Summary statistics for schools in Scotland no. 7: 2016 edition

Results of the annual pupil and teacher censuses, early learning and childcare data, school estates data, attendance and absence data and exclusions data.


3. Teachers

50,970 teachers in publicly funded schools and ELC centres (including centrally employed), compared to 50,717 in 2015
13.7 Pupil teacher ratio in local authority schools
- same as in 2015
87% of teachers on the 2015/16 probationer induction scheme were in employment in September 2016

Table 3.1: Publicly funded teachers ( FTE) by sector and local authority, 2016

ELC (1) School Total (incl. ELC)
Primary School Secondary School Special School Centrally employed
Aberdeen City 58 804 712 63 24 1,662
Aberdeenshire 44 1,362 1,192 51 50 2,698
Angus 8 557 545 0 22 1,132
Argyll & Bute 10 403 423 11 4 851
Clackmannanshire 13 279 226 20 3 541
Dumfries & Galloway 19 651 687 7 122 1,485
Dundee City 30 648 629 56 34 1,397
East Ayrshire 12 546 530 59 14 1,162
East Dunbartonshire 30 517 615 52 33 1,247
East Lothian 44 439 447 0 27 957
East Renfrewshire 28 545 648 31 3 1,255
Edinburgh City 137 1,540 1,408 172 92 3,350
Na h-Eileanan Siar 2 153 158 0 10 324
Falkirk 20 751 777 59 18 1,625
Fife 53 1,780 1,570 73 72 3,548
Glasgow City 72 2,402 1,974 337 157 4,942
Highland 18 1,081 1,144 42 87 2,373
Inverclyde 6 332 355 45 4 742
Midlothian 21 409 395 35 33 894
Moray 14 412 401 0 35 862
North Ayrshire 14 653 625 39 54 1,385
North Lanarkshire 46 1,620 1,577 217 60 3,521
Orkney Islands 10 120 129 0 10 270
Perth & Kinross 41 677 618 18 16 1,370
Renfrewshire 26 749 767 81 36 1,658
Scottish Borders 23 463 472 0 118 1,075
Shetland Islands 8 153 154 0 11 326
South Ayrshire 41 491 494 24 33 1,084
South Lanarkshire 65 1,528 1,514 151 10 3,267
Stirling 10 432 470 18 22 953
West Dunbartonshire 11 442 418 46 23 939
West Lothian 50 958 833 108 0 1,949
All local authorities 985 23,899 22,906 1,814 1,239 50,842
Grant aided 0 21 51 55 0 127
Total 985 23,920 22,957 1,869 1,239 50,970

(1) Includes partnership ELC centres, and teachers in ELC centres whether centre-based, centrally employed or home visiting.

Table 3.2 shows that total teacher numbers (including ELC, primary, secondary, special and centrally employed teachers) across all publicly funded schools in Scotland decreased between 2010 and 2014, before stabilising in 2015 and increasing in 2016. Although the total FTE for 2016 has increased since 2015, this is not the case for each local authority. In 20 local authorities the number of teachers has either been maintained or increased, with the largest increase being eight per cent in Clackmannanshire. Twelve local authorities saw a decrease this year, with the largest decrease being two per cent in Moray.

Table 3.2: Teachers in publicly funded early learning and childcare and schools, by local authority, 2010 to 2016

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Aberdeen City 1,677 1,692 1,696 1,687 1,707 1,685 1,662
Aberdeenshire 2,741 2,642 2,638 2,701 2,700 2,712 2,698
Angus 1,199 1,173 1,156 1,157 1,143 1,144 1,132
Argyll & Bute 909 874 871 868 878 847 851
Clackmannanshire 500 495 494 509 510 502 541
Dumfries & Galloway 1,605 1,568 1,570 1,533 1,520 1,504 1,485
Dundee City 1,511 1,472 1,461 1,436 1,407 1,408 1,397
East Ayrshire 1,219 1,198 1,169 1,155 1,150 1,162 1,162
East Dunbartonshire 1,233 1,193 1,186 1,211 1,222 1,232 1,247
East Lothian 975 978 970 954 953 966 957
East Renfrewshire 1,229 1,222 1,224 1,242 1,224 1,241 1,255
Edinburgh City 3,320 3,274 3,302 3,344 3,281 3,324 3,350
Na h-Eileanan Siar 369 365 353 344 324 326 324
Falkirk 1,565 1,576 1,590 1,596 1,603 1,603 1,625
Fife 3,646 3,576 3,574 3,596 3,529 3,544 3,548
Glasgow City 4,981 5,080 5,069 4,888 4,883 4,838 4,942
Highland 2,465 2,408 2,376 2,365 2,360 2,381 2,373
Inverclyde 797 766 768 745 732 742 742
Midlothian 850 848 849 867 880 890 894
Moray 920 894 903 885 887 881 862
North Ayrshire 1,387 1,387 1,348 1,374 1,363 1,359 1,385
North Lanarkshire 3,658 3,614 3,597 3,575 3,523 3,465 3,521
Orkney Islands 270 252 254 259 265 266 270
Perth & Kinross 1,391 1,391 1,381 1,382 1,374 1,378 1,370
Renfrewshire 1,614 1,597 1,617 1,610 1,607 1,621 1,658
Scottish Borders 1,152 1,158 1,157 1,133 1,089 1,072 1,075
Shetland Islands 400 373 357 340 330 331 326
South Ayrshire 1,174 1,120 1,136 1,120 1,102 1,104 1,084
South Lanarkshire 3,198 3,227 3,230 3,253 3,225 3,246 3,267
Stirling 980 963 945 942 943 928 953
West Dunbartonshire 946 923 906 918 921 931 939
West Lothian 1,986 1,914 1,952 1,939 1,935 1,944 1,949
All local authorities 51,866 51,212 51,100 50,932 50,568 50,576 50,842
Grant aided 157 156 153 145 153 141 127
Total 52,022 51,368 51,253 51,078 50,720 50,717 50,970

