Summary Statistics For Schools In Scotland 2021

Headline statistics from the annual pupil and teacher census and early learning and childcare provision conducted in September 2021 and attendance, absence and exclusions for the 2020 to 2021 school year.

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Chapter 3: School teachers

53,581 teachers in schools compared to 52,672 in 2020 (excludes ELC)

13.2 pupil teacher ratio for publicly funded schools

80% of teachers on the 2020/21 Teacher Induction Scheme were in employment the following school year

Table 3.1: Teachers in Scotland by sector and local authority, 2021, Full Time Equivalents ( FTE)
Local Authority Primary Secondary Special Centrally employed Total
Aberdeen City 884 778 30 53 1,745
Aberdeenshire 1,377 1,269 49 36 2,731
Angus 582 567 0 23 1,172
Argyll and Bute 432 410 6 13 860
City of Edinburgh 1,684 1,665 172 93 3,615
Clackmannanshire 299 227 29 2 556
Dumfries and Galloway 654 670 23 75 1,421
Dundee City 659 631 57 29 1,375
East Ayrshire 607 554 81 20 1,263
East Dunbartonshire 585 699 53 38 1,374
East Lothian 506 499 0 25 1,031
East Renfrewshire 612 690 35 3 1,341
Falkirk 760 819 77 6 1,663
Fife 1,798 1,651 102 85 3,636
Glasgow City 2,782 2,398 337 105 5,621
Highland 1,079 1,187 44 42 2,352
Inverclyde 370 375 44 6 795
Midlothian 504 471 25 24 1,024
Moray 475 455 0 22 952
Na h-Eileanan Siar 161 149 0 8 317
North Ayrshire 701 665 41 54 1,462
North Lanarkshire 1,824 1,651 239 64 3,778
Orkney Islands 122 128 0 7 257
Perth and Kinross 683 649 15 39 1,386
Renfrewshire 841 840 87 26 1,793
Scottish Borders 500 509 39 6 1,054
Shetland Islands 160 158 0 11 329
South Ayrshire 529 531 29 40 1,128
South Lanarkshire 1,696 1,634 149 0 3,480
Stirling 437 489 20 17 963
West Dunbartonshire 463 431 50 16 959
West Lothian 1,021 881 126 0 2,029
All local authorities 25,783 24,731 1,959 988 53,461
Grant aided 23 51 46 # 120
Scotland 25,807 24,782 2,005 988 53,581

Table 3.2 shows that the total number of teachers (primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) increased by 909 between 2020 and 2021. Total teacher numbers rose in each year from 2014 to 2021. (Statistics pre-2015 are available from the supplementary statistics and historical time series).

One of the drivers for the increase in teacher numbers could be the additional funding that has been made available to local authorities for the recruitment of more teachers. Further information on funding for additional teachers including COVID-19 education recovery funding and the Attainment Scotland Fund, can be found in the background notes.

Although the number of teachers has increased since 2020, this was not the case for each local authority. In 28 local authorities the number of teachers increased or stayed the same, with the largest increase of 9% seen in Moray; followed by Inverclyde, with an increase of 6%. The other four local authorities saw small decreases in teachers this year, of up to 2%.

Table 3.2: Teachers (all sectors excluding ELC) (1), Full Time Equivalents ( FTE)
Local Authority 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Aberdeen City 1,632 1,603 1,624 1,636 1,675 1,725 1,745
Aberdeenshire 2,650 2,655 2,675 2,650 2,696 2,720 2,731
Angus 1,136 1,125 1,133 1,160 1,172 1,197 1,172
Argyll and Bute 844 841 825 861 834 846 860
City of Edinburgh 3,193 3,213 3,281 3,346 3,452 3,518 3,615
Clackmannanshire 490 528 513 512 520 554 556
Dumfries and Galloway 1,479 1,466 1,470 1,436 1,436 1,413 1,421
Dundee City 1,375 1,367 1,330 1,321 1,316 1,340 1,375
East Ayrshire 1,151 1,149 1,189 1,185 1,205 1,233 1,263
East Dunbartonshire 1,204 1,217 1,245 1,248 1,269 1,366 1,374
East Lothian 920 913 935 960 973 1,008 1,031
East Renfrewshire 1,213 1,227 1,265 1,277 1,306 1,322 1,341
Falkirk 1,581 1,605 1,620 1,634 1,629 1,688 1,663
Fife 3,476 3,494 3,498 3,503 3,530 3,627 3,636
Glasgow City 4,779 4,869 5,020 5,263 5,352 5,446 5,621
Highland 2,357 2,355 2,365 2,388 2,300 2,284 2,352
Inverclyde 734 735 738 745 730 751 795
Midlothian 866 873 892 930 941 985 1,024
Moray 874 848 856 868 866 873 952
Na h-Eileanan Siar 324 321 327 327 313 312 317
North Ayrshire 1,332 1,371 1,396 1,393 1,376 1,412 1,462
North Lanarkshire 3,406 3,474 3,502 3,545 3,590 3,742 3,778
Orkney Islands 255 260 253 250 251 247 257
Perth and Kinross 1,337 1,329 1,329 1,346 1,329 1,346 1,386
Renfrewshire 1,596 1,633 1,656 1,676 1,674 1,778 1,793
Scottish Borders 1,049 1,052 1,055 1,070 1,038 1,065 1,054
Shetland Islands 323 318 323 322 320 329 329
South Ayrshire 1,063 1,043 1,056 1,048 1,065 1,101 1,128
South Lanarkshire 3,176 3,202 3,282 3,298 3,341 3,438 3,480
Stirling 921 942 925 934 938 954 963
West Dunbartonshire 921 928 961 956 980 964 959
West Lothian 1,880 1,899 1,924 1,924 1,909 1,971 2,029
All local authorities 49,538 49,858 50,464 51,012 51,327 52,555 53,461
Grant aided 141 127 127 126 122 117 120
Scotland 49,679 49,985 50,592 51,138 51,449 52,672 53,581

