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Moray school crisis: SNP councillors call for return of principal teachers

Pearl Paul
Pearl Paul

The opposition SNP group on Moray Council is calling for principal teachers to be re-instated at schools amid an ongoing staffing crisis.

The local authority warned last week that pupils could be sent home if there was no-one available to take classes.

There are about 70 vacancies in region’s 53 primaries and secondaries, and officials have admitted that they have been unable to attract a single suitable candidate for some posts.

The principal teacher roles were scrapped two years ago as part of budget cuts

The Nationalist group intends to put forward the proposal at the annual budget-setting meeting this week.

SNP group leader Pearl Paul said: “We opposed cuts to principal teachers previously and our concerns about the impact on leadership are proving to be correct.

“We need to reverse this situation and we will propose the reinstatement of principal teachers for primary schools with nurseries attached and primary schools with more than 150 pupils.

“This will get leadership support back into schools that are under severe pressure.

“In addition to supporting schools, improving the advancement opportunities for teachers may encourage more teachers to look to Moray as a positive career choice. That, alongside other work, could help encourage teacher recruitment.”

The SNP group previously opposed the cuts to principal teachers saying it would reduce leadership capacity in schools.

Concerns were also raised about the impact on teacher recruitment by removing teaching career progression opportunities.

Councillor Anne Skene
Councillor Anne Skene

Councillor Anne Skene, who oversees the authority’s children and young people’s services committee, said: “When the decision was taken two years ago to discontinue the role of principal teachers, the administration undertook to keep the situation under review and to assess the impact on our primary schools.

“The results of that review are timetabled to come before the children and young people’s services committee before the summer recess.

“It is the firm view of the administration group that matters such as these should be considered by the appropriate service committee and not rushed through as a pre-emptory budget issue.”