Summary statistics for schools in Scotland - No. 6: 2015 Edition

3. Teachers

50,576 teachers in local authority schools (including centrally employed teachers), compared to 50,568 in 2014
13.7 Pupil teacher ratio in local authority schools
- same as in 2014
86% of teachers on the 2014/15 probationer induction scheme were in employment in September 2015

Table 3.1: Publicly funded teachers by sector, by LA, 2015⁽¹⁾

	ELC(2)	Primary School	Secondary School	Special School	Centrally employed	Total
Aberdeen City	53	802	735	67	27	1,685
Aberdeenshire	62	1,347	1,217	45	40	2,712
Angus	8	566	548	-	22	1,144
Argyll & Bute	4	408	425	11	-	847
Clackmannanshire	12	254	214	18	5	502
Dumfries & Galloway	25	641	704	6	128	1,504
Dundee City	32	632	646	68	30	1,408
East Ayrshire	11	539	540	58	14	1,162
East Dunbartonshire	27	507	605	53	39	1,232
East Lothian	46	439	457	-	24	966
East Renfrewshire	28	534	643	29	6	1,241
Edinburgh City	130	1,510	1,418	167	99	3,324
Eilean Siar	2	150	158	-	16	326
Falkirk	22	754	742	64	20	1,603
Fife	69	1,717	1,600	78	81	3,544
Glasgow City	60	2,259	1,978	370	172	4,838
Highland(3)	23	1,052	1,172	41	93	2,381
Inverclyde	8	331	359	41	4	742
Midlothian	24	398	406	32	30	890
Moray	7	406	426	-	42	881
North Ayrshire	28	622	627	43	40	1,359
North Lanarkshire	59	1,582	1,575	211	38	3,465
Orkney Islands	11	118	129	-	8	266
Perth & Kinross	41	677	625	19	16	1,378
Renfrewshire	25	735	760	79	21	1,621
Scottish Borders	23	453	474	-	122	1,072
Shetland Islands	8	155	157	-	11	331
South Ayrshire	41	496	507	27	33	1,104
South Lanarkshire	70	1,534	1,469	153	20	3,246
Stirling	7	404	463	20	35	928
West Dunbartonshire	10	433	415	47	26	931
West Lothian	64	949	815	95	21	1,944
All local authorities(3) (4)	1,038	23,403	23,008	1,844	1,283	50,576
Grant aided (5)	-	22	52	67	-	141
Total(3)	1,038	23,425	23,059	1,911	1,283	50,717

(1) These figures refer to full-time equivalents of teachers - see background notes 3.2, 3.3 and 6.1.
(2) Includes partnership ELC centres, and teachers in ELC centres whether centre-based, centrally employed or home visiting.
(3) In February and December 2015, teacher numbers were corrected, also effecting totals. See background notes 3.5a and 3.5b.
(4) See background note 3.5c for information on double counting of teacher FTE between primary and ELC centres.
(5) In September 2015 there were eight grant aided schools, one mainstream with primary and secondary departments, and seven special schools. These schools are included in national totals, but are identified separately in local authority level tables.

Table 3.2 shows that total teacher numbers (including ELC, primary, secondary, special and centrally employed teachers) for publicly funded schools in Scotland have decreased between 2010 and 2014, then remained similar in 2015. At the start of 2015, each Local Authority agreed to maintain their own teacher numbers and PTRs, as published for 2014. Although the total FTE for 2015 has remained similar to 2014, this is not the case across all local authorities. In 22 local authorities the number of teachers has either been maintained or increased, with the largest increase being 1.4 per cent. Ten local authorities saw a decrease this year, with the largest decrease being 3.4 per cent.

