Teaching post in Orkney primary school vacant since March 2019 data suggests

A council has been trying to find a teacher for a remote island primary school for more than six years, figures have suggested.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats said data they have uncovered shows more than 1,350 teaching posts have had to be readvertised by local authorities in the last two years.

This includes a post for a primary school teacher on Papa Westray – one of the smallest islands in Orkney – which, at the time the request for information was made, had been vacant since the end of March 2019.

Figures released by councils show 692 teaching positions had to be readvertised in 2022-23, with a further 665 posts needed to be advertised again in 2023-24.

The Lib Dems said the data, uncovered using freedom of information laws, shows Moray Council has had to readvertise 252 teaching roles over the past two years, while Aberdeen has had to readvertise 206, Shetland 90, and Argyll and Bute 70.

Highland Council has had to readvertise 62 teaching posts, according to the data, just ahead of Dumfries and Galloway where the total was 61.

In addition, the party noted that Western Isles Council has advertised a PE teacher role nine times, while a post for a home economics teacher in Aberdeen was advertised six times – with East Ayrshire Council also adverting a teaching post six times.

Lib Dem education spokesman Willie Rennie said action is needed to “make teaching an attractive role if we are to tackle these shortfalls”.

He said: “Qualified teachers are enduring years of short-term, zero hours contracts yet some schools are advertising roles over and over again without success.

“This data suggests that there are acute shortages in rural areas and in key subjects like maths.

“Terrible workforce planning has resulted in missed opportunities for so many young people and so many teachers too. If we want every young person to reach their potential, they need teachers who can inform and inspire.”

He said the Lib Dems would introduce three-year packages for probationer teachers “who are willing to take on hard-to-fill roles”, and would also bring in “teacher premiums” in a bid to “reward the best teachers in schools with the greatest need”.

However he warned: “No-one believes education is high up the SNP’s agenda. That’s why we need a change of government to get Scottish education back to its best.”

A spokesperson for local government body Cosla accepted there are “long standing recruitment and retention challenges in remote, rural and island areas, and in some secondary school subjects”.

The spokesperson said: “Local authorities work hard to fill vacancies to meet the needs of learners in all areas of Scotland, but there are challenges.

“For example, we know that newly qualified teachers tend to seek posts within the central belt of Scotland.

“Many of the areas which struggle to recruit teachers are beautiful and exciting areas of the country to work in, with unique opportunities for learning and development.

“Cosla and Scottish Government have committed to working together on medium and long-term joint workforce planning, taking into account the importance of responding to issues in a way which addresses differing local needs.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The number of teachers in Scotland’s classrooms has increased by more than 2,500 over the past decade as a result of direct funding from the Scottish Government, with the number in permanent posts remaining stable at more than 80% over this period.

“However, we are working hard to ensure that teaching remains an attractive profession, with Scotland’s teachers continuing to be the best paid in the UK, and our teaching bursary scheme provides funding to career-changers wishing to undertake a teaching degree in the hardest to fill subjects.

“Ministers have been clear they are laser-focused on improving education and supporting Scotland’s teachers. That is why we are providing councils with £186.5 million this year to increase teacher numbers, and why ministers continue to engage regularly with local government and teaching unions.

“The Education Secretary also met School Leaders Scotland this week and agreed to host a roundtable with them, the General Teaching Council for Scotland, Cosla and other professional associations to discuss challenges around teacher recruitment in more detail.”

Published: 08/06/2025 by Radio NewsHub