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 improved, with fewer pupils per teacher, between 2005 and 2008. From 2008 it increased gradually to reach 13.5 in 2012. It remained at this level in 2013 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 have increased further since 2014, the total number of teachers increased in 2016, meaning the PTR has remained at 13.7.

The Attainment Scotland Fund is a targeted initiative focused on supporting pupils in the local authorities and schools of Scotland with the highest concentrations of deprivation. At the time of the census in September 2016, 160 FTE teachers were funded through this initiative. The national PTR excluding these teachers was 13.7, the same as the equivalent ratio from the previous year.

PTRs have varied between local authorities over time. The largest increases in PTRs this year were in Aberdeen City and Moray, the largest decreases (improvements) in PTRs were in Clackmannanshire, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire.

Table 3.3: Pupil teacher ratios in publicly funded schools (all sectors excluding ELC), by local authority, 2010 to 2016 (1)

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 (2) 2016
Aberdeen City 13.6 13.4 13.5 13.5 13.6 13.6 14.0
Aberdeenshire 13.0 13.4 13.4 13.3 13.5 13.3 13.4
Angus 13.0 13.2 13.2 13.1 13.3 13.2 13.3
Argyll & Bute 12.6 12.9 12.5 12.4 12.2 12.4 12.3
Clackmannanshire 13.8 13.6 13.7 13.5 13.3 13.4 12.5
Dumfries & Galloway 12.5 12.7 12.5 12.7 12.7 12.7 12.7
Dundee City 11.8 12.1 12.3 12.6 12.9 13.0 13.2
East Ayrshire 13.6 13.7 14.0 14.0 14.0 13.9 13.9
East Dunbartonshire 13.3 13.6 13.7 13.6 13.6 13.6 13.5
East Lothian 14.4 14.4 14.8 15.1 15.2 15.1 15.4
East Renfrewshire 13.6 13.7 13.5 13.4 13.7 13.7 13.7
Edinburgh City 14.1 14.3 14.2 14.3 14.9 14.9 15.1
Na h-Eileanan Siar 9.9 9.8 10.2 10.1 10.4 10.3 10.5
Falkirk 13.4 13.4 13.4 13.4 13.5 13.5 13.5
Fife 13.4 13.7 13.7 13.7 14.0 14.0 14.1
Glasgow City 13.4 13.1 13.1 13.6 13.6 13.8 13.8
Highland 13.0 13.2 13.2 13.2 13.2 13.1 13.1
Inverclyde 13.5 13.8 13.6 13.8 13.8 13.5 13.5
Midlothian 14.3 14.4 14.6 14.2 14.2 14.2 14.2
Moray 13.3 13.5 13.4 13.7 13.7 13.7 14.1
North Ayrshire 13.8 13.7 14.0 13.7 13.7 13.6 13.3
North Lanarkshire 13.6 13.8 13.9 13.9 14.2 14.4 14.1
Orkney Islands 10.6 11.0 11.0 10.6 10.5 10.4 10.4
Perth & Kinross 13.0 12.9 13.1 13.1 13.3 13.3 13.6
Renfrewshire 14.9 14.9 14.6 14.8 14.7 14.6 14.3
Scottish Borders 13.3 13.2 13.2 13.3 13.7 13.8 13.8
Shetland Islands 8.6 9.2 9.5 9.7 10.0 10.0 10.2
South Ayrshire 12.8 13.2 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.2 13.4
South Lanarkshire 13.9 13.7 13.7 13.6 13.7 13.7 13.7
Stirling 13.0 13.2 13.4 13.1 13.2 13.4 13.2
West Dunbartonshire 13.3 13.6 13.7 13.6 13.6 13.5 13.4
West Lothian 13.5 14.0 14.1 14.0 14.1 14.1 14.1
All local authorities 13.3 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.7 13.7 13.7
Grant aided 8.3 8.5 8.5 8.9 8.4 8.9 9.8
All publicly funded 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.5 13.7 13.7 13.7

(1) Includes teachers based in schools and centrally employed teachers.

