This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Pupils benefit as teacher numbers rise
26/04/2005
Rising teacher numbers mean pupil-teacher ratios in Scotland's schools are improving across the board.
Commenting on the latest figures - Teachers in Scotland 2004 - Education Minister Peter Peacock said the real winners were Scotland's pupils.
The figures show:
- Scotland has 51,287 full-time equivalent (FTE) school-based teachers - up 324 from last year
- There are also an extra 138 FTE visiting specialist teachers
- The average pupil:teacher ratio now stands at 14.6, down from 14.9 last year
- Pupil:teacher ratios have fallen in all sectors - primary (17.6:1, down from 18.2), secondary (12.7, down from 12.8) and special (3.7, down from 3.8).
Mr Peacock, who met trainee teachers today during a visit to Edinburgh University's Moray House Faculty of Education, said:
"Our decision to break the link of teacher numbers being tied to falling school rolls is now paying dividends - teacher numbers are up and pupil:teacher ratios are down.
"The student teachers I am visiting today are part of an army of almost 700 extra teachers about to graduate this year compared to normal.
"But this is just the start of the process. We plan to have even more teachers in training and, over the next two years, we'll continue to increase teacher numbers to allow us to decisively cut class sizes. This will ensure pupils get the best possible start in life and the chance to realise their full potential.
"Our unprecedented investment in Scottish schools - from teachers and support staff through to school buildings and better meals - means we have an education system that we can rightly be proud of and which is fit for the challenges of the 21st century."
The Executive is committed to increasing teacher numbers to 53,000 by 2007, enabling class sizes to be reduced to a maximum of 25 in P1 and 20 for maths and English in S1/S2.
Currently there are 2,356 teachers on post-graduate certificate of education (PGCE) courses - up from 1,722 in 2003/04. These students are due to enter the workforce in August 2005. A further 736 students on Bachelor of Education courses are also due to graduate this year.
The number of students on full-time PGCE courses next year will increase even further to 3,350.
The number of teachers joining and leaving the profession - along with vacancy rates - is monitored as part of the teacher workforce planning exercise which is designed to ensure sufficient students enter training.