Union hits out at government over £1m school workload scheme
In the published materials for the new challenge, officials admit that 'workload, expectations and demands on teachers has increased' over recent years and that the tasks allocated to teachers 'often exceed available working time'.
However, they also claim that we 'don't know enough about how these manifest themselves for teachers, nor how they vary at different career stages, in different school contexts (high school, primary etc) or across different roles (principal teacher, department head, management etc).' They also assert that we 'don't understand how teachers feel about the tasks within their workload.'
The EIS – Scotland's largest teaching union – responded with 'surprise' to the claim that not enough is known about the drivers and impacts of teacher workload problems. They pointed out that they have provided 'a great deal of data' to the government on this matter, and insisted that reducing the time teachers spend in class is the reform that must be delivered.
At the beginning of June the union also published the results of a national survey on workload based on responses from more than 11,000 members. A subsequent briefing document highlighted the scale of the current crisis, noting that two-thirds of teachers are unable to complete all of the tasks assigned to them in a working week, and almost half are planning leave the profession in the next five years due to workload demands.
Teachers in Scotland are currently being balloted for strike action over workload, and specifically the government's failure to yet honour a manifesto commitment to reduce class contact time by 90 minutes per week.
According to the OECD, contact time in Scotland is around the highest in the world and far beyond the limits set by the top-performing European countries.
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Speaking to The Herald, a spokesperson for the EIS said:
'The EIS find it surprising that the Scottish Government should claim that they 'don't know enough' about the workload issues facing teachers. Tackling excessive teacher workload is one of the key aims of the EIS's ongoing Stand Up for Quality Education campaign, and as part of this campaign, the EIS has provided a great deal of data, both quantitative and qualitative, to the Scottish Government over the past two years.
'In particular, in June 2024, the EIS published research undertaken by Prof Moira Hume of the University of the West of Scotland, and others, in relation to teacher workload, which was based on input provided by over 1,800 teachers across all 32 local authorities in Scotland. The results of this independent research were shared with the Scottish Government and with each of Scotland's local authorities.
'The EIS are currently balloting members in relation to industrial action over the Scottish Government's failure to deliver on their 2021 manifesto commitment to reduce teachers' class contact time from 22.5 to 21 hours per week. Teachers have waited more than four years for this promise to be delivered, while workload pressures on teachers continue to soar.
'Teachers cannot wait for the design, development, testing and implementation of a technological solution to their workload issues.
'The EIS is clear that reducing weekly class contact time to 21 hours, and ensuring that the full 1.5 hours to increase weekly preparation and correction time, would mark an essential step forward in addressing unsustainable levels of teacher workload.'
A Scottish Government spokesperson said:
'Teacher workload is a complicated and complex problem – and can even vary across local authority areas. Although it's not the only way the Scottish government is helping address the issues teachers face in our schools, innovation is something we must embrace if we are to reduce teacher workloads.
'CivTech has a track record of success, and through the development and use of technology and innovation, it's helping find new ways to free up teachers' time to teach and support children and young people. The initiative has no impact on the Education Budget.
'The Scottish Government is also working with unions and COSLA to agree our approach to reducing class contact time. We are providing local authorities with an additional £186.5 million to restore teacher numbers, alongside an additional £29 million to support the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce. This funding has been provided on the clear agreement that meaningful progress is made on reducing teacher class contact time.'
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