possible move to Scottish borders - French teacher

[sniff02]

Hi. My husband might start a new job in Selkirk area and I was wondering what it was like for a family. We would be moving from the Midlands, 2 boys: 6 and 11. I am a French teacher myself, so also wondering the chances of finding a job up there. (trained in England 16 years experience, Native speaker.) I do know I would have to register with the GTC and possibly do a probation year but also wondering if afterwards my experience would be recognised (pay scale wise).

Many thanks

Check with GTCS to see if they recognise your teaching qualification - my native French colleague had to complete a PGDE despite being an experienced teacher in France and England. Earlier this year when staffing numbers for the coming year were announced it looked like a fairly buoyant job market.

In Scotland if you are prepared to go to the extremes of north and south you will usually find teaching work. The over subscribed central belt can be harder. Another modern linguist friend spent 3 years on fixed term contracts before getting a permanent post.

Thanks for that. Was your native French colleague qualified in England and France?

My colleague did her degree and teaching qualification in France. This satisfied the GTC she then moved to Scotland with her husband's work and was rather shocked to discover that GTCS didn't recognise her teaching qualification and that she needed to complete a full PGCE and probation year after 12 years in the classroom. She did it because she wanted/ needed to work. In Scotland you have to be qualified teacher to teach and are only registered to teach your subject(s). Always shocks me when I see that's not the case everywhere.