Story 61

Age: 52

Teaching Experience: 5-8 years

Contract Type: Fixed Term

After years of working in the voluntary sector, I decided to retrain as a Primary Teacher and did the PGDE. One of the reasons was to have better job security rather than posts being two or three years, dependent on funding. After graduating I was fortunate to find a part time position with a permanent contract in a small rural school. I spent several years working in multi-composite classes building skills and experience in fairly challenging circumstances at times.

During this time we had a higher than average turnover of Headteacher, with the impact of this felt throughout the school. I tried to secure another job and applied for quite a few positions with no success.

Laterally, the situation became untenable for me to carry on my role due to the demands being placed upon me and a lack of support and understanding. After a period of time off work due to work related stress I thought I’d secured another job and handed my notice in.

Due to the amount of time it took for my reference to come through, the prospective employer questioned my amount of sick leave and revoked the job offer. I was unemployed and at a very low point in my working life. I felt extremely vulnerable and worried about the future given the lack of jobs being advertised. The way in which different Local Authorities and indeed schools within those LA deal with the recruitment process is also very mixed. Some are excellent and some are terrible with a lack of communication after being unsuccessful being common.

I can safely say that after years working in the voluntary sector and going through very professional recruitment processes it’s been quite shocking and disappointing how I’ve been treated in Education. I was able to get a part-time fixed term post in a very friendly, welcoming and supportive school at the beginning of this year which gave me a boost in confidence but I still felt vulnerable knowing it was coming to an end before the Summer.

I was told I could be interviewed to go on the preferred list for getting a fixed term contract and so I did that and was successful in getting onto the list. However, this process felt demoralising and demeaning as I was told I’d be given a school and there doesn’t feel like there’s much choice but to take it. I’m now in a fixed term position, and I’m happy to be with a class of great kids.

However, the Summer looms at the back of my mind constantly. I have never in my whole working life felt more devalued, vulnerable and treated so poorly.

Our Scottish education system is meant to have Health and Wellbeing underpinning everything but it couldn’t be further from the truth at the moment.