Now primary pupils may only go to school part time due to lack of teachers
PRIMARY pupils may have to attend lessons part-time amid a ‘grave’ shortage of teachers.
In a stark illustration of the crisis facing Scottish education, Moray Council told parents ‘ongoing challenges’ were to blame for potential disruption, when entire year groups or certain classes may be ditched on specific days.
The letter, issued on December 6, was sent to schools including Applegrove Primary School in Forres, which lost P2 teacher Heather Cattanach last month.
The Canadian national was deported by the Home Office after a visa wrangle and has yet to be replaced.
The letter, from the council’s head of schools and curriculum development Vivienne Cross, said: ‘Headteachers are working tirelessly to ensure that a full service provision is available, however
‘Some classes may have to be cancelled’
the situation has become so grave that a number of schools are at the point where they have to consider partial closure – a year group or class may be asked not to attend on a specific day(s).’
Council leader George Alexander said although the authority employs 856 teachers, enough for the number of pupils, staff are being stretched by a high number of rural schools, some of which contain only a handful of children.
He also said staffing levels at some schools have been left critical by the absence of 27 female teachers on maternity leave. There are 40 vacancies at primary schools in the region, with Lossiemouth and Forres hardest hit.
In a statement, Mr Alexander said: ‘It is true we have a serious teacher shortage in some schools at the moment and this is exacerbated by absence due to illness and maternity leave. We have advised parents by letter that some classes may have to be merged or cancelled altogether.’
In a separate letter sent to teachers, the council appealed for parttime staff to take on more hours to plug the gaps. But Tory councillor Mr Alexander added: ‘The fact is we actually have enough teachers for the number of pupils in Moray, however they are spread across too many small schools.’
He added: ‘Reconfiguration of our school estate is made extremely difficult by the Scottish Government’s continued presumption against any school closure.’
Scottish Labour’s education spokesman Iain Gray said: ‘After a decade in power and 3,500 fewer teachers, we have a workforce crisis in our schools and it is our young people that miss out.’
Eileen Prior, executive director of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, said: ‘This is an extreme measure by Moray Council and it would appear to be a real cry for help as they struggle to keep their schools functioning.’
We told yesterday how pupils at Strathconon Primary, Ross-shire, will have to travel 12 miles to Marybank Primary, near Muir of Ord, because there are no teachers to take their classes.
The Scottish Government yesterday defended its policy to retain rural schools, citing an £88million investment this year, with 543 teachers recruited.
A spokesman said: ‘We recognise some areas have faced challenges filling vacancies. We are working closely with Moray Council, and partner local authorities in the Northern Alliance, to address medium and long-term teacher workforce issues.’