Summary statistics for schools in Scotland - No. 6: 2015 Edition

This contains the results of the annual pupil census, annual teacher census, early learning and childcare data , school estates data, attendance and absence data and exclusions data.

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3. Teachers

50,576 teachers in local authority schools (including centrally employed teachers), compared to 50,568 in 2014
13.7 Pupil teacher ratio in local authority schools
- same as in 2014
86% of teachers on the 2014/15 probationer induction scheme were in employment in September 2015

Table 3.1: Publicly funded teachers by sector, by LA, 2015(1)

  ELC(2) Primary School Secondary School Special School Centrally employed Total
Aberdeen City 53 802 735 67 27 1,685
Aberdeenshire 62 1,347 1,217 45 40 2,712
Angus 8 566 548 - 22 1,144
Argyll & Bute 4 408 425 11 - 847
Clackmannanshire 12 254 214 18 5 502
Dumfries & Galloway 25 641 704 6 128 1,504
Dundee City 32 632 646 68 30 1,408
East Ayrshire 11 539 540 58 14 1,162
East Dunbartonshire 27 507 605 53 39 1,232
East Lothian 46 439 457 - 24 966
East Renfrewshire 28 534 643 29 6 1,241
Edinburgh City 130 1,510 1,418 167 99 3,324
Eilean Siar 2 150 158 - 16 326
Falkirk 22 754 742 64 20 1,603
Fife 69 1,717 1,600 78 81 3,544
Glasgow City 60 2,259 1,978 370 172 4,838
Highland(3) 23 1,052 1,172 41 93 2,381
Inverclyde 8 331 359 41 4 742
Midlothian 24 398 406 32 30 890
Moray 7 406 426 - 42 881
North Ayrshire 28 622 627 43 40 1,359
North Lanarkshire 59 1,582 1,575 211 38 3,465
Orkney Islands 11 118 129 - 8 266
Perth & Kinross 41 677 625 19 16 1,378
Renfrewshire 25 735 760 79 21 1,621
Scottish Borders 23 453 474 - 122 1,072
Shetland Islands 8 155 157 - 11 331
South Ayrshire 41 496 507 27 33 1,104
South Lanarkshire 70 1,534 1,469 153 20 3,246
Stirling 7 404 463 20 35 928
West Dunbartonshire 10 433 415 47 26 931
West Lothian 64 949 815 95 21 1,944
All local authorities(3) (4) 1,038 23,403 23,008 1,844 1,283 50,576
Grant aided (5) - 22 52 67 - 141
Total(3) 1,038 23,425 23,059 1,911 1,283 50,717

(1) These figures refer to full-time equivalents of teachers - see background notes 3.2, 3.3 and 6.1.
(2) Includes partnership ELC centres, and teachers in ELC centres whether centre-based, centrally employed or home visiting.
(3) In February and December 2015, teacher numbers were corrected, also effecting totals. See background notes 3.5a and 3.5b.
(4) See background note 3.5c for information on double counting of teacher FTE between primary and ELC centres.
(5) In September 2015 there were eight grant aided schools, one mainstream with primary and secondary departments, and seven special schools. These schools are included in national totals, but are identified separately in local authority level tables.

Table 3.2 shows that total teacher numbers (including ELC, primary, secondary, special and centrally employed teachers) for publicly funded schools in Scotland have decreased between 2010 and 2014, then remained similar in 2015. At the start of 2015, each Local Authority agreed to maintain their own teacher numbers and PTRs, as published for 2014. Although the total FTE for 2015 has remained similar to 2014, this is not the case across all local authorities. In 22 local authorities the number of teachers has either been maintained or increased, with the largest increase being 1.4 per cent. Ten local authorities saw a decrease this year, with the largest decrease being 3.4 per cent.

