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Aberdeenshire teaching job advertised 11 times in recruitment crisis

Scottish schools are struggling to recruit teachers. Image: Shutterstock.
Scottish schools are struggling to recruit teachers. Image: Shutterstock.

More than 90 teaching roles in Aberdeenshire were readvertised last year while one job in a local school remains vacant despite being reposted 11 times.

Worrying new data showed the scale of Scotland’s teacher recruitment problem across primary and secondary schools.

Across the country, council bosses were unable to fill at least 636 jobs at the first attempt in 2021-22.

In Aberdeenshire alone, 92 posts had to be advertised more than once in order to hire someone.

Highland Council had to readvertise 58 jobs over the school year, while in Shetland 60 roles remained vacant after the first time of asking.

Recruitment woes

Alford Academy, in Aberdeenshire, has now been short of a technical education teacher for a full year despite the job opportunity being sent out 11 separate times.

Elsewhere in the north-east, a similar role in Ellon Academy had to be readvertised seven times and a maths teaching post at Banff Academy was reshared on six occasions.

In Orkney, four principal teacher jobs first created in 2017 remain vacant with supply staff stepping in as cover instead.

A post for a craft, design and technology teacher in Shetland had to be shared seven times as well.

It will be impossible for young people to reach their potential if we can’t find them
teachers.

– Ex Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie

The struggle to recruit comes in the wake of school strikes as teachers demand better pay to help them cope with the cost-of-living crisis and high inflation.

Staff shortages had a direct impact on children and families in north-east schools.

Parents have previously shared their concerns over the shortage of maths teachers at Banff Academy with one saying the department was in “dire straits”.

‘Blighting the profession’

Trade union bosses warned schools will continue to face hiring struggles unless teachers are given improved pay and reduced workloads.

Mike Corbett, from school teachers’ union NASUWT, said: “Erosion of pay, spiralling workloads and chronically insecure employment, overseen by the government and employers, are blighting the professions’ ability to recruit talented teachers.

“Ministers should be investing in making teaching an attractive career choice. This might go some way to addressing the recruitment issues currently being experienced in the north-east.”

The Scottish Liberal Democrats – who obtained the data – said schools in areas struggling to attract staff must be given more support.

Willie Rennie MSP. Image: Ewan Boothman.

Ex-leader Willie Rennie said: “There seems to be a surplus of teachers in some parts of the country and in some subjects but an acute shortage in others including rural areas and in subjects like maths and technology.

“It will be impossible for young people to reach their potential if we can’t find them
teachers.”

Aberdeenshire Council is trying to make it easier for workers to relocate.

A council spokesperson said: “We continue to explore solutions to recruitment issues we encounter at some of our schools in Aberdeenshire.

“This includes access to the corporate relocation scheme which allows new teaching staff to reclaim eligible expenses.”

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville. Image: PA.

SNP government education chief Shirley Anne-Somerville said: “Local authorities are responsible for teacher recruitment, and they have autonomy to provide incentives to attract teachers to their area.

“We provide bursaries of £20,000 to encourage more teachers into STEM subjects, where the demand for teachers is greatest.

“Through the Teacher Induction Scheme, we provide incentives of up to £8,000 to encourage probationer teachers to move to more rural areas to help meet recruitment challenges.”

Conversation