Category: Information for Members

Members of the SSTA have overwhelmingly rejected the proposed  agreement on the reduction of class contact time between the Scottish Government, COSLA and the EIS.

Peter Brandon, Convenor of the SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee, said:

“SSTA members have made their position clear: 88% have rejected the agreement, while 91% are calling for it to be renegotiated. Furthermore, 94% oppose the proposed implementation date of August 2029. The SSTA has listened to its members and, as a member-led association, will reject the current agreement and demand meaningful changes.”

Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary, added:

“This agreement effectively ‘kicks down the road’ the prospect of secondary teachers receiving a reduction in class contact time. By 2029, there will be a new Scottish Government and a reconstituted COSLA, both of which may have different priorities. As such, there is a real risk that this agreement may never be delivered.”

“The SSTA has no option but to defend the interests of secondary teachers and to focus on practical measures to reduce workload in the months and years ahead. Members are clear that they want to concentrate on their core responsibility of teaching and learning, and on immediate, practical steps to address the ever-increasing demands placed upon them by the Scottish Government and local authorities.”

---

Consultative Survey Results

• 96% supported allocating the additional 90 minutes as teacher professional time (rather than management-directed time); 2% opposed.
• 68% supported the proposed implementation date of August 2027 for primary and special schoolteachers; 23% opposed.
• 94% opposed the proposed implementation date of August 2029 for secondary teachers; only 2% supported it.
• 88% said the SSTA should not accept the agreement; 6% supported acceptance.
• 91% believe the agreement should be renegotiated; 5% disagreed.

---

Focus on Reducing Teacher Workload
The top three priorities identified by members to reduce workload for secondary teachers—pending increases in teacher numbers and additional time—are:

• Prioritising all teacher time for core teaching and learning
• Using in-service days to address current workload pressures
• Encouraging all teachers to work within their 35-hour Working Time Agreement (WTA)

These were followed by:

• Providing additional in-service time to support behaviour policies, including clear consequences and risk assessments
• Pausing new school development plans to focus on existing priorities
• Pausing the development of new qualifications
• Pausing local authority “mock” inspections and similar exercises

 
The 48 hour online consultative survey of members received 1138 responses

The SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee met on Tuesday 24 March to discuss the EIS, the Scottish Government and COSLA  agreement on the reduction of class contact time .
 
The Committee has serious concerns about how this agreement was reached. It was developed out with the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), which is the national body set up to agree teachers’ pay and working conditions. We are also concerned that the reduction in class contact time for secondary teachers would not be fully introduced until August 2029.
 
Normally, all discussions and agreements about teachers’ conditions take place through the SNCT, with all unions involved. These discussions are confidential, and decisions are usually agreed by everyone involved. However, for the sake of clarity it is necessary to protect the position of the SSTA.
 
To help explain what has happened:

• On Wednesday 25 February, the SSTA attended a meeting of the SNCT Teachers’ Side, where an initial discussion paper was presented. This was described as a starting point for negotiations.
• The paper included a proposal to introduce reduced class contact time in stages for the first time — starting in primary schools (2026) and later in secondary schools (2028).
• It was argued that the delay made the paper a ‘credible’ basis for negotiation and would be presented at the COSLA Leaders on Friday 27 February
• The SSTA objected to the delay for secondary teachers but, given the urgency, agreed that the paper could be used as a starting point to begin discussions.
• At a full SNCT meeting on 4 March, COSLA confirmed that its leaders had not yet discussed the paper and would not be meeting until the end of April. No further discussion took place.
• Despite this, a separate agreement between the EIS, Scottish Government and COSLA was reached on 13 March.
• The SSTA only received this agreement on 17 March, and it was shared with members the following day.

This agreement was then presented to the SNCT Teachers’ Side on 23 March for approval. The SSTA raised concerns that:

• the agreement had been reached without going through the SNCT process, and
• it did not address our opposition to delaying implementation for secondary teachers.

As a result, the SSTA did not feel able to support the agreement without first consulting our members. We will now ask members for their views through a short online survey before deciding on our response.
 
Members have been emailed with the link to the survey. Please take the time to share your views.

If you have not received the link to the survey, please contact info@ssta.org.uk

The agreement on the reduction of class contact time between the Scottish Government, COSLA and the EIS has now been published and will be submitted to the Scottish Teachers’ Negotiating Committee (SNCT) for consideration and implementation.. The SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee will meet next week to prepare a formal response to the agreement ahead of the SNCT meeting.

