Alan Combes’s column (TESS, October 11) might have been tongue in cheek but how dare he even suggest that because he is bored he would “hammer out a c.v. for primary schools where, at a pinch, I wouldn’t mind doing some supply teaching”? As a former head of English at a high school I would certainly hope that he is also qualified to teach at primary level.
My main concern is that as an unemployed, fairly recently graduated primary teacher, I have to earn a living for myself, my wife and family from supply work. Why school someone who has chosen early retirement, with the obviously agreed, well remunerated package which went with it, be allowed to keep someone out of a job? There are many, many unemployed teachers who exist on supply work, some through choice and some while looking for permanent positions.
I assume that the situation in England is similar to that of Scotland with approximately 120-150 applications per teaching position in the norm.
If Alan Combes was trying to be humorous then, to some, it was just not funny.
If he was being serious, then it is a disgrace which should not be allowed.
ALAN DICK Mearns Road Clarkston, Glasgow
