By Professor John Robertson OBA
Today, BBC Scotland’s Lucy Adams reports:
Lee-Anne King has three sons at schools in Glasgow.
They all have additional support needs – and, as a result, are among those most likely to be affected by cuts to teacher numbers across the city. Lee-Anne, 41, volunteers at a primary school in the Knightswood area and is also the chair of the parent council.
She says the impact of the teacher cuts is already visible in the classroom at the school, which her 10-year-old son JJ attends. “Last week our deputy headteacher ended up teaching a class all day because another teacher was off,” she told BBC Scotland News.1
Those of us with experience in teaching, will be expressing mock shock at the that last piece of ‘evidence.’
From 2017 to 2023, the number of pupils in Scotland’s state schools has increased from 688 959 to 705 528, by 2.4%.
In the same period, the number of teachers has increased from 51 513 to 54 033, by 4.9%.
In the same period, the ratio of pupils to teachers has fallen (improved) from 13.6 to 13.2.2
This is the lowest (best) in the UK, compared with PTRs of 18 in England, 18.4 in Wales and 17.4 in Northern Ireland.3
The BBC Scotland report does not mention the above.
In June 2024, in TES:
Council leaders have this afternoon unanimously voted to reject a condition that a £145.5 million Scottish government grant will require teacher numbers to be maintained, in the hope of instead seeking a compromise. All 32 Scottish local authorities have decided not to sign the grant letter that requires them to agree to maintaining teacher numbers. A Cosla spokesperson said: “Councils rightly have high ambitions for all learners in Scotland, demonstrated through the stretch aims set to drive progress in raising attainment and closing the poverty-related attainment gap.
“We recognise the vital role of teachers in improving outcomes for children and young people but progress cannot be made by focusing on teachers alone.”
The spokesperson added: “Investment is required in wider support that may well sit outside the classroom and, indeed, the school. It is for this reason that councils cannot sign a grant offer letter that restricts the use of funding in this way, and does not enable a holistic focus on improving outcomes.”4
BBC Scotland only mention the above crucial context in the 37th of 42 paragraphs.
Sources:
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c70392gwx0wo
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/summary-statistics-for-schools-in-scotland-2023/pages/headline-school-and-early-learning-and-childcare-elc-statistics/
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/pupil-projections-implications-teacher-resourcing-needs-scotland-education-workforce-modelling-research/pages/10/
- https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/scottish-councils-reject-requirement-maintain-teacher-numbers
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
You highlight just one of many reasons why I never watch, listen or read any propaganda from the M.S.M, especially the B.B.C.
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I am always struck by the considerable effort BBC Scotland /STV expend in unearthing and highlighting individual parents with a grievance against Scottish Public Services (and blaming SNP ) , yet they can NEVER find ANYONE praising these same Public Services .Do they not exist ?
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I have several comments:
1. Part of the reason that Scotland has lower pupil/teacher ratios is because of the significant number of small schools serving sparsely populated areas. To ensure that the pupils in these schools have the same range of curriculum they have to be staffed more generously than larger schools in urban areas like Glasgow or Edinburgh. This is a good thing.
2.As indicated above, urban area schools have higher teacher pupil ratios because they have more pupils and more pupils per class and stage. It is an efficient use of teacher time.
3. Class size has an impact on the level of attainment of children in the earlier years, such as P1-3. Schools in urban areas generally have smaller class sizes at these stages and this has a consequence of class sizes at p4 and above being larger.
4. Teachers are not the only adult staff – there are classroom assistants and, especially for children with additional support needs, classroom assistants play a very effective role. Rather than teacher/pupil ratios, adult/pupil ratios give a more informed picture. Classroom assistants are paid at a lower rate than teachers and are employed only during term times. A classroom assistant cost is around 1/3 of that of a teacher. From a pupil learning point of view, provided class size maxima are not exceeded, it is sometimes better to allocate a greater proportion of staff costs to classroom assistants and less to teachers. It should be pointed out that many classroom assistants are often highly qualified and have often held more highly paid posts elsewhere, but, usually, as a result of motherhood, many give up these jobs and work as classroom assistants because the shorter working week and term time employment allow them to spend more time with their own children and other caring duties which many of these women have.
5. When school budgets are ‘squeezed’ the power of the teacher unions and the favourable publicity teachers tend to get in the media as the Lucy Adams article demonstrates, means that support staff, like classroom assistants, are dismissed to maintain teacher numbers. This means that some children with additional needs, especially in the early years tend to find it difficult to settle in school. This sometimes results in increased misbehaviour from young and immature children. The teacher unions then start talking of a ‘tsunami of indiscipline’ and the media of ‘the classroom jungle’. In attempting to pacify such children some react impulsively and hit out. And, then we get the ‘surge of violence’ in schools milked for all it is worth by teacher unions, who portray it as coming from all ages of young people. Violence by secondary age pupils against teachers is very rare and in the instances when it has happened there has often been an inadequate or aggressive action by a teacher which has preceded it. Of course, violence against school personnel is wrong and actions need to be taken to minimise the chances such as employing classroom assistants and by including in teacher training methods of reducing anxiety in children and preventing violent reactions. So, CoSLA is justified in stating that focussing on teacher numbers alone is not the best way of managing learning.
Alasdair Macdonald.
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Must with respect Alasdair disagree with ” Part of the reason that Scotland has lower pupil/teacher ratios is because of the significant number of small schools serving sparsely populated areas ” – Whereas this probably remains true of remote areas with reducing pupil rolls, the overall effect is minimal on the national figure – Many smaller schools have been combined over the years and pupils bussed in to new modern and more efficiently heated schools which frees up budgets.
On the rest of your salient points I agree, but that is not what Lucy Adams is attempting to frame with her ” More school cuts will ‘break the children or teachers – or both’ ” mischief…
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The legacy of neglect by the LabCons’ rule in Scotland is slowly being dismantled, and the ‘media’, and their EngGov do not like that one single bit. I saw a quote yesterday, in regard to governments doing positive things for their population, when a colonising country is attempting to control and undermine it. Something like, good government is a step too far for those wishing to keep control of a country and their resources.
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The councils pay a large part in teacher numbers. Not employing enough teachers. Cutting additional needs provision.
The Scottish Gov has to ring fence education funding. Provide other funding for staffing to try to make up the council cuts. The Scottish Gov provide extra funding of additional needs provision. Nurture nature practitioners. Counsellor’s are being funded, in schools, by the Scottish Gov. To help with children with additional needs and pupils who need extra support. Extra funding from the Scottish Gov so councils cannot cut the services.
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15,000 classroom assistants + other staff. Administration, janitor etc.
Average primary class sizes 23. Secondary. Secondary 5/6 years smaller class sizes.
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