Rectors at north-east secondary schools have revealed they are facing a “daily struggle” to keep young staff – and fear their pupils’ grades could suffer as a result.
They say persuading trainee teachers to stay in the region after their probation has ended has become a “complex issue” and believe more should be done to “sell” the areas a place to live as well as work.
Councillors are now also demanding action to try to prevent progress made at the academies in Fraserburgh and Banff being lost.
And one has called for teachers to be classed as “key” workers to guarantee them accommodation and give them an incentive to remain in Aberdeenshire.
Banff Academy rector, Andrew Ritchie, said: “Probationers move to the area, but don’t really move into the communities.
“These things help. It’s about really selling the quality of life up here – what we can offer.”
Fraserburgh Academy head teacher, David Clark, said: “We’ve got more teachers than we have had for a number of years, and that’s helped attainment, but it’s a continued concern.
“Our probationers are the best we’ve ever had, and many seem to want to stay, but it’s a complex issue. Anything to help them stay would be good.”
Fraserburgh councillor Brian Topping wants the authority to consider making teachers “key staff” to guarantee they have somewhere to live.
He said: “There are things that should be looked at. It’s not every probationer that wants to stay on, but we can make it easier for them to stay.
“If we had guaranteed housing that would attract people to stay. A lot of them are single, young people who can’t afford to buy a house.”
But Craig Clement, Aberdeenshire Council’s head of resources, defended the range of benefits on offer from the local authority.
He said: “A generous relocation package of up to £8,000 is available subject to a number of conditions, as well as excellent holiday allowances and a good pension.
“There are innumerable opportunities for continuous professional development and the chance to make a real difference in this beautiful region.”
Parents, however, have started to register complaints with their local councillors over fears that their children will soon be affected.
Former secondary school teacher and Fraserburgh councillor Charles Buchan said: “Staffing issues often dominate parent councils and PTA meetings as numbers of vacancies are creeping up.
“The latest figure appears to be 101 in primary with a total, including secondary and special schools, approaching 140 to 150.”
The chairman of a north-east tourism group, Mike Chandler, has meanwhile said that the negative perception of the area must also be tackled to convince probationers to call Fraserburgh or Banff their home.
He said: “It’s always a problem, selling the north-east as a destination for people to go to. As a tourism group, we’re trying to overcome that with positive messages.”