the many children who could thrive with an additional adult supporting them.