Schools in Scotland 2022: summary statistics

School teachers

Table 3 shows that the total number of school teachers (primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) decreased by 122 between 2021 and 2022. This represents the first decrease in teacher numbers after rises in each year from 2016 to 2021. (Statistics pre-2016 are available from the supplementary statistics and historical time series).

Although the number of teachers has decreased since 2021, this was not the case for each local authority. In 11 local authorities there were increases in teachers this year. The largest proportional increases were of 4% in Aberdeen City (70 FTE)  and Midlothian (42 FTE). However, in 21 local authorities the number of teachers decreased. The largest proportional decreases were of 5% in Argyll and Bute (45 FTE), followed by Dumfries and Galloway and West Dunbartonshire with decreases of 4% (51 and 34 FTE respectively).

Table 4 shows pupil teacher ratios (PTRs) which give a measure of the size of the teaching workforce relative to the pupil population. The national PTR did not change from 2021, remaining at 13.2. This remains the lowest national PTR since 2008. (Statistics pre-2016 are available from the supplementary statistics and historical time series).

Across Scotland, the PTR decreased or maintained in 13 local authorities compared to 2021. The biggest decrease was seen in Midlothian, which decreased by 0.4. Since 2016, Moray has had the largest decrease in PTR at 1.4. The largest increase in PTR since 2016 has been in Dumfries and Galloway at 0.8.

The average (mean) age of primary, secondary and special school teachers was 40 in 2022, compared to 42 in 2012, so the teacher workforce was, on average, younger in 2022 than in 2012. This is demonstrated in Chart 1 which shows that the age profile of teachers has changed much over the past 10 years. There is no longer a peak at age 50-60 and instead the age profile shows more teachers in their twenties, thirties and forties than previously. In 2022, teacher numbers were highest between the ages of 26 and 43.

Table 8 shows that there are many more female teachers than male, especially in the primary sector where 89% of teachers are female. Table 12 shows that whilst there are more female teachers than male across most sectors and grades, the difference was less pronounced in promoted posts (Deputy Head teacher or Head teachers). An exception to this is secondary schools where 65% of teachers at all grades were female compared to 43% of head teachers.

A new role of Lead Teacher was established in June 2021 by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers. There were five FTE Lead Teachers that met the inclusion criteria at the time of this year’s school staff census in September.

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 a temporary employment type, for example while covering a vacancy. The proportion of teachers in temporary posts was 13%, the same as in 2021. A decrease in the proportion of temporary posts was seen in primary and special school sectors while the proportion increased for centrally employed teachers. There was no change in the proportion of temporary secondary school teachers from last year. Further details on the recording of employment types is included in the background notes.

In 2022, the percentage of teachers working part-time, as a proportion of all FTE, was 18%. There was a higher rate amongst females (21%), than males (8%) (data not shown).

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.

Table 14 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 decreased to 70% for the most recent TIS cohort (2021/22) from 80% for the 2020/21 cohort. This is the lowest rate since the 2010/11 cohort but remains higher than the three cohorts from 2007/08 to 2009/10 when less than 60% of teachers found such employment in the first year following their probation (see the supplementary statistics for information on cohorts pre 2015/16). Teachers not in a post in a publicly funded school may be teaching elsewhere (including abroad or in the independent sector), in non-teaching employment, or they may be unemployed.

For the 2021/22 cohort, the proportion of TIS probationers in a full-time permanent post at the time of the following year’s census was 33%, up from 31% for the previous cohort. This was the first increase in five years following a decrease from a high of 57% for the 2016/17 cohort. The proportion of the TIS probationer cohort that were in a full-time temporary post at the time of the following year’s census was lower than the previous cohort, having dropped from 42% to 30%.

Statistics on pre 2015/16 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.

Table 15 shows that, in general, there is a small decrease in the percentage of TIS probationers in teaching posts as time elapses from their probation.

Table 5: Teachers by local authority, 2022 (FTE)

Table 6: Teachers in schools by local authority (FTE, all sectors excluding ELC)

Note 1: Includes centrally employed teachers.

Table 7: Pupil teacher ratio (PTR) by local authority (all sectors excluding ELC)

Note 1: Includes centrally employed teachers.

Note 2: The pupil teacher ratio for grant-aided schools in 2011-2016 was amended in October 2017. See background notes for details.

Chart 1: Age profile of school based teachers

Table 8: Teacher sex by sector (percentage of FTE)

Table 9: Teacher age by sector (percentage of FTE)

Table 10: Teacher ethnicity by sector (percentage of FTE)

Note 1: More information on the ethnicity categories can be found in the Ethnicity section in the background notes.

Table 11: Teacher post employment type by sector (percentage of FTE)

Table 12: Teacher grade by sector (percentage of FTE)