Teacher numbers are at their highest level since 2010 and the number of primary teacher has not been higher since 1980, according to Scottish government data.

The number of full-time equivalent teachers has risen by 447 since last year, hitting 51,959 - the highest level since 2010, when the teacher total reached 52,022, figures published this morning reveal.

However, opposition politicians attacked the government, saying that although teacher numbers might at their highest level since 2010, they have fallen by more than 3,000 since the SNP came to power in 2007.

Scottish Labour argued that most of “the modest increase” in teacher numbers over the past two years had been funded by Scottish Attainment Challenge cash, which was “supposed to be additional money to help close the attainment gap”, but was instead being used “by desperate schools to hire teachers because of cuts to core budgets”.

Last year, according to official figures, 666 additional teachers were employed via the Attainment Scotland Fund; this year, that rose to 962.

And although the number of teachers increased overall, in almost a third of councils - 10 out of 32 local authorities - totals fell, with the largest decrease being 2 per cent in Dumfries and Galloway (a drop of 34 staff).  

In the remaining 22 councils, the number of teachers was either maintained or increased, with the largest increase being 5 per cent in Glasgow, where the number rose by 243.

Scottish councils receive cash each year from the Scottish government that is supposed to be invested towards maintaining teacher numbers. However, because the pupil-teacher ratio remained the same this year as last year, at 13.6 pupils per teacher, it is not expected that those councils that failed to keep teacher numbers steady would be fined.

Education secretary John Swinney said: “Teacher levels are the highest this decade and the number of primary teachers is the highest since 1980. The average size of Primary 1 classes has been dropping consistently in recent years, which is particularly important, as helping children in the early years is crucial if we are to close the attainment gap between the most and least deprived.”

Scottish Labour education spokesman Iain Gray said no amount of “government spin” could hide the fact that there were still more than 3,000 fewer teachers than when the SNP came to power in 2007.

“That’s a staggering statistic for a government who claims that education is the top priority,” he said, calling on tomorrow’s Scottish budget to deliver a settlement for local councils that protects schools and services from cuts.