Professor John Robertson OBA, former school teacher, teacher education lecturer and Associate Dean for Quality Assurance, 1980 to 2016
In December 2022, the Times could report the above stunning facts but Scottish media seemed reluctant to make much of it.
From BBC England, today:
The government faces a “now or never moment” to hit its target of recruiting 6,500 new teachers in England by the end of its term, a new report has suggested. Analysis by the National Foundation of Educational Research (NFER) says unfilled vacancies are at a record high and recruitment into teacher training remains “persistently low.”
The NFER’s school workforce lead, Jack Worth, says more students are now being taught by unqualified or non-specialist teachers, with the impact felt more acutely by students living in disadvantaged areas.
“The spending review in June is a real now or never moment. Not taking that opportunity will really risk not delivering [on the 6,500 promise] and not having anything to show the electorate at the end of the parliament.”
Mr Worth says “pay increases above average earnings”, reducing teacher workload and bursaries and career retention payments are all important for attracting more teachers.
What is the SNP Government doing to reduce workloads?
While there will be other factors, the ratio of pupils to teachers is recognised by researchers and in common sense, to be crucial.
In Scotland, as of 10 December 2024, there was a teacher for every 13.3 pupils.1 This ratio has been in the range 13.6/1 to 13.2/1 for six years.
In England? There is a teacher for every 18 pupils, 5 more – a 36% greater workload in schools.
In this respect the Scottish system is 36% better.2
Sources:
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
“Aye but, ferries, gender reform ‘n’ that, innit?”
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How can we stop the ignorant people who insist on parroting the myth that Scotland’s services, especially education, are failing?
It was very, very annoying to hear this yet again go unchallenged on Debate Night from a woman supposedly asking a question but manging to get that wee nugget in.
I was pleased to hear NS, whose departure from politics has started an avalanche of hate tweets/posts, dispute it when she said that Scottish education wasn’t as bad as the opposition parties made out.
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After canvassing for many years kg I can tell you the level of ignorance is appalling. You are continually confronted by that’s days headlines from the M.S.M, or the lead story on B.B.C Scotland, both of which are usually a load of lies denigrating the S.G. Whilst the number of viewers, listeners or readers of the media is reducing, a vast number only see, read, or hear the headlines. Most don’t bother to enquire further, so then you have it embedded in their mindset. As an example you have to look no farther than the last G.E. Fooled again. In large numbers. I doubt they will ever learn.
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sad but not unexpected as I know from conversations with my friends and even some family members. They don’t want to hear my opinions either, so deep rooted are their own beliefs.
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Aye, and still malingering on the BBC/Scotland/Politics page from 14th February is Philip Sim’s ” Should teacher numbers drop as school rolls fall? “…. https://archive.ph/CmVMv keeping the ” Sarwar backs Starmer over welfare reform ” story company….
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The Tories cut Education funding £6Billion a year. ConDems. LibDems betrayed the students. A student loan book £87Billion being sold on. Half will never be paid back but youngsters in the South are saddled with debt. They cannot afford homes.
The Scottish Gov has to mitigate the cuts. 30% of pupils go to university from school. 25% mature students, left out of the equation. 7% EU students. (15% before Brexit) reciprocal. Foreign students pay the full cost. 15 universities 5.4million pop. The highest ration in the world. Colleges and apprenticeships. The highest number in the world. The next is Canada 56%.
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Scottish teachers are higher paid and higher qualified. They must have a degree.
The average primary class overall is 23. Class sizes are higher when councils will not build schools without enough pupils to fill them when houses are being built. The legal class sizes are 30 pupils. Classes in 5/6 years secondary are smaller. Pupils have left to go to colleges or take up apprenticeships. Apprenticeships are good for getting young people into work. Including neurodiverse people. The work pattern should be tailored for them.
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Coming back home today listening to the Briefing Room on Radio 4, several times they commented that Scotland’s approach to Special Educational Needs should be studied and copied. Almost went off the road.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0028v06
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Another damning report by The Ferret today stating that John Swinney’s statement that the attainment gap has dropped by 60% is mostly false.
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a few problems here. Teachers are supposedly paid more here but have very few opportunities for promotion. The average secondary school teacher has at least 2 certificate school classes. In England there are 6th firm colleges to do the higher equivalent. (Less workload) In England there are PRUS or behavioural units. These have been removed in Scotland. The behaviour problems have not. Teachers in Glasgow experience daily verbal and physical abuse. It is very difficult to fill in the violent incident forms. Yes you are a ‘former’ school teacher. You are not working as teacher now. You wouldn’t cope now. An example of a progressive liberal who has lost touch with reality and will not listen.
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