(1) Includes centrally employed teachers.

Table 3.3 shows pupil teacher ratios (PTRs) which give a measure of the size of the teaching workforce relative to the pupil population. The national PTR decreased from 13.3 in 2020 to from 13.2 in 2021, the lowest national PTR since 2008. (Statistics pre-2014 are available from the supplementary statistics and historical time series).

Across Scotland, 26 local authorities have decreased or maintained their PTR from 2020. The biggest decrease was seen in Moray, which decreased by 1.1. Since 2015, North Ayrshire and North Lanarkshire have had the largest decrease in PTR at 1.4. The largest increase in PTR since 2015 was in Dumfries and Galloway at 0.5.

Table 3.3: Pupil teacher ratio ( PTR) (all sectors excluding ELC) (1), Pupils per teacher
Local Authority 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Aberdeen City 13.6 14.0 14.0 14.1 13.8 13.7 13.9
Aberdeenshire 13.3 13.4 13.3 13.5 13.3 13.4 13.4
Angus 13.2 13.3 13.3 13.1 13.0 12.8 12.9
Argyll and Bute 12.4 12.3 12.5 12.0 12.2 12.0 11.7
City of Edinburgh 14.9 15.1 15.1 15.1 14.9 14.8 14.5
Clackmannanshire 13.4 12.5 12.9 13.0 12.8 12.0 12.1
Dumfries and Galloway 12.7 12.7 12.8 13.1 13.1 13.2 13.2
Dundee City 13.0 13.2 13.7 13.8 13.9 13.7 13.4
East Ayrshire 13.9 13.9 13.3 13.5 13.4 13.2 12.9
East Dunbartonshire 13.6 13.5 13.4 13.6 13.5 12.7 12.7
East Lothian 15.1 15.4 15.2 15.1 15.1 14.8 14.6
East Renfrewshire 13.7 13.7 13.5 13.5 13.2 13.2 13.1
Falkirk 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.4 13.5 13.0 13.1
Fife 14.0 14.1 14.1 14.2 14.2 13.9 13.8
Glasgow City 13.8 13.8 13.5 13.1 13.0 12.9 12.6
Highland 13.1 13.1 13.0 12.9 13.5 13.5 13.1
Inverclyde 13.5 13.5 13.4 13.2 13.6 13.1 12.3
Midlothian 14.2 14.2 14.2 13.8 14.0 13.7 13.5
Moray 13.7 14.1 13.9 13.7 13.8 13.9 12.8
Na h-Eileanan Siar 10.3 10.5 10.3 10.2 10.6 10.7 10.4
North Ayrshire 13.6 13.3 13.1 13.1 13.1 12.8 12.2
North Lanarkshire 14.4 14.1 14.0 13.8 13.7 13.2 13.0
Orkney Islands 10.5 10.4 10.8 11.1 11.1 11.3 10.9
Perth and Kinross 13.3 13.6 13.5 13.3 13.6 13.5 13.1
Renfrewshire 14.6 14.3 14.2 14.1 14.2 13.4 13.3
Scottish Borders 13.8 13.8 13.8 13.6 14.0 13.6 13.7
Shetland Islands 10.0 10.2 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.0 10.1
South Ayrshire 13.2 13.4 13.3 13.3 13.2 13.0 12.7
South Lanarkshire 13.7 13.7 13.4 13.4 13.4 13.1 13.0
Stirling 13.4 13.2 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.4 13.3
West Dunbartonshire 13.5 13.4 13.1 13.1 12.8 13.0 13.0
West Lothian 14.1 14.1 14.0 14.1 14.3 13.9 13.6
All local authorities 13.7 13.7 13.6 13.6 13.6 13.3 13.2
Grant aided(2) 8.6 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.6 10.0 9.7
Scotland 13.7 13.7 13.6 13.6 13.6 13.3 13.2

(1) Includes centrally employed teachers.

