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Eighty Four
Extra Full-Time Teachers Were Recruited in North Ayrshire Last Year.
Local children are already reaping the benefits of
increased investment in our schools.
 Eighty
Four extra full-time teachers were recruited in North Ayrshire last year
putting the authority on track to reduce class sizes in Maths and English to
20 by 2007 – says local Labour MSP Allan Wilson.
“The local figures show that in 2004 there were 1319 full time equivalent
teachers (FTEs) and this figure had risen to 1403 FTEs by 2005, an increase
of 84 over the period” said Mr Wilson.
“We have also increased the numbers of student teachers substantially to
assist areas like North Ayrshire recruit probationer teachers to address
difficult to fill positions in maths and english in schools like Garnock
Academy, with North Ayrshire guaranteed a further 3 fully funded
probationers in secondary subjects” said Mr Wilson
“The statistics, from a Scottish census conducted in September 2005, show
that there are now 52,179 teachers based in schools and pre-schools across
Scotland in 2005 - an increase of 710 from the previous year and up 1,053
from 2003 “said Mr Wilson.
"The Scottish Executive has made the education of our children a top
priority for the Scottish Parliament and these impressive figures show we
are making real progress. Locally we are well on target to reduce our maths
and English class sizes to 20 with our current pupil teacher ratios across
the area at 14.6, a reduction of since the Parliament came into being in
1999” said Mr Wilson.
“Local children are already reaping the benefits of increased investment in
our schools, including the planned new Primary schools in Dalry and Stanley
Primary in Ardrossan and new state of the art Secondary schools at St
Mathews in Saltcoats and Arran High in Lamlash.
Increasing the teacher numbers is yet another step to ensure they have
access to a first-class education” said Mr Wilson.
The North Ayrshire statistics also highlight:
Primary pupil teacher ratios have improved from 20.7:1 to 17.9:1 between
1999 and 2005 Secondary pupil teacher ratios have improved from 13.5:1 to
12.4:1 between 1999 and 2005 Special School pupil teacher ratios have
improved from 5.0:1 to 3.9:1.between 1999 and 2005
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