Question reference: S6W-02106
- Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 18 August 2021
-
Current status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 August 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what method it uses to assess whether there are specialist teaching staff shortages in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.
Answer
The Scottish Government jointly chairs the Teacher Workforce Planning Advisory Group. This group assesses the required level of initial teacher education places using information from a range of sources. One such source is the teacher workforce planning model which projects future demand for student teachers based on factors including the age profile of the teaching workforce, rates of wastage and returners, and projected pupil numbers. These projections operate at the school sector level rather than individual subject level. Information on the Teacher Workforce Planning Advisory Group and the workforce planning model is available on the Scottish Government website at: https://www.gov.scot/groups/teacher-workforce-planning-advisory-group/