The head of Scotland’s second-largest teaching union has publicly declared that the education system in Scotland is “broken,” citing a combination of overwhelming bureaucracy, a rising number of children with additional support needs (ASN), and an unsustainable workload for teachers. Stuart Hunter, president of the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SSTA), told the BBC that the system had “passed the tipping point” and is heading toward a crisis.
ASN Crisis and Teacher Workload Strain
Hunter highlighted the explosion of children requiring additional support, such as those with conditions like ADHD and dyslexia, as one of the main contributors to the strain on the system. He referred to the current situation as a “disaster unfolding” with an increasing number of young people identified with ASN, but a lack of adequate support to meet their needs.
Since 2004, when the law was amended to keep more children in mainstream schools, the number of pupils requiring additional support for learning (ASL) has skyrocketed. According to Audit Scotland, nearly 40% of Scottish pupils now receive ASL, with a significant portion being delivered within mainstream schools. However, the report also found that ministers and local authorities have not effectively planned for this rising demand, leading to insufficient resources for both students and staff.
Teacher Wellbeing in Jeopardy
Hunter expressed concern over the growing mental and physical toll on teachers, who are working beyond their contracted hours to cover the gaps left by administrative inefficiencies and overwhelming demands. He pointed out the frustration teachers face as they deal with multiple organizations, including the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and the inspectorate, which he said are creating more work rather than reducing the burden on educators.
The SSTA president further emphasized that the education system is only “surviving” because of the “goodwill” of teachers who are putting in extra hours, often at the cost of their health. He warned that this is not a sustainable situation, and that the consequences for teacher retention could be severe, as staff continue to leave the profession due to stress and workload pressures.
Government Response and Criticism
In response to these claims, the Scottish government pointed to record achievements in literacy and numeracy, as well as the lowest pupil-teacher ratio in the UK. They also highlighted initiatives aimed at addressing some of the challenges, including an increase in teacher numbers, further investment to reduce teacher workload, and ongoing curriculum reform. The government is also in the process of replacing the SQA with a new body, Qualifications Scotland, which is intended to address some of the structural issues facing the education system.
However, Hunter remains critical of the slow pace of change. He noted that while there have been numerous reviews and reforms of the education system in recent years, the progress has been slow, with no real improvements in the outcomes for students. The achievement gap between Scotland’s wealthiest and poorest pupils remains as wide as it was a decade ago, despite the government’s commitment to narrowing it.
In his speech next Friday, Hunter will further elaborate on the growing anger and frustration among teachers who feel that their concerns are not being adequately addressed by those in power.