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

Chart 1 shows that the age profile of teachers has changed much over the past 10 years. The prominent peak of teachers aged in their fifties, as seen in 2011, no longer exists. In 2021, teacher numbers were highest between the ages of 25 and 41.

The average (mean) age of primary, secondary and special school teachers was 40 in 2021, compared to 43 in 2011, so the teacher workforce was, on average, younger in 2021 than in 2011.

Chart 1: Age profile of teachers (excluding ELC)

Table 3.4 shows that there are many more female teachers than male, especially in the primary sector where 89% of teachers are female. However, in both primary and secondary sectors there was a lower proportion of female teachers in promoted posts compared to main grade or chartered teachers. In secondary schools 65% of teachers at all grades were female compared to 44% of head teachers.

A new role of Lead Teacher was established in June 2021 by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers. There were no Lead Teachers in post 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% (compared with 12% last year). This increase in temporary posts was seen across the primary, secondary and special school sectors. Further details on the recording of employment types is included in the background notes.

In 2021, the percentage of teachers working part-time, as a proportion of all FTE, was 17%. There was a higher rate amongst females (20%), than males (8%) (data not shown).

Table 3.4: Teacher characteristics, Percentage of Full Time Equivalents (FTE)

Sex
Characteristic School Type Total
Primary Secondary Special Centrally Employed
Female 89 65 77 83 77
Male 11 35 23 17 23
Age (years)
Characteristic School Type Total
Primary Secondary Special Centrally Employed
Under 25 6 5 2 1 6
25 to 34 32 29 17 9 30
35 to 44 28 28 32 25 28
45 to 54 23 23 31 34 24
55 or over 10 14 18 31 13
Average Age 39 41 44 48 40
Ethnicity (1)
Characteristic School Type Total
Primary Secondary Special Centrally Employed
White - Scottish 70 63 66 54 66
White - other British 21 24 22 26 23
White - other 2 4 5 5 3
Minority ethnic group 1 2 2 5 2
Not known 4 4 3 8 4
Not disclosed 2 3 2 3 2
Post employment type
Characteristic School Type Total
Primary Secondary Special Centrally Employed
Permanent 78 83 84 85 81
Temporary 16 11 16 15 13
Teacher Induction Scheme 7 6 0 0 6
Grade
Characteristic School Type Total
Primary Secondary Special Centrally Employed
Head teacher 6 1 5 4 4
Percentage female 84 44 79 77 78
Depute head teacher 5 5 7 3 5
Percentage female 88 57 77 86 74
Principal teacher 7 22 10 11 14
Percentage female 86 63 73 76 69
Teacher or chartered 81 73 78 83 77
Percentage female 90 66 77 84 79
All - percentage female 89 65 77 83 77
Mode of working (2)
Characteristic School Type Total
Primary Secondary Special Centrally Employed
Full-time 79 87 81 70 83
Percentage female 88 62 75 80 75
Part-time 21 13 19 30 17
Percentage female 95 83 86 91 90

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

(2) The mode of working is the percentage of FTE by working pattern in a school sector at a particular grade. See background notes for more details.

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 3.5 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 80% for the most recent cohort (2020/21) from 85% for the cohort last year. This is the lowest rate since the 2013/14 cohort but remains substantially 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. 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 unemployed.

For the 2020/21 cohort, the proportion of TIS probationers in a full-time permanent post at the time of the following year’s census was 31%, down from 38% for the previous cohort. This proportion has decreased for the last five years 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 higher, having risen from 27% in 2015/16 to 42% in 2019/20 and 2020/21.

Statistics on pre 2014/15 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 3.5: Teacher Induction Scheme post-probationers teaching in the year following their probation, Percentage of headcount
TIS probationer cohort
2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21
Full-time permanent 45 55 57 55 48 38 31
Full-time temporary 35 27 28 27 30 42 42
Part-time permanent 2 2 1 2 2 1 1
Part-time temporary 4 2 2 3 5 3 6
Other(1) 14 13 12 13 16 15 20
All teaching post types’ 86 87 88 87 84 85 80
Headcount of teachers in cohort 2,448 2,524 2,630 2,852 2,836 3,076 3,123

(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.

Table 3.6 shows the percentage of TIS probationers in teaching posts up to seven years following their probation.

Table 3.6: Long-term employment of Teacher Induction Scheme probationers, Percentage headcount
Sep-15 Sep-16 Sep-17 Sep-18 Sep-19 Sep-20 Sep-21
2014/15 cohort 86 83 82 80 79 79 78
2015/16 cohort 87 84 83 81 80 79
2016/17 cohort 88 85 83 83 82
2017/18 cohort 87 84 84 84
2018/19 cohort 84 85 85
2019/20 cohort 85 84
2020/21 cohort 80

Contact

Email: school.stats@gov.scot

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