More details of Scotland’s biggest local authority’s plan to cut teacher numbers have emerged.
Tes Scotland can reveal that Glasgow City Council could cut around 450 teacher jobs over three years, as part of its wider plan to save £27.8 million.
The number of jobs under threat was previously thought to be 172, but this is only for the first of the three years.
The move has been described as “madness” by teaching unions - they say fewer teachers will negatively impact the learning of all pupils and will likely lead to a rise in exclusions because of diminishing in-school support.
The unions have also accused the council of obscuring the plan in the three-year budget that it set earlier this month, and say teachers completing probation this year will struggle to find work in the city because there will be a teacher surplus.
It is expected that changes to the way Glasgow schools are staffed will be introduced from August, with 172 posts to be cut in the first year due to changes to the school staffing formulae, which dictate - mainly on the basis of deprivation and pupil roll - how many teachers schools are entitled to.
The total saving in year one (2024-25) is expected to be £6.7 million.
In subsequent years (2025-26 and 2026-27) the savings are expected to be more significant, given that the changes to staffing will have been in place for the full financial year.
Glasgow plan to cut teacher numbers
The plan also involves a review of school management structures in the second year. Tes Scotland understands that, in particular, the council is looking to reduce principal teacher posts.
Details of the planned Glasgow education cuts have emerged at a time when the Scottish government has pledged to protect teacher numbers and ultimately increase them by 3,500 during the course of the current Parliament.
Other councils are also contemplating drastic cuts: Falkirk Council, for example, is proposing cutting the hours that pupils spend in school to save money. This saving would also be realised by cutting teacher jobs.
Headteachers ‘depressed’
At a meeting of headteachers today, where the details of the cuts were set out, Susan Quinn, a primary headteacher in Glasgow and the EIS’ education convener, said heads were “depressed”.
“Ultimately, fewer teachers means there will be less ability in schools to support pupils. It will be more difficult to support young people with additional needs, it will be more difficult to support young people who find it hard to be in class,” said Ms Quinn.
“That will have implications for all children because they will all get less teacher time, and class sizes will increase.”
Increase in exclusions predicted
Ms Quinn said that schools often have alternative provision, where young people who struggle to cope in class and need time-outs from lessons can go, but this would now be at risk.
“That means they will either be in school and very distressed in class or the behaviours result in an increase in exclusions. And that’s one of the hard facts that will come of this - exclusions will increase,” she said.
Ms Quinn added: “We knew 172 posts were to go last week but the fact it is to be 450 jobs over the three years is a big shock. There is just no capacity to do that. We might as well just shut up shop; there just is no means to do it.”
Ms Quinn said the decision would also have implications for this year’s probationers, who would now struggle to get work in Glasgow.
“There will be 172 teachers who are currently employed who have to be redeployed, so that means 172 fewer vacancies. The knock-on effect for people coming into the profession and looking for work is going to be massive.”
‘Hidden’ cut
Ms Quinn also expressed anger, accusing the council of hiding the cut to teacher numbers.
Glasgow set a three-year budget in mid-February, which made it clear that the authority was facing a “spending gap” of over £107 million.
However, under the education service “savings options”, just three savings were listed: a reduction in the primary school supplies budget; early learning and childcare efficiencies; and an increase in school meal charges.
There was no mention of teacher job cuts. Instead the plans for “education service reform” were listed as savings for the “chief executive’s office”, with no detail of what those savings would entail.
“Why are these cuts hidden from Glasgow constituents in the paperwork? They can’t see what the Glasgow budget cuts are,” said Ms Quinn.
Responding to the news that Glasgow is looking to cut 450 teaching posts, Seamus Searson, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, said: “Teachers are the most important resource and to cut teachers at a time when pupils and teachers are struggling is madness.
“Local authorities should value their teaching staff. I am not aware of any school that can continue with fewer teachers.”
A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “Officers are looking at several education service reform options as part of a budget that required almost £108 million worth savings from council services over the next three years, not including social care.
“For many years education spending has been protected, relative to other services, in the budget process. However, with the education budget now amounting to more than half of service expenditure directed by the council, that is significantly more challenging when substantial savings are still required.
“Meetings have taken place with teacher trade unions to discuss the challenges and make them aware of the savings needed and senior staff are also meeting with headteachers. At every stage, officers will do everything they can to minimise the impact, but in the current financial climate the council has to look at every option.”
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