Teacher numbers on temporary appointments and being displaced by newly qualified trainee teachers: FOI release

Information requested

How many teachers in Scotland are on temporary appointments?

In the last 5 years, has there been any cases of teachers being displaced by newly qualified trainee teachers, who  are guaranteed a one year appointment?

Is the Scottish Government’s funding to local authorities for education a ring-fenced fund that cannot be redistributed throughout a council’s budget?

Response

• How many teachers in Scotland are on temporary appointments?

At the time of 2021 Teacher Census 10,392 full time equivalent teachers were in temporary posts (19% of all FTE teachers). Of these 10,392 teachers, 3,214 were probationer teachers on the teacher induction scheme. Furtherdetails are available in the school summary statistics here Summary Statistics For Schools In Scotland 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

• In the last 5 years, has there been any cases of teachers being displaced by newly qualified trainee teachers , who are guaranteed a one year appointment?

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

• Is the Scottish Government’s funding to local authorities for education a ring-fenced fund that cannot be redistributed throughout a council’s budget?

The setting of school budgets that is the responsibility of each local authority. The Scottish Government provides local authority with an annual local government finance settlement which in 2022-23 amounts to £12.7 billion. Of this over 93 per cent or £11.8 billion of the total funding provided by the Scottish Government is by means of a block grant. Individual local authorities can allocate this sum together with their locally raised income through council tax and fees and some charges on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities. Some specific grant funding included in the local government finance settlement is for investment in specific local services and comes with appropriate terms and conditions.

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