More than 30 school jobs still not filled
Over 30 jobs in the region’s schools have still not been filled, even though the new term started last week.
Pupils across Perth and Kinross returned to classes last week, despite 33 jobs still being advertised by the local authority.
The list includes everything from play assistants to headteachers, which includes 24 teaching posts.
In particular, a number of support teacher jobs are still not filled, including at Kettins Primary School, Oakbank Primary School, Community School of Auchterarder (primary), and two at Crieff High School.
Some of the core subjects in the region’s schools are also still understaffed, including English teachers at Perth High School and Kinross High School, and maths teachers at Breadalbane Academy, Perth Grammar School, two at Crieff High School and two at Kinross High School.
A number of senior positions within the region’s schools need filled as well, including a deputy headteacher at Craigie Primary School, senior early childhood practitioners at Pitlochry High School’s nursery and City of Perth early childhood centre in Fairfield, a principal teacher of business at Perth Grammar School, a deputy headteacher at St John’s RC Academy, and an acting principal teacher at Braco Primary School.
Crieff High School currently has the most vacancies, with positions for support teachers, a maths teacher, digital teacher and deputy headteacher still not filled.
Two supply teachers, who cover shifts at schools across the region, are also still needed at Perth and Kinross Council.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: “Teacher recruitment occurs at various times of year as staff choose to move on, whether that’s by retiring, moving to a new job, or taking longer breaks from work for family leave reasons.
“The council anticipates movement and changes particularly over the summer period and as such expect to have some vacancies at the start of term.
“It is recognised that there are issues nationally with the recruitment for teachers in certain subjects, such as maths.
“We are continuing to explore the options available to us when it comes to recruitment for teachers.
“We have now undertaken three intakes of our ‘learn to teach’ initiative, where council employees had the opportunity to retrain as teachers, the first cohort of which are now teaching in schools across Perth and Kinross.
“We have also worked in partnership with Perth College UHI to deliver the BEd (Bachelor of Education) course, which is targeted at people who live in Perth and Kinross and are seeking to retrain as teachers and work within the Perth and Kinross Council area.”
John Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North and education secretary, said:
More than 30 school posts are still vacant “The latest vacancy information across Scotland represents about 1.5 per cent of teaching posts.
“Recruitment into initial teacher education has increased in recent years and the Scottish Government has introduced a range of new routes into teaching including through the University of the Highlands and Islands.
“We have invested £88 million in 2017, resulting in 543 more teachers than last year - the second year in a row that numbers have increased, in response to the challenges filling vacancies in some areas.
“Our ambitious reform agenda is aimed at making teaching an attractive career choice with varied opportunities to develop.
“We have taken decisive action to recruit and retain teachers through our ‘teaching makes people’ campaign and have created new routes into the profession.
“We have also made bursaries of £20,000 available for career changers to train in priority subjects.”