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