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| Teachers will be protected from council job cuts, says Sturgeon | Teachers will be protected from council job cuts, says Sturgeon |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Several councils are understood to be considering education cuts to balance their budgets | Several councils are understood to be considering education cuts to balance their budgets |
| The number of teaching posts in Scotland will be protected from council cuts, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed. | The number of teaching posts in Scotland will be protected from council cuts, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed. |
| She told Holyrood it would not be acceptable for the teaching workforce to fall and said the Scottish government would "act to protect teacher numbers". | She told Holyrood it would not be acceptable for the teaching workforce to fall and said the Scottish government would "act to protect teacher numbers". |
| Education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville is to announce action to parliament within days. | Education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville is to announce action to parliament within days. |
| She is also expected to prevent the number of school hours being reduced. | She is also expected to prevent the number of school hours being reduced. |
| It follows reports that several local authorities, including SNP-led Glasgow city council, are considering education cuts to balance their budgets. | It follows reports that several local authorities, including SNP-led Glasgow city council, are considering education cuts to balance their budgets. |
| It emerged last week that Glasgow City Council was considering plans that could see 800 teachers cut and primary schools closing early on Fridays in a bid to make budget savings. | It emerged last week that Glasgow City Council was considering plans that could see 800 teachers cut and primary schools closing early on Fridays in a bid to make budget savings. |
| At present, Scottish councils offer 25 hours of primary school teaching a week, and 27.5 hours to secondary school pupils. | At present, Scottish councils offer 25 hours of primary school teaching a week, and 27.5 hours to secondary school pupils. |
| Scottish teachers begin wave of rolling strikes | Scottish teachers begin wave of rolling strikes |
| School subjects 'could be axed due to cuts' | School subjects 'could be axed due to cuts' |
| Some councils, including Edinburgh, East Lothian, Borders, Midlothian, West Lothian, and North Lanarkshire close schools early on a Friday afternoon, but these hours are made up across the week with longer days. | Some councils, including Edinburgh, East Lothian, Borders, Midlothian, West Lothian, and North Lanarkshire close schools early on a Friday afternoon, but these hours are made up across the week with longer days. |
| At First Minister's Questions in Holyrood, Ms Sturgeon said her government had made a commitment to increase teacher numbers. | At First Minister's Questions in Holyrood, Ms Sturgeon said her government had made a commitment to increase teacher numbers. |
| "Councils are being given additional funding specifically to deliver that, so it would not be acceptable to me, or to the Scottish government, to see teacher numbers fall," she said. | "Councils are being given additional funding specifically to deliver that, so it would not be acceptable to me, or to the Scottish government, to see teacher numbers fall," she said. |
| "I can confirm that the government does intend to take steps to ensure that the funding we are providing to councils to maintain increased number teachers actually delivers that outcome. | "I can confirm that the government does intend to take steps to ensure that the funding we are providing to councils to maintain increased number teachers actually delivers that outcome. |
| "The education secretary will set out more details to parliament in the coming days." | "The education secretary will set out more details to parliament in the coming days." |
| Ms Somerville's plans could trigger a major row between the Scottish government and councils over funding levels and where power lies. | Ms Somerville's plans could trigger a major row between the Scottish government and councils over funding levels and where power lies. |
| Local government body Cosla had expressed "deep concern" over this year's cash allocation from the Scottish government. | Local government body Cosla had expressed "deep concern" over this year's cash allocation from the Scottish government. |
| It has warned of a significant funding gap that would have a "detrimental impact on vital local services" and lead to job cuts. | It has warned of a significant funding gap that would have a "detrimental impact on vital local services" and lead to job cuts. |
| A Cosla spokesperson said the group was aware of the proposed interventions and would consider a response when leaders meet on Friday. | A Cosla spokesperson said the group was aware of the proposed interventions and would consider a response when leaders meet on Friday. |
| Shirley-Anne Somerville is expected to give more details to MSPs in the coming days | Shirley-Anne Somerville is expected to give more details to MSPs in the coming days |
| Council tax increases are widely expected when councils set their budgets in the coming weeks. | Council tax increases are widely expected when councils set their budgets in the coming weeks. |
| Ministers have provided some extra cash to councils, but price inflation and recent public sector pay deals have put the Scottish government's finances under pressure. | Ministers have provided some extra cash to councils, but price inflation and recent public sector pay deals have put the Scottish government's finances under pressure. |
| The BBC understands that ministers are concerned that hundreds of teaching jobs could be cut as councils try to make savings. | The BBC understands that ministers are concerned that hundreds of teaching jobs could be cut as councils try to make savings. |
| That would conflict with the SNP's manifesto commitment to increase the number of teachers and classroom assistants in Scotland by at least 3,500 before the next election. | That would conflict with the SNP's manifesto commitment to increase the number of teachers and classroom assistants in Scotland by at least 3,500 before the next election. |
| It could also open up a new front in the current industrial dispute between the teaching unions and their local government employers over pay, which has resulted in a series of strikes. | It could also open up a new front in the current industrial dispute between the teaching unions and their local government employers over pay, which has resulted in a series of strikes. |
| Which teachers in Scotland are striking and when? | Which teachers in Scotland are striking and when? |
| Scotland's largest teaching union, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), welcomed the Scottish Government's intervention, but said there was "persistent under-funding and under-resourcing" of schools. | Scotland's largest teaching union, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), welcomed the Scottish Government's intervention, but said there was "persistent under-funding and under-resourcing" of schools. |
