STEM teacher numbers & vacancies

The request was successful.

Dear East Renfrewshire Council,

The Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Learned Societies Group on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Scotland are concerned about the difficulties local authorities are experiencing in recruiting teachers in these subjects. With a view to improving the situation, we are gathering a comprehensive picture of current staffing and the extent to which it falls short of what is ideally required. We hope, therefore, that you will help us by giving the information sought in the following FOI questions.

1. How many qualified specialist school teachers (in FTE) does each secondary school in your local authority currently have in the following STEM subjects?

a) Biology
b) Chemistry
c) Maths
d) Physics
e) Technological Education
We would like this information broken down by school and in FTE format.

2. At each school, if the number of specialist teachers is zero in any of the above STEM subjects, then I would like to know the reason for this.

3. What complement of specialist secondary school teachers would your local authority require in order to ensure that each school was fully staffed to deliver an optimal curriculum in each of the above STEM subjects? Ideally, we would like this information broken down by school and in FTE format.

4. How many teacher vacancies have been advertised in the above STEM subjects in 2015-16 and in 2016-17? Please answer on a subject-by-subject basis, and provide separate responses for each year.

5. How many of the 2015-16 and 2016-17 vacancies have been filled?

6. How many of the vacancies were advertised two or more times?

7. How many secondary schools, if any, within the local authority have experienced difficulties in obtaining subject specialist supply teachers for the above STEM subjects?

8. To what extent have teacher shortages in the above STEM subjects affected the subject choices of pupils in secondary schools in your local authority?

Best wishes,
Paul Stuart
Policy Officer
Royal Society of Edinburgh

*Customer Services, East Renfrewshire Council

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Good Morning,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information Request. Please find attached acknowledgement letter.

Kind regards,

Dawn Gibson
Customer Service Officer
Customer First
0141 577 3001

Do you know that you can access a wide range of council services online 24/7? Visit www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/doitonline

East Renfrewshire Council - Your Council, Your Future

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Friel, Hugh, East Renfrewshire Council

Dear Mr Stuart

I refer to your FOI request dated 10 August. In order to reply to your questions - I had to get information from various sources. Unfortunately one of the sources has not met the deadline for returning information. I think it will be early next week before I can reply .

I apologise for the delay in replying with the information and hope to get back to you early next week.

East Renfrewshire Council offers the opportunity to apply to the Council for a review of how we have dealt with your enquiry. If you wish to proceed to review, please apply in writing within 40 working days to:

Chief Solicitor
Council Headquarters
Rouken Glen Road
Giffnock G46 6UG

marking your letter “Freedom of Information, request for review”, and stating the exact nature of the matter you wish to be reviewed.

The review will be carried out within 20 working days of receipt. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, you have the right to then appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner who has extensive powers to investigate such matters. Her address is:

Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
St. Andrews
Fife KY16 9DS

Yours sincerely

Hugh

Hugh Friel
HR Advisor (HR Direct & Systems)
Corporate and Community Services
0141 577 3465

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Friel, Hugh, East Renfrewshire Council

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Dear Mr Stuart

I refer to your FOI request dated 10 August I apologise for the delay in responding. I have enclosed a copy of your questions below and included spread sheets which answer questions 1,4,5,& 6. There is text below to answer questions 2,3 & 8

1. How many qualified specialist school teachers (in FTE) does each secondary school in your local authority currently have in the following STEM subjects?

a) Biology
b) Chemistry
c) Maths
d) Physics
e) Technological Education

We would like this information broken down by school and in FTE format.

2. At each school, if the number of specialist teachers is zero in any of the above STEM subjects, then I would like to know the reason for this.

3. What complement of specialist secondary school teachers would your local authority require in order to ensure that each school was fully staffed to deliver an optimal curriculum in each of the above STEM subjects? Ideally, we would like this information broken down by school and in FTE format.

4. How many teacher vacancies have been advertised in the above STEM subjects in 2015-16 and in 2016-17? Please answer on a subject-by-subject basis, and provide separate responses for each year.

5. How many of the 2015-16 and 2016-17 vacancies have been filled?

6. How many of the vacancies were advertised two or more times?

7. How many secondary schools, if any, within the local authority have experienced difficulties in obtaining subject specialist supply teachers for the above STEM subjects?

8. To what extent have teacher shortages in the above STEM subjects affected the subject choices of pupils in secondary schools in your local authority?

Question 2
We have no schools with zero qualified STEM subject specialists
Question 3
Under the current staffing provision, and as a result of the excellent collaborative working which takes place within and across schools in East Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire schools are staffed appropriately to deliver the curriculum model which is appropriate to the school’s context and which meets all learners’ needs across the Council.

East Renfrewshire Council offers the opportunity to apply to the Council for a review of how we have dealt with your enquiry. If you wish to proceed to review, please apply in writing within 40 working days to:

Chief Solicitor
Council Headquarters
Rouken Glen Road
Giffnock G46 6UG

marking your letter “Freedom of Information, request for review”, and stating the exact nature of the matter you wish to be reviewed.

The review will be carried out within 20 working days of receipt. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, you have the right to then appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner who has extensive powers to investigate such matters. Her address is:

Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
St. Andrews
Fife KY16 9DS

Yours sincerely

Hugh

Hugh Friel
HR Advisor (HR Direct & Systems)
Corporate and Community Services
0141 577 3465

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL - Your Council, Your Future
Please consider the environment - do you need to print this email?
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Thanks, Ali