(2)The pupil teacher ratio for 2015 for North Lanarkshire changed due to corrections with their primary pupil roll in February 2016. See background note 2 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 2004 shows a peak around age 50. However, in 2016 the age profile is relatively flat between age 23 (when most teachers qualify) and late fifties (when most teachers retire).

Chart 1: Age profile, school based teachers, 2004 to 2016

Chart 1: Age profile, school based teachers, 2004 to 2016

Chart 2 shows the age profile of GTCS registered ELC teachers, as at September 2016. The number of teachers generally increases with age up to mid-thirties, and then fluctuates, before decreasing sharply at age 60.

Chart 2: Age profile of GTCS registered early learning and childcare teachers, September 2016

Chart 2: Age profile of GTCS registered early learning and childcare teachers, September 2016

Table 3.4 shows that 77 per cent of teachers were female. Across all promoted posts this proportion decreased to 71 per cent, although the proportion of head teachers that were female was higher at 79 per cent. The average (mean) age of primary, secondary and special school teachers was 41, compared to 42 in 2015 and 44 in 2004, so teachers were, on average, younger in 2016 than in 2004.

The proportion of teachers who had temporary contracts (including probationers) was 16.3 per cent (compared with 17.3 per cent last year). 15.6 per cent of teachers were working part-time, with the rate higher amongst females (18.2 per cent) than males (6.9 per cent).

Table 3.4: Teacher characteristics percentages by sector, 2016

ELC School
Primary Secondary Special Centrally Employed (3) Total
(excluding ELC)
Gender
Female 95 90 63 76 84 77
Male 5 10 37 24 16 23
Unknown 0 0 0 0 0 0
Age (years) (1)
Under 25 1 8 5 1 0 6
25 to 34 18 31 27 20 11 28
35 to 44 28 25 25 26 23 25
45 to 54 31 24 24 29 34 24
55 or over 22 13 18 24 31 16
Unknown 0 0 0 0 0 0
Average Age 45 40 42 45 41 41
Ethnicity (1)
White - Scottish : 66 58 65 49 62
White - Other British : 27 31 24 31 29
White - Other : 2 3 4 5 3
Minority Ethnic Group : 1 2 2 4 1
Not Disclosed : 5 5 5 11 5
Employment type
Permanent : 82 85 86 81 84
Temporary (non-induction) : 12 11 14 19 11
Probationer induction scheme : 6 4 0 0 5
Grade
Head teacher : 7 1 6 3 4
Percentage female : 86 41 80 75 79
Depute head teacher : 5 5 7 2 5
Percentage female : 88 54 75 89 73
Principal teacher : 7 23 11 11 15
Percentage female : 90 62 74 81 69
Teacher : 81 71 76 84 76
Percentage female : 91 65 76 85 79
All - Percentage female : 90 63 76 84 77
Mode of working
Full-time 35 82 88 84 68 84
Percentage female 98 89 61 74 81 75
Part-time (2) 65 18 12 16 32 16
Percentage female 94 95 82 86 91 90

(1) Excludes grant aided schools.

(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 [These teachers are included in the appropriate school sector statistics].

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 following year's teacher census. The proportion increased from 86 per cent in 2015 to 87 per cent in 2016.

Table 3.5: Percentage of post-probationers in permanent or temporary employment in the following year's teacher census, 2009/10 to 2015/16

Probationer cohort
2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16
Full-time permanent 13 16 28 35 39 45 55
Full-time temporary 29 35 35 35 33 35 27
Part-time permanent 2 1 3 2 2 2 2
Part-time temporary 15 14 8 6 6 4 2
Other (1) 42 34 25 21 20 14 13
Number of teachers in cohort 3,044 2,857 1,944 2,044 2,215 2,448 2,524

(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 that some of these teachers secure posts as they become available later in the year or in subsequent years. For example while 66 per cent of the 2010/11 cohort were present in the 2011 census, in the following censuses the percentage increased to 70 per cent in 2012 and 2013, 71 per cent in 2014 onwards.

Table 3.6: Percentage of post-probationers in permanent or temporary employment, 2010 to 2016

Sep-10 Sep-11 Sep-12 Sep-13 Sep-14 Sep-15 Sep-16
2009/10 cohort 58 66 70 70 71 71 71
2010/11 cohort 66 70 70 71 71 71
2011/12 cohort 75 77 79 77 78
2012/13 cohort 79 77 77 77
2013/14 cohort 80 81 79
2014/15 cohort 86 83
2015/16 cohort 87

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