Do the numbers add up amid teacher shortage?

“Teacher shortages are certainly an issue within Scottish education, particularly in senior schools where there are challenges in recruiting and retaining teachers in certain subject areas.

“We are fortunate, however, to have a talented and committed team of teachers across both our primary and subject-specific areas, which allows us to provide consistency and breadth in the education we offer.

“We place great importance on maintaining small class sizes wherever possible. We believe this is fundamental to ensuring that every child receives the individual attention and support they need.

“Smaller classes enable our teachers to truly get to know each child. The teachers fully understand their strengths, interests, needs and areas for development. This helps to build the strong relationships that are so important, nurturing confidence and helping children achieve their full potential.

“Our focus is therefore not simply on maintaining teacher/pupil ratios, but on ensuring that we have the right staff, with the right expertise, working closely with our pupils. We value the quality of those relationships and the time our teachers have to invest in each individual child.

“Our strong team, combined with our commitment to small classes, enables us to provide a personalised and nurturing learning environment, even against the wider challenges facing Scottish education.”

Mark Becher, headmaster at The Compass School

“At The Compass School, we have certainly not seen a shortage of primary school teachers in Scotland.

“As an independent primary school, we have found that any vacancy for a teaching post we have advertised, has attracted a significant number of applications and many of those whom we have interviewed have spoken of the shortage of permanent teaching posts available throughout the country.

“Our last vacancy for a class teacher post attracted over 80 applications and among these, were many excellent teachers who had, as yet, not secured the post they were seeking.

“As a school which provides its children with high-quality teaching in small classes, we have always been committed to ensuring that our children receive very good levels of support across the stages.

“Our talented team of class teachers at The Compass School are well-supported in their work with our children by our excellent Support for Learning teachers who help to meet a range of needs across the school.

“In addition, we have an excellent team of Classroom Assistants who work alongside the children in class, giving them the best of attention and almost instant help and assistance when they need it.

“This allows our children to make the best of progress knowing that they are always well- supported and we believe that this truly helps them to flourish in their learning.”

Jenny Davey, warden at Glenalmond College

“At Glenalmond College, we look for subject specialists with a real sense of vocation, teachers who want to transform the life of a child, and who want to be part of a community.

“Most of our teachers live on site, so working at Glenalmond is a lifestyle choice, and one that brings tremendous rewards. We want teachers who will know their pupils through relationships built as a family and through shared experiences, who embrace our environment of river, hills and woods, and who are ambitious for every pupil they teach.

“That reflects why Glenalmond was founded: to give Scottish children the very best education available, immersed in the natural world, in a school where teachers and pupils live and work together, grounded in the values of courage, humility, integrity, diligence, good manners and honesty.

“Scotland has a proud educational tradition. Men and women educated here have changed lives for the better all over the world, and we should be unashamed in looking for the very best teachers. Our children deserve no less.”

Séamus Scorgie, principal, St Aloysius’ College

“At St Aloysius’ College we recognise that teacher recruitment and retention is a significant issue across Scottish education and we are fortunate that our own experience at present has been a positive one.

“We have continued to attract a strong field of applicants for our advertised teaching positions, allowing us to appoint colleagues with the experience, expertise and commitment we are looking for. As a result, we have been able to maintain strong staffing levels and favourable teacher/pupil ratios, ensuring pupils continue to receive the individual attention and support that are central to a St Aloysius’ education.

“We are, however, conscious that maintaining this position means continuing to be an attractive place to work.

“For us, that means creating a supportive and collegiate professional environment, investing in professional learning and giving staff opportunities to contribute to the wider life and development of the College.”