The agreement outlines the following key points:

• An additional 90 minutes of reduced class contact time will be allocated as undirected Professional Time.
• A review of relevant definitions within the SNCT Handbook will be undertaken to ensure clarity and consistency in the use of Professional Time.
• All primary teachers and teachers in special schools will have a maximum weekly class contact time of 21 hours from the start of the academic year in August 2027.
• All secondary teachers will have a maximum weekly class contact time of 21 hours from the start of the academic year in August 2029.

 
Peter Brandon, Convenor of the SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee, said:
“Many secondary teachers will be disappointed with this agreement. It risks dividing the profession and creating resentment that could take years to resolve. Secondary teachers are now expected to wait more than three years for a meaningful change in workload. This agreement does little to support teacher retention and may instead prompt some to accelerate plans to leave the profession. Secondary teachers need this reduction in class contact time now—not in 2029.”
 
Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary, added:
“Secondary teachers have long called for a reduction in workload, and reducing class contact time by 90 minutes is a modest but important step. However, the SSTA has serious concerns about this agreement. Local authorities, through COSLA, have received sufficient funding (£186.5 million in 2025–2026) to implement this reduction, yet changes for secondary teachers have been delayed until August 2029. It is difficult to understand why secondary schools have not seen an increase in staffing to help ease pressures on teachers this year.”

“The SSTA remains cautious about the delivery of this agreement, given COSLA’s track record of delays in progressing workload commitments through the SNCT in recent years. There is a clear risk that further obstacles may arise in the months ahead. As it stands, COSLA appears to be the only party benefiting from this agreement.”

Best wishes

Seamus Searson
General Secretary

The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) notes recent media reports that an agreement has been reached between the Scottish Government and the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) on the implementation of the 90-minute reduction in class contact time. This agreement was reportedly approved by the employers’ organisation, COSLA, on Friday, leading to the suspension of planned industrial action.

However, the SSTA has yet to receive a copy of the agreement or any formal notification of a Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) meeting to consider its terms.

The Association has significant concerns regarding both the delay in implementation and the apparent inequity in its application. The Scottish Government has already allocated £186.5 million this year to support the reduction in class contact time. Despite this, it appears that secondary teachers will be required to maintain an increased teaching workload until as late as 2029, while primary colleagues are expected to benefit from the full 90-minute reduction by 2027.

The SSTA remains cautious about the delivery of this agreement, given COSLA’s track record of delays in progressing workload commitments through the SNCT in recent years. There is a clear risk that further obstacles may emerge in the months ahead.

The SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee will undertake a detailed review of the agreement once it is made available. The Association has consistently opposed any phased implementation that disadvantages secondary teachers and has previously made clear that any such approach must include appropriate compensation.

In the absence of full details, the SSTA is not in a position to provide a comprehensive response at this time. However, the Association will continue to highlight the risk that this agreement creates unnecessary division within the teaching profession in Scotland.

SNCT Pay Reopener Clause (2026–2027) – What Members Need to Know

As part of the two-year SNCT pay agreement (covering 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2027), a reopener clause for 2026-2027 has been agreed in recognition of the Teachers’ Side position on pay restoration.

• Inflation measure: Consumer Price Index (CPI)
• Trigger point: If the average CPI for the 12 months to April 2026 is exceeds 3.25% by a margin of 0.5 percentage point or greater [i.e. greater than 3.75%] a review of pay will begin.
• Deadline: If the reopener is not triggered by 30 April 2026, the second year of the pay award will automatically go ahead and be implemented from 1 August 2026.
• Further detail: SNCT paper 26/107 – Reopener Clause 

---

Job Sizing Toolkit Changes – Implementation Delayed

The SNCT has confirmed changes following recommendations from the Job Sizing Review Group. These were due to take effect from 1 February 2026, but implementation has now been delayed until 1 April 2026 to allow for further training and finalisation of guidance.

Key Changes

1. Faculties in Secondary Schools

• Addresses the impact of faculty structures and department mergers on job sizing.
• Principal Teacher posts must not exceed 196 points.
• Where a post sizes above this, the remit must be reviewed and reduced.

