Summary statistics for schools in Scotland 2023

Headline statistics on teachers, pupils, attendance, exclusions and early learning and childcare provision in Scotland.


School teachers

The total number of school teachers (primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) decreased by 128 between 2022 and 2023. This follows a decrease in teacher numbers in 2022 after rises in each year from 2016 to 2021. The total number of teachers across all sectors including ELC decreased by 160 between 2022 and 2023 (Figure 5, Figure 6, Figure 7). The total number of teachers across all sectors including ELC and excluding grant-aided decreased by 162 between 2022 and 2023 (Figure 7).

Although the number of teachers has decreased since 2022, this was not the case for each local authority. Figure 6 shows increases in school teachers in 15 local authorities this year. The largest proportional increase was 3.1% in Dundee City (42 FTE). However, in 17 local authorities the number of teachers decreased. The largest proportional decreases were 2.7% in East Ayrshire (33 FTE), followed by Glasgow City and Moray with decreases of 2.0% (114 FTE and 19 FTE respectively). This pattern of increases and decreases is very similar when teachers including those in ELC are considered. In this case the number of teacher increased in 16 local authorities and decreased in 16, as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 4 shows pupil teacher ratios (PTRs) which give a measure of the size of the school teaching workforce relative to the pupil population. The national PTR did not change from 2022, remaining at 13.2. This remains the lowest national PTR since 2008.

Across Scotland, the PTR decreased or maintained in 26 local authorities compared to 2022 (Figure 8). The biggest decrease was seen in Dundee City, which decreased by 0.4. Since 2017, Midlothian has had the largest decrease in PTR at 1.1. The largest increase in PTR since 2017 has been in Dumfries and Galloway at 0.5.

The average (mean) age of school teachers was 41 in 2023 (Figure 11), compared to 42 in 2013, so the teacher workforce was, on average, younger in 2023 than in 2013. Figure 9 shows that the age profile of teachers has changed over the past 10 years. There is no longer a peak at age 55-60 and instead the age profile shows more teachers in their twenties, thirties and forties than previously. In 2023, half of teachers were aged between 28 and 44.

Figure 10 shows that there are many more female teachers than male, especially in the primary sector where 89% of teachers are female. Figure 14 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 exception is Head teachers in secondary where 45% were female.

The largest ethnic group for teachers is White – Scottish (68%) while 2% reported being from a minority ethnic group. Ethnicity was either not known or not disclosed for 6% of teachers (Figure 12).

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

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. The proportion of teachers in temporary posts was 13%, the same as in 2022 (Figure 13). There was no change in the proportion of temporary posts in secondary schools while the proportion decreased for special schools and increased for primary and centrally employed teachers. Further detail on the recording of employment types is included in the background notes.

In 2023, the percentage of teachers working part-time, as a proportion of all FTE, was 19% (Figure 15). There was a higher rate amongst females (22%), than males (9%) (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.

Figure 16 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 slightly to 71% for the most recent TIS cohort (2022/23) from 70% for the previous cohort. This increase follows a drop last year from 80% to 70%. The rate for the 2021/22 cohort was the lowest since the 2010/11 cohort but was still 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 2016/17). 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 2022/23 cohort, the proportion of TIS probationers in a full-time permanent post at the time of the following year’s census was 29%, down from 33% for the previous cohort. Last year had shown 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 higher than the previous cohort, up from 30% to 33%.

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

Figure 5 Teachers, local authority, 2023 (FTE)