| Andrea Bradley, EIS general secretary, said: "Any cuts to teacher numbers and the pupil week are untenable, and would have a serious detrimental impact on young people's education. | Andrea Bradley, EIS general secretary, said: "Any cuts to teacher numbers and the pupil week are untenable, and would have a serious detrimental impact on young people's education. |
| "Cuts to teacher numbers pile additional workload onto already severely over-burdened teaching staff, while also having profoundly damaging consequences for pupils' learning." | "Cuts to teacher numbers pile additional workload onto already severely over-burdened teaching staff, while also having profoundly damaging consequences for pupils' learning." |
| Last year, the Scottish government earmarked £145m to help councils maintain and expand the teaching workforce. | Last year, the Scottish government earmarked £145m to help councils maintain and expand the teaching workforce. |
| Despite that, annual statistics for 2022 published in December showed that the total number of teachers fell by 92 year on year to 54,193. | Despite that, annual statistics for 2022 published in December showed that the total number of teachers fell by 92 year on year to 54,193. |
| Ministers have previously used ring-fencing to protect spending in particular areas. They also have statutory powers to direct education authorities in certain circumstances. | Ministers have previously used ring-fencing to protect spending in particular areas. They also have statutory powers to direct education authorities in certain circumstances. |
| 'Diktat to councils' | 'Diktat to councils' |
| At Holyrood last week, Conservative leader Douglas Ross said he was "deeply worried" about the threat of teacher cuts in Glasgow and elsewhere. | At Holyrood last week, Conservative leader Douglas Ross said he was "deeply worried" about the threat of teacher cuts in Glasgow and elsewhere. |
| When he asked the first minister how many teachers would lose their jobs across Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon did not offer a specific number. | When he asked the first minister how many teachers would lose their jobs across Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon did not offer a specific number. |
| Ms Sturgeon said she respected the "autonomy of democratically elected institutions". | Ms Sturgeon said she respected the "autonomy of democratically elected institutions". |
| Scottish Conservative's education spokesman Stephen Kerr said: "It's unfair of Nicola Sturgeon to issue this diktat to councils without offering them the additional funding to make it deliverable. | Scottish Conservative's education spokesman Stephen Kerr said: "It's unfair of Nicola Sturgeon to issue this diktat to councils without offering them the additional funding to make it deliverable. |
| "The reason local authorities are warning of potential cuts to teacher numbers is due to years of systemic and brutal underfunding by the SNP government." | "The reason local authorities are warning of potential cuts to teacher numbers is due to years of systemic and brutal underfunding by the SNP government." |
| He added that it was the "height of cynicism" for the first minister to "simply ring-fence another area of council spending, as that will just mean even more savage cuts to the remaining services local authorities have to provide." | He added that it was the "height of cynicism" for the first minister to "simply ring-fence another area of council spending, as that will just mean even more savage cuts to the remaining services local authorities have to provide." |
| Some councils - including Glasgow - have been looking at the possibility of cutting teacher numbers to help balance their books. | Some councils - including Glasgow - have been looking at the possibility of cutting teacher numbers to help balance their books. |
| The option has been on the list of savings produced by council officials, but no council has set its budget for the coming financial year. | The option has been on the list of savings produced by council officials, but no council has set its budget for the coming financial year. |
| There is one obvious way the Scottish government could prevent councils from reducing teacher numbers. | There is one obvious way the Scottish government could prevent councils from reducing teacher numbers. |
| Councils get much of their money from the government and some of it is ring-fenced for specific purposes. The government could make some of this funding conditional on maintaining the same number of teachers. | Councils get much of their money from the government and some of it is ring-fenced for specific purposes. The government could make some of this funding conditional on maintaining the same number of teachers. |
| But there could be practical issues to contend with. For instance, the number of teachers employed by a rural council may inadvertently fall slightly because of problems filling a vacancy in an isolated school. | But there could be practical issues to contend with. For instance, the number of teachers employed by a rural council may inadvertently fall slightly because of problems filling a vacancy in an isolated school. |
| If a school closes, teachers are redeployed to other schools within the area. They do not face the risk of compulsory redundancy. | If a school closes, teachers are redeployed to other schools within the area. They do not face the risk of compulsory redundancy. |
| It is also worth making a distinction between any attempt to cut school hours - there is a standard amount but that is not a legal requirement - and moving to a four-and-a-half day school week. | |
| A number of councils, including Edinburgh, close schools on Friday afternoons but the other four days are slightly longer to compensate. What matters is the total number of hours a student spends in school each week. | A number of councils, including Edinburgh, close schools on Friday afternoons but the other four days are slightly longer to compensate. What matters is the total number of hours a student spends in school each week. |
| Councils are finding it hard to balance their books. Some would argue that if savings in education cannot be contemplated, they would need to consider more cuts elsewhere. | Councils are finding it hard to balance their books. Some would argue that if savings in education cannot be contemplated, they would need to consider more cuts elsewhere. |
| Lurking in the background to this discussion, of course, is the ongoing teachers' strike. | Lurking in the background to this discussion, of course, is the ongoing teachers' strike. |
| This dispute is purely about pay and any moves to ensure there are no cuts in teacher numbers will not settle the dispute - even if they may be welcomed by the unions. | This dispute is purely about pay and any moves to ensure there are no cuts in teacher numbers will not settle the dispute - even if they may be welcomed by the unions. |