SSTA News

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,…

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…

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…

The SNCT Teachers’ Side received an Employers’ Side pay offer on 16 June. The proposal was for a two-year settlement, with an undifferentiated 4% increase in the first year and a 3.5% increase in the second year. At the SNCT Extended Joint Chairs meeting (SSTA and EIS, COSLA and Scottish Government) on 23 June, the…

Delivering the 90 Minutes and Protecting Secondary Teachers – Consultative Survey Thank you to the more than 2,800+ members who took part in the recent SSTA consultative survey. Your contribution is invaluable and will help strengthen our campaign to reduce excessive teacher workload. 📝 The initial findings of the survey are set out below. Initial…

Reduction in Class Contact Time – Some Progress The SSTA, along with other teacher unions, has finally received the COSLA report Reduction in Class Contact Time and the Scottish Government’s Proposal for the Next Steps on Reduced Class Contact Time (RCCT), ahead of a special SNCT meeting on Wednesday, 20 August. Both documents raise significant issues that must be addressed. The COSLA report was…

The SSTA continues to hear from members that disruptive behaviour by young people is a growing barrier to effective learning and teaching. Such behaviour not only impacts learners’ attainment but also increases stress and anxiety for teachers. The SSTA has consistently pressed the Scottish Government for a unified approach to supporting teachers in meeting the…

Reduction in Class Contact Time – ‘More Excuses’  The SSTA, alongside other teacher unions, has been waiting for four years to discuss the proposed 90-minute reduction in teacher class contact time—without success. The most recent SNCT meeting, held on 25 June, saw no progress, as COSLA refused to share any documentation. Throughout the summer, however, information…

The June 2025 SSTA Newsletter is available for members to download. The newsletter contains information on: