Posted by Dominie

I can’t disagree with my EIS colleagues re the strategic need for smaller class sizes, but I have sympathy for the politicians who have been beseiged by unemployed teachers. That said, they took the decisions which flooded the market. We need to take the politics out of the situation by reaching an educational consensus on class sizes and teacher numbersqualifications.

Posted by bigjimmy

The Government has statistics on births and teacher age profile, so knows the number of children who will be pupils for the next few years. I’m sure it has projected figures for the birth rate too. A rolling 10 or 20-year plan is what’s required to match new teacher numbers with pupil numbers. Politicians must define the number of pupils in each class from P1-S6 and stick to it.

Posted by vforvendetta

Chances are, class sizes will not be reducing, as the cost to the taxpayer is unacceptable. I’d be happy to take a larger class, as long as the disruptive element is removed. Time to bring back larger regional authorities, get rid of numpty managers and put capable people at the top. Cut teacher trainees and drip-feed new entrants to meet demand.

Posted by bigjimmy

Two years ago, we had classroom assistants, a new curriculum on the horizon, wage increases, much more non-contact time and S56 classes running with only a few pupils. In times of plenty, our leaders (educational and political) assumed it would ever be thus, and now budgets are being hacked. Classroom assistants are not being replaced, the ill- thought out, misconceived and incomplete curriculum is eight months away, there will be no salary increase, you are on maximum class contact time and S56 classes are not running unless they are close to full.

Posted by didactophobe

For years, we have had this nonsense about a whole load of teachers retiring in the near future, therefore there will be a shortage, jobs for everyone, etc. It never happens. Cutting the numbers in training is absolutely the right thing to do.

Posted by davieee

The reduction in permanent jobs for teachers reared its head - following the council tax freeze, “historic concordat” and removal of ring-fenced funding. I have doubts over the wisdom of reducing the number of S56 courses. If pupils go into further or higher education earlier, it would impact on the budget allocation (and number of teaching staff).

See www.tes.co.ukscotland, then click on forum and opinion.