No maths department in any of Moray’s eight secondary schools is fully staffed.
It is also a struggle to attract English and science – particularly chemistry – teachers, it has emerged.
Moray Council’s head of education Vivienne Cross said the recruitment issues are impacting pupils’ attainment.
She was speaking at a recent meeting of the education, children and leisure services committee.
A worrying report shows a decline in fourth year pupils getting their Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) levels four and five in literacy and numeracy in 2023/2024.
In the previous academic year, 86% of pupils passed level 4, but that dropped to 76%.
And for level 5 the rate fell from 63% to 53%.
What about private tutors?
Councillor Bridget Mustard asked if it was possible to find out how many children received additional tuition out with school.
The member for Heldon and Laich said: “Can there be some gathering of information?”
She felt it would help councillors better understand the issues impacting attainment in secondary schools.
However Mrs Cross said it would inappropriate for the council to survey parents on the matter.
She said: “Our attainment is where it is just now. And it’s not because teachers are not working hard.
“We have got a huge concern across Moray. We cannot get subject specialist teachers.
“We do not have a maths department within Moray that is fully staffed at this moment in time.”
And she added there was an increasing number of English departments in the same position.
Teacher workloads increasing
Mrs Cross said: “Those are two core subject areas we cannot get subject specialists in.
“We cannot get science cover. I have a secondary school just now that does not have a chemistry teacher.
“And they are doing everything in their power to support children and young people to get access to specialists provision.
“So that I think is a greater concern for this committee, that you have got your secondary schools that are not fully staffed with subject specialists.
“It’s having a huge impact on our attainment.
“And it’s having a huge impact on workload of our principal teachers who are trying day in day out to get cover for senior phase classes.
“That to me is a greater concern than whether or not parents can afford or decide whether to get a tutor for their children.”
Read more about Moray schools:
David Mackay: What will Moray schools look like when it’s time for my daughter to go to class?
Teachers ‘having to arrive an hour early’ at rural Moray schools because the internet is so bad
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