The SSTA National Executive is preparing for an official postal ballot on industrial action in the coming weeks — the next step in its campaign to reduce teacher workload and related stress.
Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary, said:
“Tackling excessive teacher workload is now our top priority, following the settlement of teacher pay for 2025–2027. The SSTA, alongside our sister teacher trade unions, is embarking on a campaign of industrial action to secure a long-overdue reduction in class contact time for all teachers.
The proposed cut of 90 minutes is a modest but significant step toward addressing unsustainable workloads. The Scottish Government promised to reduce class contact time four years ago; yet, despite countless meetings and discussions, we remain no closer to seeing that promise fulfilled.
Our Delivering the 90 Minutes and Protecting Secondary Teachers consultative survey revealed the strength of feeling among members. An overwhelming 92% expressed their willingness to take action short of strike action, while 72% indicated their readiness to take strike action to resolve the ongoing dispute with employers.”
SSTA President Monique Dreon-Goold added:
“SSTA members are struggling under the excessive workload demands placed upon them. School bureaucracy has spiralled out of control, pulling teachers away from their most vital role — teaching and learning in the classroom. The additional tasks expected of teachers today bear little resemblance to their workload just a decade ago.
Schools must refocus on supporting classroom teaching and remove the impossible demands that hinder rather than help. It is time to let teachers teach.
SSTA members must stand together to demand a fair and reasonable workload that protects their wellbeing and the future of the profession. The reduction of 90 minutes in class contact time is only the first step in that fight”.
The SNCT Teachers’ Side met on Tuesday, 11 November, and agreed to accept the “best and final” pay offer from COSLA. Following our member survey, the SSTA voted in favour of acceptance. A total of 1,706 members responded, with 96% voting to accept the 2025–2027 pay offer. .Please see SNCT Teachers’ Side acceptance letter to COSLA (attached below). Letter_To_COSLA_Pay_Offer_11_NOV_25_FINAL.docx
The agreed two-year deal covers the period from 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2027 and includes the following increases:
A 4% uplift from 1 August 2025 on all SNCT pay points, rising to 4.25% from 1 April 2026 (an additional 0.25%).
A 3.25% uplift from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027 on all SNCT pay points.
Peter Brandon, SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Convener, said:
“The two-year pay deal represents a marginal improvement on the previous proposal and applies to all SNCT grades. I hope employers move quickly to ensure that the backdated pay is reflected in members’ salaries as soon as possible.
I would like to thank the members of the SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service team for their dedication and their prompt response to developments throughout this long and protracted negotiation process.
I also hope that future pay rounds are concluded more efficiently and on time — though I remain to be convinced.”
The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA), which represents all teachers employed in secondary schools across Scotland, recently conducted a survey as part of its “Delivering the 90 Minutes” campaign to better understand the staffing situation in secondary education.
For several years, secondary schools have struggled to recruit sufficient subject-specialist teachers to meet curricular needs. With the Scottish Government’s commitment to reduce teachers’ class contact time by 90 minutes per week, the SSTA sought a clearer picture of the current challenges facing schools.
The survey revealed that 46% of members reported teachers being required to teach subjects outside their specialism, while a further 35% were unsure. Alarmingly, 45% of respondents indicated that these teachers were also responsible for examination classes.
Members also reported that 54% of schools are employing primary-qualified teachers, with an additional 22% unsure whether this was the case.
When asked how these primary-trained colleagues were being deployed, 84% of respondents said they were working in Additional Support Needs (ASN) and Guidance roles. However, 88% reported that primary-qualified teachers were teaching Broad General Education (BGE) classes (S1–S3), and 27% stated that they were teaching qualification-level classes (S4–S6).
Monique Dreon-Goold, SSTA President, commented:
“It is widely known that Scotland faces a serious shortage of secondary teachers. The continued failure to attract enough graduates into secondary teacher education is deeply concerning. This situation adds to the work-related stress experienced by teachers, many of whom are struggling under impossible workload demands while supporting an increasing number of pupils with additional support needs. It is no surprise that so many are leaving the profession.”
Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary, added:
“Addressing the shortage of qualified secondary teachers must be an urgent priority for the Scottish Government and COSLA. Current recruitment measures are not delivering results — new and creative strategies are needed to attract and retain teachers.”
“While the SSTA represents all teachers working in secondary schools, employers must ensure that every teacher receives appropriate support and training, and that opportunities are provided for dual qualification where possible, to maintain the quality of education for our young people.”
“Reducing teacher workload would be a strong first step. Implementing the 90-minute reduction in class contact time would demonstrate that employers acknowledge the growing pressures teachers face.”
