SSTA News

  • Secondary Teacher Shortage – A Deepening Crisis

    Secondary Teacher Shortage – A Deepening Crisis

    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…

  • SSTA Opposes Falkirk Council’s Proposal on Primary ASN Provision

    SSTA Opposes Falkirk Council’s Proposal on Primary ASN Provision

    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…

  • Member Bulletin – 10 October 2025

    Member Bulletin – 10 October 2025

    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…

  • SSTA Newsletter – October 2025

    SSTA Newsletter – October 2025

    The October 2025 SSTA Newsletter is now available for members to download.  The newsletter contains articles on: You can download the October 2025 SSTA Newsletter here 

  • Scotland Demands Better March and Rally

    Scotland Demands Better March and Rally

    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…

  • SSTA Council Meeting Moved Online Only

    SSTA Council Meeting Moved Online Only

    ⚠️ 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

  • Member Bulletin – 24 September 2025

    Member Bulletin – 24 September 2025

    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…

  • Member Bulletin – 10 September 2025

    Member Bulletin – 10 September 2025

    SNCT Extended Joint Chairs – Pay Update 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: This proposal failed to deliver a real-terms increase above inflation, particularly in the second year,…

  • Member Bulletin – 3 September 2025

    Member Bulletin – 3 September 2025

    SSTA Pupil Behaviour Survey – Update The SSTA Pupil Behaviour Survey has already received more than 600 responses. Early results show that defiance (including refusal to work) is reported as the most significant challenge for teachers. This is followed by disrespect and grandstanding (clowning), wandering (in classrooms and corridors), and mobile device misuse. When asked “Have you seen an improvement…

  • SSTA Members Prepared for Industrial Action – Delivering the 90 Minutes and Protecting Secondary Teachers 

    SSTA Members Prepared for Industrial Action – Delivering the 90 Minutes and Protecting Secondary Teachers 

    The ‘Delivering the 90 Minutes and Protecting Secondary Teachers’ consultative survey received 2,811 responses. Members’ contributions provided invaluable insights that will strengthen our campaign to reduce excessive teacher workload. The failure of employers and the Scottish Government to engage constructively and work towards implementing the 90-minute reduction in class contact time has led to a…