Scotland’s newest teachers are facing a brutal reality. Many spend years on supply lists or leave the country entirely because permanent posts have become almost impossible to secure, especially in primary schools.
Louise Fraser, 24, from Ayrshire, moved to Dubai after her probation year ended in 2022. She now earns more, lives better, and has job security she never found at home. Another teacher has been on the supply list for nine-and-a-half years. These stories are not rare. They are the new normal.
New Teachers Face Years of Uncertainty
Scottish Government figures paint a grim picture. In 2023, only 29% of primary probationer teachers moved straight into permanent contracts after their induction year. That is down from 89% ten years ago.
In secondary, the drop is even steeper in some subjects. Just 18% of newly qualified English teachers secured permanent roles last year.
Supply teaching was once a short stepping stone. Now it has become a trap.
One Glasgow primary teacher, who asked to remain anonymous, has been on the supply list since 2015. “Nine-and-a-half years,” she told BBC Scotland. “I love teaching, but I can’t build a life on £130 a day with no sick pay, no maternity rights, and no idea if I’ll work tomorrow.”
Budget Cuts Make a Bad Situation Worse
Councils across Scotland are slashing teaching posts in 2024 and 2025 to balance books. Glasgow City Council alone plans to cut 450 teaching jobs over the next three years. Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and North Lanarkshire have announced similar redundancies.
Head teachers say they are losing staff while still struggling to cover classes.
The paradox is painful. Schools report vacancies and reliance on supply teachers, yet permanent posts are being cut or frozen. New graduates face hundreds of applicants for every rare opening.
Larry Flanagan, former EIS general secretary, called it “the worst job market for teachers in decades.”
Why Dubai Looks Better Than Dundee
Louise Fraser never wanted to leave Scotland.
“I trained here, I did my probation here, I wanted to teach Scottish children,” she said on BBC Radio Scotland.
But after months of daily supply work and no permanent offer, she took a job in Dubai.
“The salary is double, it’s tax-free, they pay my flights home twice a year, and I have a contract,” she said. “I cried when I accepted it because it felt like giving up on my country.”
She is engaged now and wants to return home to start a family. But she is terrified.
“I’m saving every dirham because I don’t know if I’ll have a job when I come back,” she said. “I might have to retrain and leave teaching altogether. That breaks my heart.”
Hundreds of Scottish teachers have made the same move. Recruitment fairs in Glasgow and Edinburgh now feature booths from UAE, Qatar, and Saudi schools offering packages Scottish councils cannot match.
Government Says It’s Acting, Teachers Say It’s Not Enough
The Scottish Government points to record teacher numbers: 55,044 in 2023, the highest since 2008. It has spent £1 billion since 2018 to protect places and recruit more staff.
But local authorities set budgets and make hiring decisions. Cosla says councils face a £700 million funding gap next year.
John Swinney promised in August 2024 to “maintain teacher numbers” and recruit internationally. Critics say that still leaves Scottish-trained teachers out in the cold.
Andrea Bradley, EIS general secretary, said: “We’re producing excellent teachers and then forcing them onto benefits, supply lists, or flights out of Glasgow Airport. It’s a national disgrace.”
The long-term damage is already showing. Student teachers starting courses this year are asking if it’s worth it. Applications to primary teaching degrees have fallen sharply since 2021.
Scotland built its reputation on education. Now its newest teachers are voting with their suitcases.
Louise Fraser still hopes to come home one day. But every month in Dubai makes that dream feel further away.
What do you think? Are we failing the next generation of Scottish teachers? Have you or someone you know left teaching because of the job market? Share your thoughts below.
