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Teachers

Time Running Out for Scottish Government to Address Teacher Workload Concerns

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As schools across Scotland resume after the summer, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) is putting pressure on the Scottish Government and COSLA to keep their promise to reduce teacher workload by delivering a promised reduction in teachers' class contact time. The country's largest teaching union is currently running a consultative ballot on industrial action over this issue, with the ballot set to close towards the end of the month. Teachers in Scotland are working an average of 11 hours per week over and above their contractual commitments, leading to severe and detrimental impacts on their physical and mental wellbeing.

Key Takeaways:

  • The EIS is running a consultative ballot on industrial action over the issue of teacher workload, with the ballot set to close towards the end of the month.
  • The Scottish Government and COSLA have been committed to reducing teacher workload since 2021, but have made little progress in delivering this pledge.
  • Teachers in Scotland are working an average of 11 hours per week over and above their contractual commitments, leading to severe impacts on their wellbeing.
  • The EIS is calling on the Scottish Government and COSLA to produce a plan for delivering the commitment to reduce teacher workload and to move at a rapid pace to deliver it.
  • The EIS has been conducting research on teacher workload, which has confirmed that workload levels in Scottish schools have continued to soar despite the promise to reduce them.
  • The EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley has urged EIS members to use their vote in the workload ballot, stating that a strong and clear result will send a message that the Scottish Government and COSLA cannot ignore.

Statistics:

  • The EIS consultative ballot on industrial action over teacher workload is set to close towards the end of the month.
  • The Scottish Government and COSLA have been committed to reducing teacher workload since 2021.
  • Teachers in Scotland are working, on average, an extra 11 hours per week over and above their contractual commitments.
  • The latest research carried out by the EIS confirmed that workload levels in Scottish schools have continued to soar, with teachers working long hours to keep on top of demands.
  • The Scottish Government and COSLA have run out of time, after years of stalling and obfuscation, to deliver on their promise to reduce teacher workload.

Sources:

  • Educational Institute of Scotland
  • https://www.eis.org.uk/latest-news/ballotbacktoschool ( original text)

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