Jun 10 2007
On the bru
I met someone yesterday who is off to Moray House later in the year to start their primary PGCE. I was interested to know if she had heard anything about the current teacher job situation around Edinburgh at the moment. I was dismayed but not surprised to hear that she knew nothing of it. It’s scary to think that all those people are walking blindly into a PGCE course which could end up taking them nowhere. Those of us in the profession are already hearing lots of horror stories of teachers (particularly in primary) going back to the careers they left behind to teach! It would seem however that this is not making it out to the teaching hopefuls. It certainly isn’t mentioned on the Teach in Scotland site:
“As a new teacher who trained in Scotland, you’re guaranteed full-time employment for your first year” But, then what…?
So, I was pleased to see that a newspaper has picked up the story today: New Scots teachers go straight on the scrapheap. Some of the numbers on there are frightening. There are apparently 1790 probationers this year and only 100 full-time posts!
If you knew that would you be so keen to drop your career and pay your way through a PGCE?
I don’t know what to say hear Fearghal. This situation has been ongoing for the last few years. This is not why I voted for the ‘McCrone’ agreement.
With the agreement, NQTs could ‘free-up’ time for other staff to take secondments, but that seems to have fallen by the way-side too.
NQTs appear to be replacing (potentially permanent) staff (for a year). This was not my understanding of the agreement; from my own perspective.
It’s a difficult one, but I really feel for the many new teachers out there who are so keen to embrace a full time job, yet they are now faced with ‘General Supply Work’ until they are permanently appointed.
I guess it all boils down to cash at the end of the day