Table 3.2: Teachers in publicly funded early learning and childcare, and schools, 2010 to 2015

  2010(1) 2011(1) 2012(1) 2013 2014(1) 2015
Aberdeen City 1,677 1,692 1,696 1,687 1,707 1,685
Aberdeenshire 2,741 2,642 2,638 2,701 2,700 2,712
Angus 1,199 1,173 1,156 1,157 1,143 1,144
Argyll & Bute 909 874 871 868 878 847
Clackmannanshire 500 495 494 509 510 502
Dumfries & Galloway 1,605 1,568 1,570 1,533 1,520 1,504
Dundee City 1,511 1,472 1,461 1,436 1,407 1,408
East Ayrshire 1,219 1,198 1,169 1,155 1,150 1,162
East Dunbartonshire 1,233 1,193 1,186 1,211 1,222 1,232
East Lothian 975 978 970 954 953 966
East Renfrewshire 1,229 1,222 1,224 1,242 1,224 1,241
Edinburgh City 3,320 3,274 3,302 3,344 3,281 3,324
Eilean Siar 369 365 353 344 324 326
Falkirk 1,565 1,576 1,590 1,596 1,603 1,603
Fife 3,646 3,576 3,574 3,596 3,529 3,544
Glasgow City 4,981 5,080 5,069 4,888 4,883 4,838
Highland 2,465 2,408 2,376 2,365 2,360 2,381
Inverclyde 797 766 768 745 732 742
Midlothian 850 848 849 867 880 890
Moray 920 894 903 885 887 881
North Ayrshire 1,387 1,387 1,348 1,374 1,363 1,359
North Lanarkshire 3,658 3,614 3,597 3,575 3,523 3,465
Orkney Islands 270 252 254 259 265 266
Perth & Kinross 1,391 1,391 1,381 1,382 1,374 1,378
Renfrewshire 1,614 1,597 1,617 1,610 1,607 1,621
Scottish Borders 1,152 1,158 1,157 1,133 1,089 1,072
Shetland Islands 400 373 357 340 330 331
South Ayrshire 1,174 1,120 1,136 1,120 1,102 1,104
South Lanarkshire 3,198 3,227 3,230 3,253 3,225 3,246
Stirling 980 963 945 942 943 928
West Dunbartonshire 946 923 906 918 921 931
West Lothian 1,986 1,914 1,952 1,939 1,935 1,944
All local authorities 51,866 51,212 51,100 50,932 50,568 50,576
Grant aided 157 156 153 145 153 141
All publicly funded 52,022 51,368 51,253 51,078 50,720 50,717

(1) 2014 teacher figures were revised in February and December 2015, see background notes 3.5a and 3.5b. 2010, 2011, 2012 ELC, primary, school and total teacher FTE and PTRs were revised in 2013, see background note 3.5c.

Table 3.3 shows pupil teacher ratios (PTRs) in publicly funded schools, giving a measure of the size of the workforce compared with the pupil population. The PTR was improving for local authority schools, with less pupils per teacher between 2005 and 2008. From 2008 it increased gradually to reach 13.5 in 2011. It remained at this level for two years but increased slightly in 2014 to 13.7, partly due to the increase in pupils in the primary sector, and only a small increase in primary teachers. Although pupil numbers increased again in 2015, the total teacher numbers remained similar and the PTR has remained at 13.7. Figures vary across local authorities over time. The largest increases in PTRs this year were in Stirling and Clackmannanshire, the largest decreases (improvements) in PTRs were in Inverclyde and Aberdeenshire.

Table 3.3: Pupil teacher ratios in publicly funded schools (all sectors excluding ELC), 2008 to 2015