Local Authority

Primary

Secondary

Special

Centrally employed

Total

Aberdeen City

880

852

36

52

1,821

Aberdeenshire

1,328

1,295

46

48

2,717

Angus

571

560

0

26

1,157

Argyll and Bute

404

414

9

4

830

City of Edinburgh

1,642

1,805

165

99

3,711

Clackmannanshire

294

222

34

2

551

Dumfries and Galloway

630

641

23

88

1,383

Dundee City

658

651

55

31

1,395

East Ayrshire

548

531

93

25

1,198

East Dunbartonshire

595

684

56

35

1,370

East Lothian

481

520

0

32

1,033

East Renfrewshire

613

716

37

4

1,370

Falkirk

790

805

76

8

1,679

Fife

1,735

1,681

98

101

3,614

Glasgow City

2,744

2,414

371

83

5,612

Highland

1,024

1,188

45

45

2,302

Inverclyde

346

356

49

16

766

Midlothian

531

481

30

37

1,078

Moray

453

452

0

37

942

Na h-Eileanan Siar

153

145

0

11

309

North Ayrshire

657

662

42

50

1,410

North Lanarkshire

1,711

1,637

240

77

3,664

Orkney Islands

118

127

0

8

254

Perth and Kinross

648

655

16

50

1,369

Renfrewshire

803

822

90

23

1,738

Scottish Borders

479

520

29

14

1,042

Shetland Islands

151

159

0

17

327

South Ayrshire

517

532

30

59

1,137

South Lanarkshire

1,657

1,672

163

0

3,492

Stirling

440

486

22

19

967

West Dunbartonshire

427

416

55

14

911

West Lothian

1,047

892

119

0

2,059

All local authorities

25,075

24,994

2,027

1,111

53,207

Grant-aided

21

55

48

0

125

Scotland

25,096

25,049

2,075

1,111

53,331

Figure 6 Teachers in schools (excluding ELC), local authority, 2017 to 2023 (FTE, all sectors excluding ELC)

Local Authority

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Aberdeen City

1,624

1,636

1,675

1,725

1,745

1,815

1,821

Aberdeenshire

2,675

2,650

2,696

2,720

2,731

2,724

2,717

Angus

1,133

1,160

1,172

1,197

1,172

1,145

1,157

Argyll and Bute

825

861

834

846

860

815

830

City of Edinburgh

3,281

3,346

3,452

3,518

3,615

3,672

3,711

Clackmannanshire

513

512

520

554

556

553

551

Dumfries and Galloway

1,470

1,436

1,436

1,413

1,421

1,370

1,383

Dundee City

1,330

1,321

1,316

1,340

1,375

1,353

1,395

East Ayrshire

1,189

1,185

1,205

1,233

1,263

1,230

1,198

East Dunbartonshire

1,245

1,248

1,269

1,366

1,374

1,360

1,370

East Lothian

935

960

973

1,008

1,031

1,026

1,033

East Renfrewshire

1,265

1,277

1,306

1,322

1,341

1,356

1,370

Falkirk

1,620

1,634

1,629

1,688

1,663

1,647

1,679

Fife

3,498

3,503

3,530

3,627

3,636

3,656

3,614

Glasgow City

5,020

5,263

5,352

5,446

5,621

5,725

5,612

Highland

2,365

2,388

2,300

2,284

2,352

2,322

2,302

Inverclyde

738

745

730

751

795

768

766

Midlothian

892

930

941

985

1,024

1,067

1,078

Moray

856

868

866

873

952

960

942

Na h-Eileanan Siar

327

327

313

312

317

315

309

North Ayrshire

1,396

1,393

1,376

1,412

1,462

1,422

1,410

North Lanarkshire

3,502

3,545

3,590

3,742

3,778

3,705

3,664

Orkney Islands

253

250

251

247

257

253

254

Perth and Kinross

1,329

1,346

1,329

1,346

1,386

1,374

1,369

Renfrewshire

1,656

1,676

1,674

1,778

1,793

1,764

1,738

Scottish Borders

1,055

1,070

1,038

1,065

1,054

1,045

1,042

Shetland Islands

323

322

320

329

329

328

327

South Ayrshire

1,056

1,048

1,065

1,101

1,128

1,129

1,137

South Lanarkshire

3,282

3,298

3,341

3,438

3,480

3,487

3,492

Stirling

925

934

938

954

963

969

967

West Dunbartonshire

961

956

980

964

959

926

911

West Lothian

1,924

1,924

1,909

1,971

2,029

2,058

2,059

All local authorities

50,464

51,012

51,327

52,555

53,461

53,337

53,207

Grant-aided

127

126

122

117

120

123

125

Scotland

50,592

51,138

51,449

52,672

53,581

53,459

53,331

Figure 7 Teachers in schools and ELC, local authority, 2017 to 2023 (FTE, all sectors including ELC)