[ENDS]
Further information from:
Seamus Searson
General Secretary
Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association
Statistics from the Delivering the 90 Minutes” Survey
Q. Do you have Primary Qualified Teachers working in your school?
Yes
54.11%
No
23.93%
Don’t Know
21.95%
Q. If Yes, Do you have Primary Qualified Teachers working in your school?
teach in S1 to S3 (BGE)?
88.05
teach qualification classes?
26.98%
work in ASN or Guidance?
84.32%
Q. Many schools are having difficulties recruiting secondary qualified teachers to fill subject-specific vacancies. How would you feel if it was proposed to increase opportunities for primary qualified teachers to be employed teaching in the early years of secondary schools as a way of addressing these shortages?
Open to that possibility if it were only in BGE classes
26.79%
Open to that possibility if it were only teaching literacy and numeracy skills within BGE
27.17%
Opposed unless those appointed had embarked on gaining registration for teaching in secondary
15.23%
Opposed unless those appointed had also gained registration for teaching in secondary
24.66%
Don’t Know
6.15%
Q. Would you be prepared to teach your specialist subject in more than one school within your authority to support the introduction of the reduction in class contact time?
Union warns plan will harm vulnerable pupils and increase teacher workload
The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) has expressed serious concern over Falkirk Council’s proposal to remove all enhanced provision for Primary Additional Support Needs (ASN) and require all primary schools to provide enhanced support.
Although the SSTA represents secondary teachers, the union believes it must speak out on decisions that will have lasting consequences for young people and the teachers who support them.
“This proposal risks failing some of the most vulnerable children in our education system,” said General Secretary, Seamus Searson. “It prioritises budget savings over the educational needs of young people and will place even greater strain on an already overburdened teaching workforce.”
The union questions how children and young people with the most complex needs will receive the educational and physical support they require under the proposed model. Concerns include resourcing, appropriate training, and adequate staffing levels.
Recent national reviews have already exposed weaknesses in ASN provision across Scotland. The 2024 Support for Learning (SfL) Review and 2025 Audit Scotland Report both offered damning assessments of the current state of ASN support. The SSTA argues that Falkirk Council’s plan represents yet another example of educational policy being shaped by budget constraints rather than the needs of children.
“Scotland needs better, not less, provision for pupils with ASN,” continued Mr Searson. “That means increased resourcing, access to specialist training, and properly staffed, well-resourced specialist provision.”
The SSTA is particularly concerned about the long-term effects on secondary education. Pupils affected by this proposal will eventually move into secondary schools, where teachers will face the challenge of supporting children whose learning needs have not been met by appropriate specialist provision.
Mainstream secondary teachers, the union emphasises, cannot, and should not, be expected to replace the expertise of trained ASN specialists. Both national reports highlight that teachers are already being asked to manage increasingly complex needs in the classroom, a situation described as “unsustainable.”
Teacher workload and expectations around personalised learning are already unmanageable, the union says, and diverting attention from subject teaching will harm educational outcomes for all.
“Secondary teachers must be allowed to focus on high-quality teaching and learning. This proposal pulls us further away from that goal,” said Mr Searson. “The SSTA cannot support a plan that reduces specialist provision for Scotland’s most vulnerable learners and increases workload for our members.”
Industrial Action on the Horizon – Reduction in Class Contact Time
The SSTA welcomes the Scottish Government’s proposal to establish a work plan for the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) Reduction in Class Contact Time (RCCT) subgroup. This subgroup has been tasked with urgently developing a clear route map for the implementation of RCCT.
However, the SNCT Teachers’ Side has reminded both Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Scottish Government that the dispute over RCCT remains unresolved and that there must be meaningful engagement on how RCCT will be delivered.
A series of meetings have been held to develop a delivery plan, but progress has been slow raising the risk of ballots for industrial action. While RCCT alone will not fully resolve the issue of excessive teacher workload, it represents an essential first step toward meaningful workload reduction.
The SSTA’s Delivering the 90 Minutes and Protecting Secondary Teachers consultative survey highlighted the strength of members’ views on this issue. An overwhelming 92% of respondents indicated their willingness to participate in “action short of strike action,” and 72% expressed their readiness to take strike action to resolve the ongoing dispute with employers. The SSTA continues to engage actively with the RCCT working group, but time is running short. If there is no significant progress in the coming weeks, the SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee will prepare a report to the National Executive seeking approval to move to a formal ballot for industrial action.