2. Guidance and Pastoral Support Roles

• SNCT recognises that workload and caseload pressures have not been adequately reflected.
• Guidance/pastoral posts will be equalised within each school, recognising shared responsibility.
• Caseload limits:
  • Maximum: 200 pupils
  • Ideal: no more than 180
• The option to select an “over 200” caseload will be removed from the toolkit.

Further detail is set out in the official SNCT letter  The SSTA will be arranging webinars to support members in these roles — details to follow.

---

Current membership offers:

• All NQTs: Free membership until January 2027
• All new members: 50% off subscriptions for the first 12 months
• Part-time teachers: 50% reduced subscription (unique to SSTA)

Joining is quick and easy: www.ssta.org.uk/join

The ballot to enable the SSTA to take industrial action in pursuit of progress on the 90-minute reduction in class contact time did not meet the statutory 50% turnout threshold. A successful ballot would have allowed the SSTA to apply additional pressure on the Scottish Government and COSLA to help reduce teacher workload.
 
Despite this, support among those who voted was strong. In the ballot, 94.1% of members indicated their willingness to take action short of strike action, while 79.47% were prepared to take strike action.

The SSTA National Executive has raised serious concerns regarding the postal ballot process. A significant proportion of members (23%) reported that they did not receive ballot papers, even after replacement papers had been issued. In addition, the timing of the ballot over the Christmas period is believed to have contributed to the relatively low turnout, with only 34.62% of members returning their ballot papers.
 
The National Executive remains fully committed to reducing teacher workload. This includes addressing the bureaucracy associated with poor pupil behaviour, the pressures arising from additional support needs, excessive accountability processes, and the continued campaign for a reduction in class contact time.
 
The National Executive has resolved to explore all available avenues to reduce teacher workload, including the possibility of a further ballot for industrial action. The timing of any future ballot will be carefully considered, particularly considering the end of the current Scottish Government’s term and the formation of a new Government following the forthcoming May elections. This would include an electronic ballot of members, expected to be introduced in April as part of the UK Employment Rights Bill.
 
Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary, said:
“The ballot result is a minor setback in the SSTA campaign to deliver a 90-minute reduction in class contact time. The SSTA will continue to work towards resolving this dispute by engaging with all parties up to the end of the current Scottish Government to honour its 2021manifesto commitment.”
 
Monique Dreon-Goold, SSTA President, said:
“Reducing the workload demands placed upon teachers must be a sole focus for all unions in the coming months. Teacher unions must unite to address the issues driving teachers away from the profession and making the recruitment of secondary teachers increasingly difficult.”

SSTA Industrial Action Ballot Closed

The SSTA Industrial Action Ballot closed at noon today (Friday, 23 January 2026). The result will be considered by the SSTA National Executive early next week. The Executive will then determine the next steps in the Delivering the 90 Minutes for Secondary School Teachers campaign.
 
Formal communication regarding the outcome of the ballot and any subsequent actions will be issued following the Executive’s deliberations.
 
The SSTA would like to thank all members who completed and returned their ballot papers during an extremely busy period.

 
The fight to reduce teacher workload has reached a critical moment. Following the announcement that both the EIS and NASUWT have failed to meet the 50% turnout threshold, progress towards securing the vital 90-minute reduction in class contact time has stalled.
 
This makes the SSTA members’ ballot more important than ever. A strong turnout and a decisive YES vote will send a clear and unmistakable message: teachers are no longer willing to wait while employers and the Scottish Government fail to resolve their differences. Teachers are demanding real, meaningful action on workload—now.
 
A positive SSTA result will give our negotiators the strength and authority they need to push negotiations forward. It will empower teachers to take control of their workload and to refocus on what truly matters: high-quality teaching and learning.
 
SSTA members must stand together to defend the interests of secondary teachers and put negotiations back on track.
 
Please make every effort to return your ballot paper and vote YES to both questions.

INDUSTRIAL ACTION – MEMBER UPDATE

Online member briefings on the industrial action ballot and the next stages in the campaign to reduce teacher contact time will take place next week. These short sessions will outline the industrial action strategy and explain the measures that would be implemented following a successful ballot. Please reserve your place:

• School Representative Briefing – Tuesday 13 January at 5.00 pm
• Member Briefing – Wednesday 14 January at 5.00 pm
   

---

NOT RECEIVED YOUR BALLOT PAPER?

