Teaching in Scotland : Applying for jobs

To gain full registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) , you must complete a probationary period on finishing your Initial Teacher Education (ITE).

Teacher Induction Scheme

Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) from Scottish teacher education institutions (TEIs) who have been publicly funded (UK or EU fees) for their teacher training are eligible to join the Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS).This is a one-year training post with a local authority (LA) in Scotland. Successful completion of your probationary period via the TIS will lead to full registration with the GTCS, enabling you to apply for permanent teaching posts.

The TIS operates in public sector schools and ensures that, as a probationary teacher:

• your maximum class commitment is 0.7 fte (full-time equivalent);
• you have access to a qualified, experienced teacher for support and as a mentor.

Applications for the TIS are made centrally through the GTCS. The closing date is the end of December. You can prioritise your five LA choices, after which, you will be allocated to an LA that will decide which school to place you in for your TIS year. Research the different authorities thoroughly and consider in which region you would like to work after completing your induction period. Or, you can waive your right to state your preferences under the Preference Waiver Payment scheme. By agreeing to work anywhere in Scotland for your induction year, you will receive an additional payment of £6,000 for primary, and £8,000 for secondary, teaching.

The current starting salary is £21,438.

More detailed information about the TIS is available on the GTCS Probationer Teacher Scotland  website.

Flexible Route

If you do not wish to join the TIS or are not eligible to do so, you can still complete your probation in the public sector via temporary contracts and supply teaching, but it is likely to take longer (270 teaching days as opposed to 190). Information about the Flexible Route is available from the GTCS Probationer Teacher Scotland website.

Temporary posts are advertised in:

• Times Educational Supplement (Scotland) (TESS)  
• The Scotsman  
• The Herald  
• regional newspapers;
• local authority websites.

Contact individual local authorities to find out how they operate supply teaching. You can find links to local government jobs listings at Local Government Jobs in Scotland .

Teaching in the independent sector

You can complete your probation period in the independent sector, although independent schools are not part of the TIS database-matching scheme. Advertisements for independent sector probation positions can be found in the sources listed above. It is also worth making speculative applications by sending your CV directly to schools.

Find out more about the independent sector and how to complete your probation period from the Scottish Council of Independent Schools .

Teachers trained outside Scotland

If you trained to teach outside Scotland, you will need to register with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS)  to teach in any public sector primary or secondary school. You will normally be eligible for exceptional admission to the teaching register, although you will be required to undertake a year’s probationary period. If you are already an experienced teacher, the main sources of vacancies are the same as for temporary posts.