Local Authority

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Aberdeen City

1,673

1,671

1,702

1,753

1,763

1,836

1,847

Aberdeenshire

2,688

2,664

2,714

2,739

2,752

2,747

2,734

Angus

1,140

1,167

1,180

1,208

1,182

1,156

1,172

Argyll and Bute

835

870

843

858

872

835

848

City of Edinburgh

3,416

3,484

3,584

3,609

3,666

3,725

3,759

Clackmannanshire

525

519

527

557

559

556

555

Dumfries and Galloway

1,489

1,453

1,455

1,421

1,433

1,389

1,403

Dundee City

1,374

1,358

1,355

1,376

1,418

1,395

1,431

East Ayrshire

1,201

1,198

1,218

1,246

1,275

1,243

1,206

East Dunbartonshire

1,273

1,278

1,300

1,397

1,410

1,393

1,405

East Lothian

973

973

981

1,014

1,035

1,031

1,041

East Renfrewshire

1,298

1,308

1,338

1,355

1,381

1,393

1,407

Falkirk

1,645

1,659

1,632

1,691

1,668

1,651

1,683

Fife

3,556

3,571

3,601

3,693

3,708

3,724

3,686

Glasgow City

5,084

5,317

5,410

5,497

5,680

5,779

5,654

Highland

2,397

2,423

2,330

2,317

2,385

2,356

2,339

Inverclyde

743

753

739

761

806

781

772

Midlothian

913

945

955

999

1,041

1,081

1,084

Moray

863

874

869

887

966

977

957

Na h-Eileanan Siar

329

330

316

315

322

320

314

North Ayrshire

1,410

1,404

1,385

1,421

1,470

1,434

1,422

North Lanarkshire

3,547

3,587

3,621

3,745

3,783

3,726

3,685

Orkney Islands

257

255

256

252

261

257

258

Perth and Kinross

1,371

1,388

1,368

1,390

1,426

1,419

1,413

Renfrewshire

1,677

1,690

1,682

1,783

1,804

1,780

1,753

Scottish Borders

1,075

1,086

1,058

1,085

1,080

1,067

1,068

Shetland Islands

331

330

326

335

338

339

337

South Ayrshire

1,095

1,075

1,093

1,131

1,162

1,164

1,172

South Lanarkshire

3,347

3,360

3,414

3,518

3,526

3,516

3,517

Stirling

937

943

950

960

969

974

974

West Dunbartonshire

971

965

994

980

977

950

938

West Lothian

1,955

1,935

1,929

1,989

2,050

2,075

2,075

All local authorities

51,385

51,834

52,125

53,283

54,165

54,071

53,909

Grant-aided

127

126

122

117

120

123

125

Scotland

51,513

51,959

52,247

53,400

54,285

54,193

54,033

Figure 8 Pupil teacher ratio (PTR), local authority, 2017 to 2023 (all sectors excluding ELC)

