School teachers

Teacher numbers

The total number of teachers across all sectors (primary, secondary, special, centrally employed and ELC) increased by 63 between 2024 and 2025 (Figure 5). This increase follows decreases in teacher numbers over three consecutive years from 2022 to 2024, although numbers remain below 2023 levels. The number of school teachers (primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) increased by 46 between 2024 and 2025.

Although the number of teachers in Scotland has increased since 2024, this was not the case for each local authority. Figure 5 shows there was an increase or no change in teacher numbers in 16 local authorities in 2025. The largest proportional increases were 2.9% in East Dunbartonshire (40 FTE) and East Lothian (30 FTE). However, in 16 local authorities the number of teachers decreased. The largest proportional decreases were 3.6% in Orkney Islands (9 FTE), followed by 2% in Scottish Borders (22 FTE) and Shetland (7 FTE).

Pupil teacher ratios

Pupil-teacher ratios give a measure of the size of the school teaching workforce relative to the pupil population. The overall PTR decreased in 2025 to 13.2 from 13.3 in 2024 (Figure 4).

The PTR at local authority level is shown in Figure 6. The statistics for 2025 show the PTR decreased or maintained in 27 local authorities (after rounding). The biggest decreases were seen in East Dunbartonshire and South Ayrshire, which each decreased by 0.4 (after rounding). Since 2019, Clackmannanshire had the largest decrease in PTR at 1.3. The largest increase in PTR since 2019 was in Aberdeenshire and West Dunbartonshire, both at 0.5 (after rounding).

Teacher demographics

The average (mean) age of school teachers in 2025 was 41 (Figure 8).  This is the same as in 2015, so the teacher workforce was, on average, around the same age in 2025 as in 2015.

Figure 7 shows that there are many more female teachers than male, especially in the primary sector where 89% of teachers are female. Figure 11 shows that there are more female teachers than male across most sectors and grades, although the difference is less pronounced in promoted posts within primary and secondary (deputy head teacher or head teachers). The only grade where there is not a female majority is head teachers in secondary, where 48% were female.

The largest ethnic group among teachers is White – Scottish (69%), while 2% reported being from a minority (non-white) ethnic group. Ethnicity was not known for 2% of teachers and not disclosed by 3% of teachers (Figure 9).

Teaching roles and working patterns

Teaching posts were classified into three employment types for the purposes of the school staff census: Permanent, Temporary and Teacher Induction Scheme. Teachers may be employed on a permanent contract but be recorded in the staff census as temporary if they are working in a post classified as temporary.

The proportion of teachers in permanent posts in 2025 was 82%, the same as 2024 (Figure 10). There were 14% of teachers in temporary posts and the remaining 4% of teachers were in the Teacher Induction Scheme. Further detail on the recording of employment types is included in the background notes.

In 2025, the percentage of teachers working part-time, as a proportion of all FTE, was 21% (Figure 12). There was a higher rate amongst females (24%), than males (10%) (data not shown).

A new role of Lead Teacher was established in June 2021 by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT). In 2025, there were 8 FTE Lead Teachers that met the criteria for inclusion as a teacher for the purposes of these statistics.

Post-probation employment

Teachers provisionally registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) (for example those that have recently completed their initial teacher education) are required to complete a period of probation before becoming eligible for full registration. Probation can be completed through either the one-year full-time Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS) or a flexible route.

Figure 13 shows the percentage of previous TIS probationers who were in teaching posts in a publicly funded school in Scotland in the year following their probation. The percentage of teachers in such employment in the first year following probation has increased to 69% for the most recent TIS cohort (2024/25), compared to 65% for the previous cohort. Despite this increase, post-probationer employment for the 2024/25 cohort remains below the peak of 88% for the 2016/17 cohort and was the second lowest rate since the 2010/11 cohort. However, post-probationer employment remains higher than for the 2007/08 to 2009/10 cohorts when fewer than 60% of teachers found such employment in the first year following their probation (see the supplementary statistics for information on cohorts pre 2017/18). Individuals not teaching in a post in a publicly funded school (shown as ‘other’ in the table) may be teaching elsewhere (including abroad, in the independent sector or in further education), in non-teaching employment, or they may be unemployed.

For the 2024/25 cohort, the proportion of TIS probationers in a full-time permanent post at the time of the following year’s census (September 2025) was 23%, down from 25% for the previous cohort. This continues the long-term decrease from a high of 57% in a full-time permanent post for the 2016/17 cohort. However, the proportion of the 2024/25 cohort that were in a full-time or part-time temporary post in the following year was higher than for the 2023/24 cohort.

Statistics on pre 2016/17 cohorts are available from the supplementary statistics. Further breakdowns of post-probationer data, by sector, local authority and secondary subject can be found on the post probationer teacher employment dashboard.

Figure 14 shows that since the 2021/22 cohort, the percentage of TIS probationers in teaching posts tends to increase in the years immediately following their probation. For cohorts prior to 2021/22 the reverse is true, with teaching employment tending to decrease over time.

Figure 5 Teachers in schools and ELC, local authority, 2019 to 2025 (FTE, all sectors including ELC)

Figure 6 Pupil teacher ratio (PTR), local authority, 2019 to 2025 (all sectors excluding ELC)

Figure 7 Teacher sex by sector, Scotland, 2025 (percentage of FTE)

Figure 8 Teacher age by sector, Scotland, 2025 (percentage of FTE)

Figure 9 Teacher ethnicity by sector, Scotland, 2025 (percentage of FTE)

Figure 10 Teacher post employment type by sector, Scotland, 2025 (percentage of FTE)

Figure 11 Teacher grade by sector, Scotland, 2025 (percentage of FTE)

Figure 12 Teacher mode of working by sector, Scotland, 2025 (percentage of FTE) [Note 1]

Note 1: The mode of working is the percentage of FTE by working pattern in a school sector at a particular grade.

Figure 13: Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS) post-probationers teaching in the year following their probation, Scotland, 2018/19 to 2024/25 (percentage and headcount)

Note 1: 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.

Figure 14 Long-term employment of Teacher Induction Scheme probationers, Scotland, 2018/19 to 2024/25 (percentage of headcount)