Union questions ‘lack of data’ in teacher research paper

A union representing teachers has said it has “serious reservations” about a Scottish Government report
on pupil number projections and corresponding teacher resourcing needs over the next 10 years.

The report was commissioned to provide insights on the future trends of pupil populations and compare Scotland with the rest of the UK in terms of pupil-teacher ratios (PTRs) and teachers’ class contact time.

The paper goes on to consider a range of scenarios including increasing teacher numbers in the context of a government commitment to increase numbers by 3,500 by the end of the current parliamentary term in 2026.

It also considers varying PTRs in the context of a further commitment to reduce teachers’ contracted class contact time by 1.5 hours per week by 2026 from the current 22.5 hours.

But the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) has said the report “is notable for the lack of data and research it provides” and has called on the Scottish Government to provide further research “swiftly” to aid future talks over teachers’ class contact time.

Mike Corbett, the NASUWT’s national official for Scotland, said: “While welcoming the publication of this report, which may help to rejuvenate stalled discussions on the long-promised reduction in class contact time, NASUWT has serious reservations about it.

“It is notable for the lack of data and research it provides on the recruitment and retention of teachers, localised contexts and the size and operation of the supply teacher workforce.

“Without these, any decision-making is not fully informed and NASUWT requests that the Scottish Government swiftly commission or produce relevant research data in these areas to aid discussions.

“The NASUWT remains fully committed to achieving the promised 90-minute reduction in class contact time and for it to be dedicated to teacher preparation and correction.

“Three years on from the promise being made, we remain willing to discuss and negotiate its implementation with employers and the Scottish Government.

“In the meantime, we repeat the request we recently made to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, that she should encourage employers to immediately address many of the key drivers of teacher workload which NASUWT has shared with her, such as Forward Planning in Primary schools, over-assessment in the secondary sector, bureaucratic tracking and monitoring procedures and unwieldy School Improvement Plans.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Ministers are committed to reducing class contact time by 90 minutes per week, giving teachers more time out of the classroom. This independent report contains a number of possible future scenarios and assesses how these would work alongside any changes to teachers’ contracted class contact time.

“It will assist discussions with our partners on the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers and will help to inform engagement with teaching unions, Cosla, and local authorities to ensure we have a workforce in place now and in the future which allows progress on our commitments to raising attainment and closing the poverty related attainment gap.”