Created on: 19 Oct 2025
Good afternoon,
It is a privilege to address this fringe meeting on behalf of the Educational Institute for Scotland, the largest teaching union in Scotland representing almost 65,000 members. The EIS represents teachers and lecturers in a variety of schools, colleges and universities across Scotland.
The EIS was formed in 1847, making the EIS, the oldest teaching union in the world. It was formed for “for the purpose of promoting sound learning and advancing the interests of education in Scotland” a role we are still proudly working towards.
Every day our members are at the centre of Scotland’s efforts to educate, nurture and inspire young people and in doing so, to shape the future of our nation. At the heart of that future lies a simple truth – education is the cornerstone of a fair and sustainable Scotland.
Yet at present our members are working under extreme pressure in schools, colleges and Universities.
Our current campaign “Stand Up for Quality Education” aims to significantly improve teachers working conditions, and health, safety and wellbeing at work and by so doing, improve the quality of learning experiences for our learners.
From EIS AGMs, member surveys and discussion with members three key priority areas were identified
This campaign was launched in a national context of:
Scotland’s “presumption of mainstreaming” policy mandates that children with additional support needs should be educated in mainstream schools unless specific exemptions apply. This inclusive approach prioritizes a child’s right to learn in the most appropriate environment for their needs, aiming to foster social development and emotional well- being by learning alongside their peers. The EIS fully endorses this approach. However, this was introduced during a period of austerity where local authorities reduced their number of special schools and reduced support staff in schools.
In an EIS school Branch survey last year:
The Scottish Government’s own research report on Behaviour in Scottish Schools Report (BISSR) confirms that whilst most pupils have positive behaviour in class, levels of violent, aggressive and disruptive behaviour have risen significantly over the last few years. Incidents of serious disruptive behaviour have increased since 2016 – including sexist abuse towards staff – of whom 77% are women, general verbal abuse, physical aggression and violence towards staff and other pupils.
In our National survey this year 60.1% of respondents believed that improved pupil behaviour within the classroom would make the greatest impact in improving wellbeing at work.
The EIS calls for the Scottish Government to reduce violence and aggression by supporting staff in schools with adequate funding to provide additional staff, appropriate training and clear policies to allow local authorities and schools to support and nurture pupils to maintain mainstream education.
Every pupil and teacher has the right to work and learn in a safe environment. Ensuring this requires a co-ordinated, evidence-based approach one that includes early intervention, support for wellbeing and clear guidance for staff. We need consistent recording of incidents, including the types of incidents and actions taken. We also need sustained investment in mental-health services to support learners.
Additional Support Needs (ASN) is the second of our strands. In 2009 6.5% of the school population had an identified Additional Support Need. The summary and statistics for schools in Scotland 2024 states, 40.5% of all pupils had an Additional support need. This is an increase of 3.8 % from the previous year.
The increased number of pupils with ASN is exacerbated by increasing class sizes, the reduced numbers of ASN specialist teachers and reduced numbers of Pupil support Assistants. Decreased access to specialist services including Speech and Language support, Child and Adult mental health Services (CAMHS) – at time when Mental Health issues in pupils are increasing. With the cost of Living crisis, we are also seeing a rising need related to the impact of poverty and hunger. On average one in four children in Scotland lives in poverty and in some areas the figure is more than 1 in 3.
Under-resourcing of Additional Support for Learning can impact learners well being – it can lead to reduced morale and lower self-esteem. It risks reduction in attainment and achievement – again exacerbated by poverty.
It can also negatively impact on staff safety, health and wellbeing:
· Increased stress and anxiety
· Increased risk of personal injury
· Reduced morale
· Feeling unsupported and blamed for repeated difficulties in the class.
· Reduced wellbeing both at work and outside of work – lack of sleep, headaches and generalised anxiety.
As part of our National Members survey 2025 only 26.3 % of staff had a good or very good level of wellbeing in their jobs – almost half 43.8% of all respondents had a poor or very poor level of wellbeing in their Jobs.
66% or two thirds of members believed that increased classroom assistants or improved support for inclusion would have the greatest impact on their wellbeing.
The Scottish Government must recommit to genuine inclusion for learners with Additional Support Needs. Inclusion cannot succeed without appropriate staffing, resources and specialist staff.
The EIS calls for funding for ASN provision, improved training for all teachers in inclusive practice and a national strategy that recognises the increasing complexity of need in our classrooms.
Recent EIS surveys have shown that the current workload of teachers is excessive and unsustainable and needs to be addressed urgently and decisively. The latest EIS 2025 all-member Survey suggests it is not possible to effectively complete all necessary teaching duties within the 35-hour working week.
Only 4.3% of members are always able to complete their planning and preparation within their working week.
Only 2.5% of members say they very rarely work extra hours – indeed 21.8% are working an extra day a week and a further 34% of teachers are working more than 11 hours extra per week.
With more than half of teachers working at least an extra day per week what are the main drivers of this workload. Members identified the biggest drivers of workload included completing paperwork, admin or bureaucracy (74.9%), Managing the behaviour of students (70.2%) and tracking and monitoring activities.
Five years ago, the Scottish Government pledged to reduce teachers class contact time amid excessive workload pressures attributed mainly to high class sizes and growing numbers of pupils with Additional Support Needs (ASN).
In the four years since we have seen very little movement to achieve this reduction, indeed the situation for teachers has deteriorated. With almost half of teachers having to work the equivalent of an extra day just to stay on top of the workload and 1 in 10 teachers working the equivalent of two days. All extra hours are unpaid.
Due to the lack of progress, the EIS opened a consultative industrial action ballot over teacher workload. The results sent a clear message with 92% in favour of action short of strike action and 83% in favour of strike action. Reducing class contact time to 21 hours would make a huge difference to the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s teachers, and of course this would benefit the young people they teach.
This additional time is spent mainly with planning, preparation and correction. With the increasing numbers of pupils with an additional support need – more time is required planning high quality learning experiences to support all our learners.
The most recent round of negotiations on the implementation of the promise to reduce class contact time and therefore workload, have been laborious and once again little progress has been made. With COSLA admitting they have not completed the work required to progress the commitment and the Scottish government negotiators finding it difficult to meet with the cabinet secretary on this issue.
Enough is enough. The EIS Salaries Committee and then the EIS Executive Committee both unanimously voting to go to a Statutory Industrial ballot on the workload issue. On Friday 10th October ballot notices were issued to the 32 local authorities and a timeline for ballot has been set.
Let’s be clear – teachers don’t want to be on strike; they would rather be in their classrooms providing high quality learning for Scotland’s young people!
It is time both the Scottish Government and COSLA deliver on this commitment and reduce teacher’s workload.
Universities and colleges are also facing tremendous pressures. EIS FELA last year won a national pay deal after a long dispute over pay – which resulted in lectures going on strike to achieve a fair pay settlement. Should it have went this far or should lecturers be paid a fair wage in the first place.
We are also witnessing worrying times in the University sector. Where staff at Robert Gordon University (RGU) and the University of West of Scotland (UWS) both are fighting compulsory redundancies amid cost saving efficiencies. RGU are balloting for further strike action after ten days of strike action and the UWS have completed their 8th day of strikes, with little progress being made by university management to address this issue.
What was once a sector leading education system, admired across the world, now seems to be suffering from underfunding, additional workload, rising class sizes and reduced staffing in the further education sector.
It is vital that Education is a key in all parties’ election manifestos and more importantly that these are not just words but are delivered so that learners get the best experience from nursery, into school and then into further education. Taught by well supported teachers and lectures, well-resourced classrooms and funding to support the increasing number of pupils with ASN.