School teachers

Teacher numbers

The total number of school teachers (primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) decreased by 598 between 2023 and 2024. This is the third consecutive decrease in teacher numbers after rises in each year from 2016 to 2021. The total number of teachers across all sectors including ELC decreased by 621 between 2023 and 2024 (Figure 7).

Although the number of teachers in Scotland has decreased since 2023, this was not the case for each local authority. Figure 6 shows increases in school teachers in six local authorities this year. The largest proportional increase was 2.5% in Aberdeen City (45 FTE). However, in 26 local authorities the number of teachers decreased. The largest proportional decreases were 3.4% in West Dunbartonshire (31 FTE), followed by Aberdeenshire (3.2%, 88 FTE) and Angus (3.0%, 34 FTE). This pattern of increases and decreases is very similar when teachers including those in ELC are considered. In this case the number of teachers increased in seven local authorities and decreased in 25, as shown in Figure 7.

Pupil teacher ratios

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 PTR increased in 2024 to 13.3 from 13.2 in 2023. The lowest PTR was 12.9 in 2008.

When comparing to 2023, the PTR decreased or maintained in 16 local authorities (after rounding) (Figure 8). The biggest decreases were seen in Clackmannanshire and the Scottish Borders, which each decreased by 0.4. Since 2018, Clackmannanshire has had the largest decrease in PTR at 1.4. The largest increase in PTR since 2018 has been in West Dunbartonshire at 0.4.

Teacher demographics

The average (mean) age of school teachers was 41 in 2024 (Figure 11), compared to 42 in 2014, so the teacher workforce was, on average, younger in 2024 than in 2014. 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 2024, around half of teachers were aged between 27 and 43.

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 only grade where there is not a female majority is Head teachers in secondary, where 47% were female.

The largest ethnic group for teachers is White – Scottish (69%) while 2% reported being from a minority ethnic group. Ethnicity was either not known or not disclosed for 6% of teachers (Figure 12).

Teaching roles and working patterns

A new role of Lead Teacher was established in June 2021 by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT). There were 11 FTE Lead Teachers that met the criteria for inclusion as a teacher for the purposes of these statistics.

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 2023 (Figure 13). There was no change in the proportion of temporary posts in primary or secondary schools while the proportion increased for special schools and decreased for centrally employed teachers. Further detail on the recording of employment types is included in the Background Notes.

In 2024, the percentage of teachers working part-time, as a proportion of all FTE, was 20% (Figure 15). There was a higher rate amongst females (23%), than males (9%) (data not shown).

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 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 decreased to 65% for the most recent TIS cohort (2023/24) from 71% for the previous cohort. This marks a return to the long-term decrease in post-probationer employment since the peak of 88% in 2016/17, following a slight increase from 70% in the 2021/22 cohort to 71% in the 2022/23 cohort. The rate for the 2023/24 cohort is the lowest since the 2009/10 cohort but was still higher than 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). Individuals not teaching 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 2023/24 cohort, the proportion of TIS probationers in a full-time permanent post at the time of the following year’s census (September 2024) was 25%, down from 29% 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. The proportion of the 2023/24 TIS probationer cohort that were in a full-time temporary post the following year was also lower than the previous cohort, down from 33% to 30%. The proportion of TIS probationers in a temporary part-time post the following year has increased in recent years from 3% for the 2019/20 cohort to 8% 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 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 in schools (excluding ELC), local authority, 2024 (FTE)

Figure 6 Teachers in schools (excluding ELC), local authority, 2018 to 2024 (FTE, all sectors excluding ELC)

Figure 7 Teachers in schools and ELC, local authority, 2018 to 2024 (FTE, all sectors including ELC)

Figure 8 Pupil teacher ratio (PTR), local authority, 2018 to 2024 (all sectors excluding ELC)

Figure 9 Age profile of teachers, Scotland, 2014 and 2024

Figure 10 Teacher sex by sector, Scotland, 2024 (percentage of FTE)

Figure 11 Teacher age by sector, Scotland, 2024 (percentage of FTE)

Figure 12 Teacher ethnicity by sector, Scotland, 2024 (percentage of FTE)

Figure 13 Teacher post employment type by sector, Scotland, 2024 (percentage of FTE)

Figure 14 Teacher grade by sector, Scotland, 2024 (percentage of FTE)