Government review to look at principal teachers

THE scrapping of key teaching posts in Scottish schools is to be considered as part of a wider review of governance.

Education Secretary John Swinney said he was concerned about the impact of the removal of principal teachers in secondaries.

The issue has arisen after councils introduced faculty structures where different subjects are grouped together

While there is a consensus on the need to review National 4, there has been no agreement either on the specifics of any changes or on the timetable for introducing them. National 4 is a key part of our under one promoted teacher. The situation means there is a shortage of promotion opportunities, as well as leading to teachers being in charge of subjects that are not their specialisms.

Mr Swinney said: “I am concerned because... we have lost an element of leadership of learning.

“The ability to enhance the quality and the depth of learning

National qualifications and the review must be carefully thought through, taking account the views of a range of education bodies. In agreeing a timetable for undertaking this we need to recognise the and teaching within schools is made more remote by the fact there isn’t that immediate leadership.

“There are significant issues about professional development that I am exploring as part of the governance review.”

Last month, the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association said graduates were shunning teaching because of a lack of promotion.

balance of our commitments to introduce changes to National 5 and Higher with the SQA’s capacity to deliver the annual exam diet.”