Table 3.2: Teachers in publicly funded early learning and childcare, and schools, 2010 to 2015

	2010(1)	2011(1)	2012(1)	2013	2014(1)	2015
Aberdeen City	1,677	1,692	1,696	1,687	1,707	1,685
Aberdeenshire	2,741	2,642	2,638	2,701	2,700	2,712
Angus	1,199	1,173	1,156	1,157	1,143	1,144
Argyll & Bute	909	874	871	868	878	847
Clackmannanshire	500	495	494	509	510	502
Dumfries & Galloway	1,605	1,568	1,570	1,533	1,520	1,504
Dundee City	1,511	1,472	1,461	1,436	1,407	1,408
East Ayrshire	1,219	1,198	1,169	1,155	1,150	1,162
East Dunbartonshire	1,233	1,193	1,186	1,211	1,222	1,232
East Lothian	975	978	970	954	953	966
East Renfrewshire	1,229	1,222	1,224	1,242	1,224	1,241
Edinburgh City	3,320	3,274	3,302	3,344	3,281	3,324
Eilean Siar	369	365	353	344	324	326
Falkirk	1,565	1,576	1,590	1,596	1,603	1,603
Fife	3,646	3,576	3,574	3,596	3,529	3,544
Glasgow City	4,981	5,080	5,069	4,888	4,883	4,838
Highland	2,465	2,408	2,376	2,365	2,360	2,381
Inverclyde	797	766	768	745	732	742
Midlothian	850	848	849	867	880	890
Moray	920	894	903	885	887	881
North Ayrshire	1,387	1,387	1,348	1,374	1,363	1,359
North Lanarkshire	3,658	3,614	3,597	3,575	3,523	3,465
Orkney Islands	270	252	254	259	265	266
Perth & Kinross	1,391	1,391	1,381	1,382	1,374	1,378
Renfrewshire	1,614	1,597	1,617	1,610	1,607	1,621
Scottish Borders	1,152	1,158	1,157	1,133	1,089	1,072
Shetland Islands	400	373	357	340	330	331
South Ayrshire	1,174	1,120	1,136	1,120	1,102	1,104
South Lanarkshire	3,198	3,227	3,230	3,253	3,225	3,246
Stirling	980	963	945	942	943	928
West Dunbartonshire	946	923	906	918	921	931
West Lothian	1,986	1,914	1,952	1,939	1,935	1,944
All local authorities	51,866	51,212	51,100	50,932	50,568	50,576
Grant aided	157	156	153	145	153	141
All publicly funded	52,022	51,368	51,253	51,078	50,720	50,717

(1) 2014 teacher figures were revised in February and December 2015, see background notes 3.5a and 3.5b. 2010, 2011, 2012 ELC, primary, school and total teacher FTE and PTRs were revised in 2013, see background note 3.5c.

Table 3.3 shows pupil teacher ratios (PTRs) in publicly funded schools, giving a measure of the size of the workforce compared with the pupil population. The PTR was improving for local authority schools, with less pupils per teacher between 2005 and 2008. From 2008 it increased gradually to reach 13.5 in 2011. It remained at this level for two years but increased slightly in 2014 to 13.7, partly due to the increase in pupils in the primary sector, and only a small increase in primary teachers. Although pupil numbers increased again in 2015, the total teacher numbers remained similar and the PTR has remained at 13.7. Figures vary across local authorities over time. The largest increases in PTRs this year were in Stirling and Clackmannanshire, the largest decreases (improvements) in PTRs were in Inverclyde and Aberdeenshire.

Table 3.3: Pupil teacher ratios in publicly funded schools (all sectors excluding ELC), 2008 to 2015

