Annual figures published last year highlighted a significant decrease in the number of nursery teachers in Scotland over the past few years. In Stirling they have dropped to 11, when they stood at 29 in 2004.
The statistics show Moray has been the worst affected, losing 46 per cent of its teachers. North Ayrshire and East Dunbartonshire have lost 44 per cent and 33 per cent respectively. Edinburgh has lost 30 teachers and Glasgow 61 in the same period.
Brian Cooper, spokesman for teachers' union the Educational Institute of Scotland, said, 'Councils are having to cut primary school class sizes, so the nursery teachers have been shifted to early primary to make that possible, or shared across several classes, as in Stirling. Of course, there's an obvious impact on children's early education.'
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here