  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014(2) 2015
Aberdeen City 13.0 12.8 13.6 13.4 13.5 13.5 13.6 13.6
Aberdeenshire 12.8 13.1 13.0 13.4 13.4 13.3 13.5 13.3
Angus 13.2 13.3 13.0 13.2 13.2 13.1 13.3 13.2
Argyll & Bute 12.8 12.5 12.6 12.9 12.5 12.4 12.2 12.4
Clackmannanshire 12.7 13.1 13.8 13.6 13.7 13.5 13.3 13.4
Dumfries & Galloway 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.7 12.5 12.7 12.7 12.7
Dundee City 11.5 11.7 11.8 12.1 12.3 12.6 12.9 13.0
East Ayrshire 13.5 13.2 13.6 13.7 14.0 14.0 14.0 13.9
East Dunbartonshire 13.1 13.6 13.3 13.6 13.7 13.6 13.6 13.6
East Lothian 14.1 13.7 14.4 14.4 14.8 15.1 15.2 15.1
East Renfrewshire 13.5 13.6 13.6 13.7 13.5 13.4 13.7 13.7
Edinburgh City 13.5 13.9 14.1 14.3 14.2 14.3 14.9 14.9
Eilean Siar 9.4 9.2 9.9 9.8 10.2 10.1 10.4 10.3
Falkirk 12.9 13.2 13.4 13.4 13.4 13.4 13.5 13.5
Fife 13.7 13.6 13.4 13.7 13.7 13.7 14.0 14.0
Glasgow City 12.4 13.2 13.4 13.1 13.1 13.6 13.6 13.8
Highland 12.3 12.6 13.0 13.2 13.2 13.2 13.2 13.1
Inverclyde 12.7 13.1 13.5 13.8 13.6 13.8 13.8 13.5
Midlothian 13.1 13.7 14.3 14.4 14.6 14.2 14.2 14.2
Moray 12.9 13.0 13.3 13.5 13.4 13.7 13.7 13.7
North Ayrshire 13.2 14.0 13.8 13.7 14.0 13.7 13.7 13.6
North Lanarkshire 13.1 13.4 13.6 13.8 13.9 13.9 14.2 14.4
Orkney Islands 10.4 10.5 10.6 11.0 11.0 10.6 10.5 10.4
Perth & Kinross 13.5 13.1 13.0 12.9 13.1 13.1 13.3 13.3
Renfrewshire 14.1 14.8 14.9 14.9 14.6 14.8 14.7 14.6
Scottish Borders 13.1 13.4 13.3 13.2 13.2 13.3 13.7 13.8
Shetland Islands 8.5 8.5 8.6 9.2 9.5 9.7 10.0 10.0
South Ayrshire 13.6 13.4 12.8 13.2 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.2
South Lanarkshire 13.2 13.5 13.9 13.7 13.7 13.6 13.7 13.7
Stirling 13.6 13.1 13.0 13.2 13.4 13.1 13.2 13.4
West Dunbartonshire 12.4 12.8 13.3 13.6 13.7 13.6 13.6 13.5
West Lothian 13.0 13.3 13.5 14.0 14.1 14.0 14.1 14.1
All local authorities 13.0 13.2 13.3 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.7 13.7
Grant aided 7.4 7.5 8.3 8.5 8.5 8.9 8.4 8.9
All publicly funded 12.9 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.5 13.7 13.7

(1) Includes teachers based in schools and centrally employed teachers.
(2) 2014 Teacher numbers were amended in February and December 2015. See background notes 3.5a and 3.5b.
(3) The pupil teacher ratio for 2015 for North Lanarkshire changed due to corrections with their primary pupil roll in February 2016. See background note 3.6 for details.

One of the most important uses of the data collected in the teacher census is in modelling future changes in the workforce in order to provide guidance on the number of new teachers to train. Chart 1 shows the age profile of school teachers and the change since 2004. The age profile for 2015 shows a peak at age 57, however the proportion of teachers aged 50+ has reduced over the last decade. There is also now a peak forming in the early thirties.

Chart 1: Age profile, school based teachers, 2004 to 2015

Chart 1: Age profile, school based teachers, 2004 to 2015

Chart 2 shows the age profile of GTCS registered ELC teachers, where known, as at September 2015. The number of teachers generally increases with age, with a peak in the number of ELC teachers aged between 58 and 59.

Chart 2: Age profile of GTCS registered early learning and childcare teachers, September 2015

Chart 2: Age profile of GTCS registered early learning and childcare teachers, September 2015

Table 3.4 shows main teacher characteristics, including gender, age, ethnicity, employment type, grade and mode of working, by sector.

The proportion of teachers who were male was 23 per cent. In promoted posts this proportion was 29 per cent, with the figure being 25 per cent for heads and deputes. The average (mean) age of primary, secondary and special school teachers was 41.5 compared to 41.7 in 2014 and 44.1 in 2004.

The proportion of teachers who had temporary contracts (including probationers) was 17.3 per cent (compared with 16.5 per cent last year). 14.6 per cent of teachers were working part-time, with the rate higher amongst females (17.0 per cent) than males (6.4 per cent).

