This document contains the results of the latest annual survey of teacher and educational psychologist vacancies which took place on 20 th February, 2009.
Whilst most vacancies occur at the end of the school year, this survey measures the level of vacancies during term time in order to indicate any possible areas of shortage. It should not therefore be mistaken for the number of job opportunities for new graduates.
The main findings were: -
- There were 372 teacher vacancies advertised at February 2009, equivalent to 0.7 per cent of the full teaching complement. The number of vacancies had decreased from 607 in 2008, and is considerably lower than in recent years.
- There were 115 advertised posts which had been vacant for more than three months. This represents 31 per cent of vacancies and is equivalent to 0.2 per cent of the full teaching complement. The number of these vacancies had decreased from 200 in 2008.
- Vacancy rates were 0.7 per cent in both primary and secondary (0.2 per cent in both primary and secondary for more than three months).
- In English the vacancy rate was 0.7 per cent (down from 1.6 per cent in 2008) and in Maths was 0.8 per cent (down from 2.0 per cent in 2008). There were only 3 and 7 vacancies lasting for more than three months in English and Maths respectively.
- The vacancy rate amongst Gaelic medium teachers was 1.4 per cent in primary schools and 2.7 per cent in secondary schools.
- Senior posts, additional support needs and Home Economics were the teaching posts with the highest vacancy rates, with 1.4, 1.4 and 1.1 per cent respectively (0.5, 0.6 and 0.8 per cent respectively for more than 3 months). However, these rates were relatively low in comparison with previous years and not much higher than in other subjects.
- There were also 27 vacancies for Educational Psychologists which accounts for 6.9 per cent of permanent educational psychologists posts (up from 2.2 per cent in 2008).
- As at 3 rd June there were 3,429 probationer teachers provisionally allocated to publicly funded schools for 2009/10 compared to 3,445 at the same time in 2008. Eighty six per cent of probationers were allocated to their first or second choice authorities.
BACKGROUND NOTES
- The vacancy information in this statistical publication notice is derived from the February 2009 teacher and educational psychologist vacancy survey. It includes vacancies that had been advertised for permanent appointments or appointments of at least one term's duration, which existed at 20 th February 2009.
- An annual teacher workforce planning exercise is carried out to help determine the number of places required in teacher training institutions. The vacancies information collected in this survey informs this process in monitoring teacher supply and in setting priorities in subject areas.
- Vacancy rates have been calculated using figures for the teaching complement supplied as part of the survey. Comparison of these complement figures with the results of the teacher census show an undercount of the workforce reported in the vacancy survey. This means that true vacancy rates are in some cases likely to be slightly lower than those shown here, though generally there is at most 0.05 per cent difference.
- Vacancies for special classes have not been treated consistently between local authorities. Some have included such vacancies (and the workforce complement) in the sectors in which they are integrated, whereas others have been included in the special school sector.
- The probationer information in this statistical publication notice is the number of probationers that were allocated to each authority as at 3 rd June 2009. Final placements may be different where students fail their course or decide not to take up their allocation to a particular authority.
- The following symbols are used:
# = not applicable - = nil or rounds to nil
- All tables are available at the following website
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00736 - This report was edited by Kasia Bejtka and Mal Cooke.
- Public enquiries (non-media) about the information contained in this Publication Notice should be addressed to:
Kasia Bejtka,
Sample Surveys and Teacher Statistics,
Scottish Government,
Area 1-B (mail 27)
Victoria Quay,
Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ. Telephone : 0131 244 4933 or e-mail : school.stats@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
- Media Enquiries about information in this Publication Notice should be addressed to:
Aileen Easton, Telephone 0131 244 2972
Statistics Publication Notice
16 th June 2009