This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Teachers Census Results September 2004
26/04/2005
This statistical publication notice provides results of the first full teacher census in publicly funded schools in Scotland since 1998.
The main findings for September 2004 are:
- The total number of teachers based in primary, secondary and special schools was 49,554, which is 324 more than in 2003. Numbers may also be affected by a change in local authority reporting procedure this year.
- There were also an estimated 1,733 teachers in the pre-school sector in the January 2004 census, making a total of 51,287 teachers based in schools and pre-schools.
- Changes in local authority recording practices make it difficult to distinguish between increases in teachers who are based in schools and those who are centrally employed. There were a further 2,165 centrally employed visiting specialists and peripatetic teachers involved in similar roles but not based in schools. This is an increase of 138 from 2003.
- Overall there has been an increase of 463 teachers from 2003. This reflects changes in class contact time under the Teachers' Agreement. Most of the additional teachers being trained to meet the Executive's commitment of 53,000 teachers by 2007 had yet to enter the workforce.
- There were a further 21,488 school based staff and 2,278 centrally employed staff identified in the staff census as providing support to the education system.
- There were 22,577 teachers in primary schools (22,321 in 2003), giving a pupil teacher ratio of 17.6 (18.2 in 2003). 93 per cent of teachers were female. Twelve per cent were part time.
- There were 24,984 teachers in secondary schools (24,881 in 2003), giving a pupil teacher ratio of 12.7 (12.8 in 2003). 58 per cent of teachers were female. Seven per cent were part time.
- There were 1,993 teachers in special schools (2,027 in 2003), giving a pupil teacher ratio of 3.7 (3.8 in 2003). 82 per cent of teachers were female. Eleven per cent were part time.
- The average (mean) age of teachers remained at 44. The age profile shows a major peak in the late forties/early fifties, but with level numbers in the twenties and thirties. 16 per cent of teachers were aged 55 or over (15 per cent in 2003).
The information in this publication for 2004 is derived from the September 2004 staff census of all publicly funded primary, secondary and special schools. Information about centrally employed staff was also collected from local authorities. The census was carried out through the Scottish Exchange of Educational Data (ScotXed) project, using information from schools' management information systems. More details on the ScotXed project can be obtained from www.ScotXed.net .
Information relating to years prior to 2003 is derived either from previous staff censuses or from the annual school census, which until 2003 contained summary information on teacher numbers. Caution must be taken in making comparisons with previous years.
Please see the full staff census publication "Teachers in Scotland, 2004" (link below) for more complete background notes on the data collected.
Information from the census is used to inform policy making, particularly in modelling the teacher workforce to ensure future supply of newly trained teachers, and for monitoring current policies.
All tables are available on the Scottish Executive website
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00417
Full results are available in the publication "Teachers in Scotland, 2004" http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00416
This is a National Statistics publication. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.
The following symbols are used:
. . = not available - = nil or rounds to nil
# = not applicable * = disclosive data
Enquiries or comments
Public enquiries (non-media) about the information contained in this News Release should be addressed to
Mal Cooke,
Pupil, Teacher and School Statistics
Scottish Executive Education Department,
Room 1A-West,
Victoria Quay, Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ.
Telephone 0131 244 1689
or email school.stats@scotland.gsi.gov.uk