Created on: 03 Nov 2025
Following the October break, a further meeting of the SNCT Reducing Class Contact Time working group took place on Wednesday 29th October 2025.
Members will be aware from the last update on 3rd October 2025, that no tangible response had been given by the Scottish Government and COSLA to the teachers’ side proposals towards reaching agreement on the use of the time resulting from a reduction in weekly class contact time to a maximum of 21 hours.
This week, despite there having been nearly a full calendar month between meetings of the SNCT RCCT working group, neither the Scottish Government nor COSLA provided a response to the proposal.
COSLA informed the teachers’ side that their focus had been on work related to the implementation of the commitment, and that COSLA Leaders had not been given sight of the teachers’ side proposal.
The teachers’ side made clear that it is completely unsatisfactory that a proposal, originally tabled in early September, had not been shared with COSLA Leaders.
It was also made clear that the work on possible implementation being conducted by COSLA is premature, given that no agreement has been reached on ensuring that the 1.5 hours resulting from the promised reduction is afforded fully to the ‘preparation and correction’ component of the teacher contract.
Concerningly, the Scottish Government informed the teachers’ side that the Cabinet Secretary for Education had seen the teachers’ side proposal but had not yet given a full response.
The Scottish Government suggested that the Cabinet Secretary may be able to do so within the next two weeks, however, no justification was given for yet another delay.
In response, the teachers’ side expressed dismay that despite consistent public statements of work being undertaken “at pace”, the reality is that the Cabinet Secretary is not working ‘at pace’ to give a response to a document that was in the hands of her officials on 12th September.
Consequently, work continues within the EIS ‘at pace’, in preparation for the opening of a statutory postal ballot on workload, opening on 12th November.
Look out for the relevant member comms and help us get ballot-ready for the next stage in the campaign for workload reduction for all of Scotland’s teachers.