	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014(2)	2015
Aberdeen City	13.0	12.8	13.6	13.4	13.5	13.5	13.6	13.6
Aberdeenshire	12.8	13.1	13.0	13.4	13.4	13.3	13.5	13.3
Angus	13.2	13.3	13.0	13.2	13.2	13.1	13.3	13.2
Argyll & Bute	12.8	12.5	12.6	12.9	12.5	12.4	12.2	12.4
Clackmannanshire	12.7	13.1	13.8	13.6	13.7	13.5	13.3	13.4
Dumfries & Galloway	12.3	12.4	12.5	12.7	12.5	12.7	12.7	12.7
Dundee City	11.5	11.7	11.8	12.1	12.3	12.6	12.9	13.0
East Ayrshire	13.5	13.2	13.6	13.7	14.0	14.0	14.0	13.9
East Dunbartonshire	13.1	13.6	13.3	13.6	13.7	13.6	13.6	13.6
East Lothian	14.1	13.7	14.4	14.4	14.8	15.1	15.2	15.1
East Renfrewshire	13.5	13.6	13.6	13.7	13.5	13.4	13.7	13.7
Edinburgh City	13.5	13.9	14.1	14.3	14.2	14.3	14.9	14.9
Eilean Siar	9.4	9.2	9.9	9.8	10.2	10.1	10.4	10.3
Falkirk	12.9	13.2	13.4	13.4	13.4	13.4	13.5	13.5
Fife	13.7	13.6	13.4	13.7	13.7	13.7	14.0	14.0
Glasgow City	12.4	13.2	13.4	13.1	13.1	13.6	13.6	13.8
Highland	12.3	12.6	13.0	13.2	13.2	13.2	13.2	13.1
Inverclyde	12.7	13.1	13.5	13.8	13.6	13.8	13.8	13.5
Midlothian	13.1	13.7	14.3	14.4	14.6	14.2	14.2	14.2
Moray	12.9	13.0	13.3	13.5	13.4	13.7	13.7	13.7
North Ayrshire	13.2	14.0	13.8	13.7	14.0	13.7	13.7	13.6
North Lanarkshire	13.1	13.4	13.6	13.8	13.9	13.9	14.2	14.4
Orkney Islands	10.4	10.5	10.6	11.0	11.0	10.6	10.5	10.4
Perth & Kinross	13.5	13.1	13.0	12.9	13.1	13.1	13.3	13.3
Renfrewshire	14.1	14.8	14.9	14.9	14.6	14.8	14.7	14.6
Scottish Borders	13.1	13.4	13.3	13.2	13.2	13.3	13.7	13.8
Shetland Islands	8.5	8.5	8.6	9.2	9.5	9.7	10.0	10.0
South Ayrshire	13.6	13.4	12.8	13.2	13.0	13.1	13.2	13.2
South Lanarkshire	13.2	13.5	13.9	13.7	13.7	13.6	13.7	13.7
Stirling	13.6	13.1	13.0	13.2	13.4	13.1	13.2	13.4
West Dunbartonshire	12.4	12.8	13.3	13.6	13.7	13.6	13.6	13.5
West Lothian	13.0	13.3	13.5	14.0	14.1	14.0	14.1	14.1
All local authorities	13.0	13.2	13.3	13.5	13.5	13.5	13.7	13.7
Grant aided	7.4	7.5	8.3	8.5	8.5	8.9	8.4	8.9
All publicly funded	12.9	13.2	13.3	13.4	13.5	13.5	13.7	13.7

(1) Includes teachers based in schools and centrally employed teachers.
(2) 2014 Teacher numbers were amended in February and December 2015. See background notes 3.5a and 3.5b.
(3) The pupil teacher ratio for 2015 for North Lanarkshire changed due to corrections with their primary pupil roll in February 2016. See background note 3.6 for details.

One of the most important uses of the data collected in the teacher census is in modelling future changes in the workforce in order to provide guidance on the number of new teachers to train. Chart 1 shows the age profile of school teachers and the change since 2004. The age profile for 2015 shows a peak at age 57, however the proportion of teachers aged 50+ has reduced over the last decade. There is also now a peak forming in the early thirties.

Chart 1: Age profile, school based teachers, 2004 to 2015

Chart 2 shows the age profile of GTCS registered ELC teachers, where known, as at September 2015. The number of teachers generally increases with age, with a peak in the number of ELC teachers aged between 58 and 59.

Chart 2: Age profile of GTCS registered early learning and childcare teachers, September 2015

Table 3.4 shows main teacher characteristics, including gender, age, ethnicity, employment type, grade and mode of working, by sector.

The proportion of teachers who were male was 23 per cent. In promoted posts this proportion was 29 per cent, with the figure being 25 per cent for heads and deputes. The average (mean) age of primary, secondary and special school teachers was 41.5 compared to 41.7 in 2014 and 44.1 in 2004.

The proportion of teachers who had temporary contracts (including probationers) was 17.3 per cent (compared with 16.5 per cent last year). 14.6 per cent of teachers were working part-time, with the rate higher amongst females (17.0 per cent) than males (6.4 per cent).