Some members have not yet received their ballot papers for the ballot on Industrial Action. It is essential that any affected members contact the SSTA Office at info@ssta.org.uk, providing their full postal address including postcode, so that a replacement ballot paper can be issued. Only members employed by a Local Authority can take part in the ballot.

Members are reminded to vote YES to both questions and return their ballot paper as soon as possible.

---

TRAVELLING TO SCHOOL DURING SEVERE WINTER WEATHER

In severe winter weather you may have problems travelling to school. It is important to balance your safety with your employer’s right to expect you to attend work, but safety must always be the most important consideration.  

Members are advised to take the following steps:

1. Make sure you have a copy of the Local Authority procedure for inclement weather and follow the advice in the document.
2. Listen to official advice about travel and assess the risks for you.
3. It is essential that you follow Police Scotland Travel Warnings https://www.traffic.gov.scot/traffic-information/police-travel-warnings
4. Following reports of severe weather, schools should make decisions on school closures prior to the day. To wait until the day is ‘foolhardy’ and is putting pupils, parents and staff at unnecessary risk.
5. Check the appropriate website for school closure advice.
6. If you are unable to use your usual form of transport, contact the school, explain the situation and inform them that you intend to seek an alternative safe method of travel (if necessary, by leaving a message on the answering machine or by email).
7. If other methods of transport are impossible contact the school again and inform them, you intend to work from home and keep a record of work done.
8. Contact the office at info@ssta.org.uk  for further advice

Please note: Teachers may be asked to provide work for their classes but are NOT required to teach online.

---

HEATING – MINIMUM TEMPERATURES

Regulation 23 of the School Premises Regulations Act 1967 and 1973 specifies the following minimum temperatures:

• 18.5°C for medical inspection rooms, changing rooms, shower rooms and WCs.
• 16°C for teaching spaces or classrooms.
• 15.5°C Assembly Hall/ Lecture Hall
• 13°C in cloakrooms, corridors, and gymnasiums
• 10°C Games Hall

When temperatures are below these minima, members should act as follows:

1. Record the time and temperature, preferably with a calibrated thermometer
2. If the low temperature is first thing in the school day and the heating system is working,
3. record the time and the temperature and then allow a reasonable time, up to a maximum of one hour, for the temperature to increase.
4. NB. The law requires minimum temperature to be achieved by the start of the working day
5. If the temperature still has not reached minimum, or it is so low initially that it would be unreasonable to work in the room while waiting for it to rise, again note the time and temperature and notify management team, by telephone or email, that you require an alternative place to work.
6. Allow a reasonable time for action to be taken. It is impossible to be more specific, as what is reasonable must depend on the layout of the school and the degree of discomfort.
7. If after a reasonable period no effective action has been taken, you should cease to work in the room. Take your class to an appropriate place, school offices, foyer etc and ask for instructions from the senior members of staff.
8. As soon as you can, inform the school representative of your actions.
9. If there is a general failure of the heating system, it is possible that pupils will be sent home. Note that teaching staff will be required to remain, provided an adequately heated room e.g. a staffroom can be provided.

Please note: Hot water for washing hands must also be provided for the school building to be operational.

The ballot has begun with ballot packs being mailed out to members home address on Monday 15 December. Ballot packs will be arriving in the coming days. The ballot can only be legally conducted by post, and it is so important that members return their ballot papers as soon as possible.
 
For the ballot to be successful a high response is essential. If the thresholds are not met it puts the union in a weaker place in the negotiations with the employers and COSLA. At present the SSTA, the EIS and NASUWT are all conducting a ballot for industrial action, and I am convinced that a united front will bring a just reward.
 
I would like to encourage you to vote in the ballot and return your vote in the pre-paid envelope. I would like you to encourage all your colleagues to return their ballot papers as soon as possible.
 
The SSTA has been committed to reaching a suitable agreement through negotiation but to date COSLA has not been prepared to engage in meaningful negotiations. The approach of COSLA and the Scottish Government has necessitated the move towards industrial action.
 
The SSTA National Executive carefully considered the progress and the unsatisfactory nature of the negotiations on reducing teacher workload and has sanctioned the statutory ballot for industrial action.
 
It appears that only the threat of action short of strike action and strike action will force the employers to return to the negotiating table with a commitment to reduce teacher workload.
 

The SSTA is encouraging all members to vote
YES to BOTH questions