Local Authority

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Aberdeen City

14.0

14.1

13.8

13.7

13.9

13.9

14.4

Aberdeenshire

13.3

13.5

13.3

13.4

13.4

13.5

13.5

Angus

13.3

13.1

13.0

12.8

12.9

13.1

12.9

Argyll and Bute

12.5

12.0

12.2

12.0

11.7

12.3

11.9

City of Edinburgh

15.1

15.1

14.9

14.8

14.5

14.6

14.5

Clackmannanshire

12.9

13.0

12.8

12.0

12.1

12.1

12.0

Dumfries and Galloway

12.8

13.1

13.1

13.2

13.2

13.5

13.3

Dundee City

13.7

13.8

13.9

13.7

13.4

13.7

13.3

East Ayrshire

13.3

13.5

13.4

13.2

12.9

13.1

13.5

East Dunbartonshire

13.4

13.6

13.5

12.7

12.7

12.8

12.8

East Lothian

15.2

15.1

15.1

14.8

14.6

14.7

14.6

East Renfrewshire

13.5

13.5

13.2

13.2

13.1

13.0

13.0

Falkirk

13.5

13.4

13.5

13.0

13.1

13.2

12.8

Fife

14.1

14.2

14.2

13.9

13.8

13.6

13.6

Glasgow City

13.5

13.1

13.0

12.9

12.6

12.5

12.8

Highland

13.0

12.9

13.5

13.5

13.1

13.2

13.2

Inverclyde

13.4

13.2

13.6

13.1

12.3

12.6

12.7

Midlothian

14.2

13.8

14.0

13.7

13.5

13.1

13.1

Moray

13.9

13.7

13.8

13.9

12.8

12.7

12.9

Na h-Eileanan Siar

10.3

10.2

10.6

10.7

10.4

10.4

10.4

North Ayrshire

13.1

13.1

13.1

12.8

12.2

12.4

12.3

North Lanarkshire

14.0

13.8

13.7

13.2

13.0

13.2

13.2

Orkney Islands

10.8

11.1

11.1

11.3

10.9

11.1

10.9

Perth and Kinross

13.5

13.3

13.6

13.5

13.1

13.2

13.2

Renfrewshire

14.2

14.1

14.2

13.4

13.3

13.6

13.9

Scottish Borders

13.8

13.6

14.0

13.6

13.7

13.7

13.6

Shetland Islands

10.0

10.1

10.2

10.0

10.1

10.0

9.9

South Ayrshire

13.3

13.3

13.2

13.0

12.7

12.6

12.4

South Lanarkshire

13.4

13.4

13.4

13.1

13.0

13.2

13.2

Stirling

13.5

13.5

13.5

13.4

13.3

13.2

13.1

West Dunbartonshire

13.1

13.1

12.8

13.0

13.0

13.2

13.2

West Lothian

14.0

14.1

14.3

13.9

13.6

13.5

13.5

All local authorities

13.6

13.6

13.6

13.3

13.2

13.2

13.2

Grant-aided

9.3

9.4

9.6

10.0

9.7

9.6

9.3

Scotland

13.6

13.6

13.6

13.3

13.2

13.2

13.2

Figure 9 Age profile of teachers, Scotland, 2013 and 2023

Figure 9 shows that the age profile of teachers has changed over the past 10 years. There is no longer a peak at age 55-60 and instead the age profile shows more teachers in their twenties, thirties and forties than previously. In 2023, half of teachers were aged between 28 and 44.

Figure 10 Teacher sex by sector, Scotland, 2023 (percentage of FTE)

Sex

Primary

Secondary

Special

Centrally Employed

Total

Female

89

65

78

83

77

Male

11

35

22

17

23

Figure 11 Teacher age by sector, Scotland, 2023 (percentage of FTE)

Age

Primary

Secondary

Special

Centrally Employed

Total

Under 25

6

5

1

1

5

25 to 34

30

29

19

10

29

35 to 44

30

29

32

28

30

45 to 54

23

24

31

35

24

55 or over

11

13

16

26

12

Average Age

40

41

44

47

41

Figure 12 Teacher ethnicity by sector, Scotland, 2023 (percentage of FTE)

Ethnicity

Primary

Secondary

Special

Centrally Employed

Total

White - Scottish

71

65

68

57

68

White - other British

20

22

19

25

21

White - other

2

4

6

5

3

Minority ethnic group

1

2

2

4

2

Not known

2

3

1

6

3

Not disclosed

3

4

4

4

3

Figure 13 Teacher post employment type by sector, Scotland, 2023 (percentage of FTE)

Type

Primary

Secondary

Special

Centrally Employed

Total

Permanent

78

85

86

83

82

Temporary

16

11

14

17

13

Teacher Induction Scheme

6

4

0

0

5

Figure 14 Teacher grade by sector, Scotland, 2023 (percentage of FTE)

Grade

Primary

Secondary

Special

Centrally Employed

Total

Head teacher

6

1

4

3

4

Head teacher - percentage female

83

45

79

88

77

Depute head teacher

6

5

6

4

5

Depute head teacher - percentage female

87

57

75

76

74

Principal or Lead teacher

7

21

10

12

14

Principal or Lead - percentage female

86

64

74

80

70

Chartered teacher

1

1

1

3

1

Chartered teacher - percentage female

94

55

71

88

71

Teacher

80

71

78

78

76

Teacher - percentage female

90

67

78

83

79

All - percentage female

89

65

78

83

77

Figure 15 Teacher mode of working by sector, Scotland, 2023 (percentage of FTE) [Note 1]

Mode

Primary

Secondary

Special

Centrally Employed

Total

Full-time

76

86

80

71

81

Full-time - Percentage female

87

63

75

80

74

Part-time

24

14

20

29

19

Part-time - Percentage female

94

82

89

89

90

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

Figure 16: Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS) post-probationers teaching in the year following their probation, Scotland, 2023 (percentage and headcount)

Employment Type

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

Full-time permanent

57

55

48

38

31

33

29

Full-time temporary

28

27

30

42

42

30

33

Part-time permanent

1

2

2

1

1

1

2

Part-time temporary

2

3

5

3

6

6

7

Other [Note 1]

12

13

16

15

20

30

29

All teaching post types’

88

87

84

85

80

70

71

Headcount of teachers in cohort

2,630

2,852

2,836

3,076

3,123

3,218

2,892

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 17 Long-term employment of Teacher Induction Scheme probationers, Scotland, 2016/17 to 2022/23 (percentage of headcount)

Cohort

Sep-17

Sep-18

Sep-19

Sep-20

Sep-21

Sep-22

Sep-23

2016/17 cohort

88

85

83

83

82

80

79

2017/18 cohort

 

87

84

84

84

81

80

2018/19 cohort

 

 

84

85

85

82

80

2019/20 cohort

 

 

 

85

84

82

81

2020/21 cohort

 

 

 

 

80

81

76

2021/22 cohort

 

 

 

 

 

70

73

2022/23 cohort

 

 

 

 

 

 

71

 

Contact

school.stats@gov.scot

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