Moray Council has paved the way for the return of principal teachers to the region’s schools in an effort to combat ongoing staffing shortages.
The posts, which were scrapped three years ago as part of budget cuts, may now be reintroduced to create promotion incentives and attract more teachers.
The council’s children and young people’s committee unanimously approved the move yesterday, after learning that a number of headteachers are scheduled to retire in the next few years and existing staff lack the senior experience required to replace them.
The proposal will now go before the full council, and members will decide if the £90,000 required to fund the scheme will be allocated.
Director for education and social care, Laurence Findlay, claimed the council had spent years “chipping away” at funding for senior posts.
He added: “That means the formula that once applied at our schools doesn’t work anymore.”
Moray Council convener Allan Wright responded that a full review of school management systems was required.
The local authority currently has 18 vacancies in its primary schools and 39 in its secondaries, but the return of principal teacher roles would only apply to the former.
Elgin City North councillor Mike Shand, the opposition SNP group’s education spokesman, said his group had “grave concerns” about the removal of principal teacher posts in 2013.
A report indicated that freeing head teachers from classroom responsibilities would allow them to focus on leadership and implementing new “named person” legislation.