SSTA President Monique Dreon-Goold said: “The SSTA has been extremely patient in waiting for progress on reducing class contact time, but that patience is wearing very thin. We must see tangible action soon, or we will have no choice but to move to industrial action to press COSLA and the Scottish Government to deliver on their promise to help reduce excessive teacher workload.”
Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee Planning Survey
Following May’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee webinar on the Health and Safety walk round, the committee would welcome your views on what we should present next. Our suggestions are.
fire evacuation policy
mental health
establishing and the work of an H+S committee
creating and reviewing subject specific risk assessments
what should be included in a school risk assessment
heating and ventilation
keeping safe online
the rights of a health and safety representative
Other (please indicate)
You can let us know your preferences by completing a short survey. We are hoping to have our first webinar in November and will try to complete at least one a term.
Recruit a Member
The start of the new term brings fresh faces to our staffrooms. Please take a moment to welcome new colleagues and encourage them to join the SSTA. One new member in every school makes a real difference. There are several great offers for new members—just direct them to the SSTA website, where joining is quick and easy. www.ssta.org.uk/join
SSTA Membership Offers
ALL NQTS – Free Until January 2027
ALL New Members – 50% off subscription fees for the first 12 months
ALL Part-time members – Pay a reduced subscription of 50% off the full-time subscription (unique to SSTA)
We’re inviting all SSTA members to join us, alongside the STUC, The Poverty Alliance, and unions from across Scotland at the Scotland Demands Better March and Rally on Saturday 25 October in Edinburgh.
As the union representing Scotland’s secondary teachers, the SSTA is proud to stand with others demanding a fairer future. Every day, our members see the impact of underinvestment in education and public services (larger classes, increasing workloads, and pressures on families and communities).
It’s for these reason that we’re marching to call for fair pay, better working conditions, and proper investment in schools and public services so that every young person in Scotland can thrive.
What we’re demanding together:
Better jobs for everyone, with fair conditions and wages that cover the cost of living.
Better investment in essentials including affordable homes, strong public services, and high-quality education.
Better social security so that every household has the foundation for a secure future.
What to expect on the day:
When: Saturday 25 October 2025
Assemble: From 9.30–10.15am at the Scottish Parliament (look out for our SSTA banners and posters!)
March route: Up the Royal Mile, George IV Bridge towards The Meadows
Rally: The Meadows, with music, speakers, stalls, and family-friendly activities
We’ll be there from 9.30am so we can march together as an SSTA group and please feel free to bring colleagues, friends, and family.
If you’d like to join us or help by carrying our banners and flags, please let us know by completing a short form so we can organise materials and coordinate where to meet.
⚠️ Please note: The SSTA Council meeting scheduled for Saturday 4 October in Glasgow will now take place online only due to adverse weather. Council members have been sent the meeting link by email.
If you are a member of Council and have not received the meeting invite, please contact HQ at info@ssta.org.uk
SSTA Again Urges the Scottish Government to Provide Guidance
At its Annual Congress in May, the SSTA carried an emergency motion calling upon the Scottish Government to issue guidance to schools and teachers following the UK Supreme Court judgement earlier this year on the definition of sex within the Equality Act.
The legal position has now been clarified, and all schools are required to ensure compliance with the Equality Act. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has subsequently advised that the 2021 guidance Supporting Transgender Young People in Schools is no longer reliable. Certain recommendations within that document are not compatible with the statutory protection of sex-based rights contained in the Act.
The SSTA has met with the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills on a number of occasions, most recently last week, to press the urgent need for updated guidance. The Association has stressed that clarity is essential for schools and school leaders in fulfilling their legal duties.
SSTA Advice to Members:
Pending the issue of revised guidance, members are reminded that, should such situations arise, they must seek written direction from their employer before taking any action.
Updating of School Behaviour Policies
The Association draws attention to the updated national guidance, published three months ago, which makes clear that consequences form an integral part of building positive working relationships with pupils.
This update followed strong representations from the profession that the absence of consistent consequences in many schools had contributed significantly to the increase in low-level disruptive behaviour.
The SSTA has welcomed this important shift of emphasis. However, the Association is clear that improvements will only be realised where school behaviour policies and practices are formally revised and applied. Members are urged to raise this matter within their establishments without delay.
In June, the Scottish Government issued national guidance on the use of Pupil Behavioural Risk Assessments. These are intended to safeguard staff and pupils against risks arising from the minority whose behaviour may be violent, aggressive, or otherwise dangerous.
The guidance is evidence-based. It is therefore essential that all violent incidents are formally reported and recorded, thereby enabling appropriate mitigations to be identified and implemented. This process reduces both the likelihood and the severity of further incidents.
