Over 100 teachers send concerns to FM

● Scores accept Nicola Sturgeon’s invite to write to her about industry issues

More than 100 teachers have written to the Scottish Government in the month since the First Minister said they were “free to contact her” with concerns about their jobs.

Nicola Sturgeon had called on teaching staff across the country to “come and tell the government how you feel about your job and public services”.

A Scottish Government answer to a parliamentary question tabled by the Scottish Conservatives has revealed that 120 teachers have taken up that offer.

Ms Sturgeon has staked her political reputation on improving Scotland’s education system and Education Secretary John Swinney has launched a series of school reforms.

But teachers have been complaining of a crisis in the classroom with rising stress levels among staff, too much bureaucracy, a lack of equipment and controversy over Primary One tests.

Teachers have also been demanding better pay and conditions.

Conservative education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: “The fact so many have taken up the First Minister’s offer shows the strength of feeling among teachers right across Scotland. These are professionals who have taken time out of their day to express serious concerns about the state of education.”

She made the comments after Mr Swinney’s answer said there had been 120 letters from teachers. He said it was “not possible to provide a breakdown” on how many were from primary or secondary schools because most teachers had not provided the information.

The letters were sent after the First Minister, speaking at Holyrood, made clear that “teachers should be free to contact me as First Minister, the Deputy First Minister as Education Secretary, or any member of my government”.

Ms Sturgeon said at the time: “Let me be clear to teachers that they can come and raise anything they want with the government.”

The First Minister has repeatedly insisted that education is her government’s number one priority, appealingtovoterstojudgeheronthe success of efforts to close the attainment gap in Scotland’s schools.

Ms Smith said how ministers “respond to these scores of representations will reveal just how serious they are about education”.

Larry Flanagan, General Secretary of teaching union the EIS, said: “Shortly after the First Minister asked teachers to make their concerns known, more than 30,000 teachers marched through the streets of Glasgow to send a very strong message, to both the Scottish Government and local authorities, of the need to properly value education and value teachers.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Deputy First Minister regularly meets with teachers when visiting schools and has had a number of meetings in direct response to the letters received.

“A wide range of issues were discussed, including additional support needs, pupil behaviour, workload, recruitment and pay.”