Table 3.4: Teacher characteristics: Proportions by gender, age, ethnicity and employment type, grade and mode of working by sector, 2015

  ELC Primary Secondary Special Centrally
Employed (3)
Total (exclude ELC)
Gender
Female 97 91 63 76 84 77
Male 3 9 37 24 16 23
Unknown - - - - - -
Age (years) (1)
Under 25 1 8 5 1 1 6
25 to 34 21 30 27 21 11 28
35 to 44 26 24 25 26 21 24
45 to 54 29 23 25 28 33 24
55 or over 23 14 19 25 34 17
Unknown - - - - - -
Average Age 45 40 42 45 49 41
Ethnicity (1)
White - Scottish - 65 57 66 49 61
White - Other British Isles Islsles - 28 33 24 33 30
White - Other - 2 3 4 4 3
Minority Ethnic Group - 1 2 2 4 1
Not Disclosed - 4 5 4 10 4
Employment type
Permanent - 80 85 85 82 83
Temporary (non-induction) - 13 10 15 18 12
Probationer induction scheme - 7 4 - - 5
Grade
Head teacher - 7 2 6 4 5
Percentage female   (87) (40) (81) (80) (79)
Depute head teacher - 5 5 7 3 5
Percentage female   (88) (54) (75) (85) (72)
Principal teacher - 7 24 10 11 15
Percentage female   (90) (61) (79) (78) (68)
Teacher - 80 70 76 83 75
Percentage female   (91) (65) (76) (85) (79)
  -          
All - Percentage female - (91) (63) (76) (84) (77)
Mode of working
Full-time 43 83 89 85 69 85
Percentage female (97) (90) (61) (74) (82) (75)
Part-time(2) 57 17 11 15 31 15
Percentage female (97) (96) (82) (86) (89) (90)

(1) Excludes grant aided schools. Totals do not include ELC.
(2) Includes ELC teachers who are peripatetic or shared with other centres. ELC figures are based on headcount, other teacher data is based on FTE.
(3) Excludes mainstream supply.

In the September 2015 census there were 2,611 teachers in the teacher induction scheme (2,356 in 2014), of which 1,574 were in primary schools and 1,035 were in secondary schools.

Table 3.5 shows the percentage of post-probationers from recent induction cohorts who were in publicly funded permanent or temporary posts at the time of the next census. The proportion increased from 80 per cent in 2014 to 86 per cent in 2015.

Table 3.5: Percentage of post-probationers in permanent or temporary employment in the following year's teacher census, 2011 to 2015

  2010/11 to
Sept 2011
(n=2,857)
2011/12 to
Sept 2012
(n=1,944)
2012/13 to
Sept 2013
(n=2,044)
2013/14 to
Sept 2014
(n=2,215)
2014/15 to
Sept 2015
(n=2,448)
Full-time permanent 16 28 35 39 45
Full-time temporary 35 35 35 33 35
Part-time permanent 1 3 2 2 2
Part-time temporary 14 8 6 6 4
Other(1) 34 25 21 20 14

(1) see following paragraph

In table 3.5 the "Other" category includes those teaching elsewhere, including in the independent sector, those who have found supply work, and those who are unemployed or who have left teaching, although this detail is not included in the census data. Table 3.6 shows that some of these teachers secure posts as they become available later in the year or in subsequent years. For example while 63 per cent of the 2008/09 cohort were present in the 2010 census, in the following censuses the percentage increased to 68 per cent in 2011, 69 per cent 2012, and 70 per cent in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Table 3.6: Percentage of post-probationers in permanent or temporary employment, 2007 to 2015

  Teacher Census
Cohort Sept 07 Sept 08 Sept 09 Sept 10 Sept 11 Sept 12 Sept 13 Sept 14 Sept 15
2006/07 66 69 71 73 74 73 72 72 72
2007/08   58 63 67 71 70 71 71 71
2008/09     57 63 68 69 70 70 70
2009/10       58 66 70 70 71 71
2010/11         66 70 70 71 71
2011/12           75 77 79 77
2012/13             79 77 77
2013/14               80 81
2014/15                 86

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Email: Adam Naylor

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