Members are asked to advise the SSTA if:
a school refuses to introduce a risk assessment where one is required, or
a school refuses to revise an existing risk assessment where mitigations have proved inadequate.
Teachers’ contractual working week is 35 hours. Of this, 5 hours (= 190 hours annually) may be directed to school-level collegiate activities (e.g. meetings, CPD, working groups) under the terms of local Working Time Agreements.
All remaining professional duties (e.g. preparation, planning, assessment) may be undertaken at a time and place of the teacher’s choosing.
The SNCT conditions are founded upon professional autonomy and mutual trust in workload management. Members are not required to remain on the school premises except where necessary for class contact or agreed collegiate activities.
The SNCT Handbook is explicit:
“All tasks which do not require the teacher to be on the school premises can be carried out at a time and place of the teacher’s choosing: teachers will notify the appropriate manager of their intention in this respect.”
In practice, this means:
Teachers are under no contractual obligation to remain on-site beyond class contact and scheduled collegiate duties.
Professional tasks may be undertaken flexibly.
SSTA Advice to Members:
Identify tasks which must be undertaken in school (e.g. teaching, required meetings).
Identify tasks which may be undertaken elsewhere (e.g. planning, marking, preparation).
Notify line managers, using agreed procedures, when working flexibly. (No formal request is required.)
Ensure compliance with all contractual obligations and data protection requirements.
School Rep Training Day – Stirling Court Hotel – 20 November 2025
Being a school rep is vital – but it can also feel challenging.
This one-day training event will give you the knowledge, skills, and support you need to represent colleagues effectively and build union strength in your school.
What you’ll gain:
A clear understanding of your role, rights, and responsibilities
Practical tools for listening, communicating, and problem-solving
Confidence to handle issues like workload, contracts, and grievances
Strategies for working time agreements, campaigning, and recruitment
A network of fellow reps to share ideas and support each other
Expect a supportive, interactive day with real-life examples, case studies, and practical takeaways. Whether you’re new or experienced, this training will help you grow as a rep. Book your place at the training day here
The SNCT Extended Joint Chairs (SSTA, EIS, COSLA and the Scottish Government) met on Friday 5 September following the rejection of the latest pay offer by the Teachers’ Side.
The rejected offer was:
4% from August 2025
3.5% from August 2026
This proposal failed to deliver a real-terms increase above inflation, particularly in the second year, and did not include an adequate restorative element.
The Teachers’ Side highlighted the following concerns:
A 4% increase in year one is close to or below current inflation (CPI and RPI).
The offer is not regarded as a restorative pay increase.
The 3.5% increase in year two is unacceptable without a reopener clause, given the unpredictability of future inflation. Without this safeguard, the offer risks becoming a pay cut in real terms.
The next meeting of the SNCT Extended Joint Chairs will take place during the week beginning 15 September.
SPPA 2025 Annual Benefit Statements
The SPPA has confirmed that all active members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme should have received communication regarding their 2025 Annual Benefit Statement. The SPPA used the contact details currently held on its system.
Check and update your contact details if necessary.
The SPPA has also launched a new online member portal, Engage, which enables members to register and view their most recent (2025) statement.
The 2025 pension statements have been redesigned to provide greater clarity. Contributions made between 2015–2022 are now shown as returned to the original ‘legacy’ scheme, alongside contributions to the CARE scheme.
Please note: Members who joined the Teachers’ Pension Scheme after 1 April 2015 entered directly into the CARE scheme and did not contribute to the legacy scheme.
SSTA Pupil Behaviour Survey – Final Reminder
The SSTA Pupil Behaviour Survey has already received over 800 responses.
Early findings indicate:
80% of members report experiencing threatening verbal aggression from pupils at least once a month.
Only 18% of members felt that issues were resolved when a pupil was returned to class.
The results show that verbal aggression is too often treated as a normal and accepted part of school life, with few meaningful consequences.
⏳ The survey will close on Friday, 12 September. We strongly encourage all members who have not yet taken part to complete the survey and ensure their views are represented. Any member who has not received the link to complete the survey, please email info@ssta.org.uk to request the link
Recruit a Member
The start of the new term brings fresh faces to our staffrooms. Please take a moment to welcome new colleagues and encourage them to join the SSTA. One new member in every school makes a real difference. There are several great offers for new members—just direct them to the SSTA website, where joining is quick and easy. www.ssta.org.uk/join
SSTA Membership Offers
ALL NQTS – Free Until January 2027
ALL New Members – 50% off subscription fees for the first 12 months
ALL Part-time members – Pay a reduced subscription of 50% off the full-time subscription (unique to SSTA)
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