Table 3.4: Teacher characteristics: Proportions by gender, age, ethnicity and employment type, grade and mode of working by sector, 2015

	ELC	Primary	Secondary	Special	Centrally Employed (3)	Total (exclude ELC)
Gender
Female	97	91	63	76	84	77
Male	3	9	37	24	16	23
Unknown	-	-	-	-	-	-
Age (years) (1)
Under 25	1	8	5	1	1	6
25 to 34	21	30	27	21	11	28
35 to 44	26	24	25	26	21	24
45 to 54	29	23	25	28	33	24
55 or over	23	14	19	25	34	17
Unknown	-	-	-	-	-	-
Average Age	45	40	42	45	49	41
Ethnicity (1)
White - Scottish	-	65	57	66	49	61
White - Other British Isles Islsles	-	28	33	24	33	30
White - Other	-	2	3	4	4	3
Minority Ethnic Group	-	1	2	2	4	1
Not Disclosed	-	4	5	4	10	4
Employment type
Permanent	-	80	85	85	82	83
Temporary (non-induction)	-	13	10	15	18	12
Probationer induction scheme	-	7	4	-	-	5
Grade
Head teacher	-	7	2	6	4	5
Percentage female		(87)	(40)	(81)	(80)	(79)
Depute head teacher	-	5	5	7	3	5
Percentage female		(88)	(54)	(75)	(85)	(72)
Principal teacher	-	7	24	10	11	15
Percentage female		(90)	(61)	(79)	(78)	(68)
Teacher	-	80	70	76	83	75
Percentage female		(91)	(65)	(76)	(85)	(79)
	-
All - Percentage female	-	(91)	(63)	(76)	(84)	(77)
Mode of working
Full-time	43	83	89	85	69	85
Percentage female	(97)	(90)	(61)	(74)	(82)	(75)
Part-time(2)	57	17	11	15	31	15
Percentage female	(97)	(96)	(82)	(86)	(89)	(90)

(1) Excludes grant aided schools. Totals do not include ELC.
(2) Includes ELC teachers who are peripatetic or shared with other centres. ELC figures are based on headcount, other teacher data is based on FTE.
(3) Excludes mainstream supply.

In the September 2015 census there were 2,611 teachers in the teacher induction scheme (2,356 in 2014), of which 1,574 were in primary schools and 1,035 were in secondary schools.

Table 3.5 shows the percentage of post-probationers from recent induction cohorts who were in publicly funded permanent or temporary posts at the time of the next census. The proportion increased from 80 per cent in 2014 to 86 per cent in 2015.

Table 3.5: Percentage of post-probationers in permanent or temporary employment in the following year's teacher census, 2011 to 2015

	2010/11 to Sept 2011 (n=2,857)	2011/12 to Sept 2012 (n=1,944)	2012/13 to Sept 2013 (n=2,044)	2013/14 to Sept 2014 (n=2,215)	2014/15 to Sept 2015 (n=2,448)
Full-time permanent	16	28	35	39	45
Full-time temporary	35	35	35	33	35
Part-time permanent	1	3	2	2	2
Part-time temporary	14	8	6	6	4
Other(1)	34	25	21	20	14

(1) see following paragraph

In table 3.5 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 that some of these teachers secure posts as they become available later in the year or in subsequent years. For example while 63 per cent of the 2008/09 cohort were present in the 2010 census, in the following censuses the percentage increased to 68 per cent in 2011, 69 per cent 2012, and 70 per cent in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Table 3.6: Percentage of post-probationers in permanent or temporary employment, 2007 to 2015

	Teacher Census
Cohort	Sept 07	Sept 08	Sept 09	Sept 10	Sept 11	Sept 12	Sept 13	Sept 14	Sept 15
2006/07	66	69	71	73	74	73	72	72	72
2007/08		58	63	67	71	70	71	71	71
2008/09			57	63	68	69	70	70	70
2009/10				58	66	70	70	71	71
2010/11					66	70	70	71	71
2011/12						75	77	79	77
2012/13							79	77	77
2013/14								80	81
2014/15									86