Subjects taken off curriculum after problems recruiting teachers at Huntly's Gordon Schools
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PROBLEMS recruiting teachers at The Gordon Schools in Huntly have led to subjects being taken off the curriculum.
Metal and woodwork classes have been dropped at the school due to ongoing vacancy in the technical department.
The vacancy has been advertised on a number of occasions without a successful applicant, and the school is also struggling to attract enough probationary teachers.
This has sparked calls from the Conservatives for the SNP government to do more to help attract teachers north – while the SNP have said the issue, while worse in Aberdeenshire, is "countrywide".
An Aberdeenshire Council spokesperson said: “A specialist technical teacher has been advertised a handful of times and the position remains vacant.
“We continue to explore solutions to recruitment issues to ensure all pupils can access learning right across the curriculum.
“This includes access to the corporate relocation scheme which allows new teaching staff to reclaim eligible expenses.
“We will continue to work with colleagues in the Northern Alliance and universities to share good practice and improve the situation in these difficult-to-recruit subject areas.”
Aberdeenshire Council is set to receive 16 probationary academy teachers for the 2023/24 term, with no metal or woodwork practitioners among them. This was also the case for session 2022/23.
In a letter to Conservative MSP Alexander Burnett, the council added that it has requested specific probationers from the Scottish Government.
Mr Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, is now urging the Scottish Government – who he claims are "ignoring" the problem – to do more to help local schools.
Huntly's SNP councillor Gwyneth Petrie acknowledged problems but pointed to additional funding that has been provided.
Mr Burnett said: "It is abundantly clear teacher recruitment struggles like this are being ignored by the Scottish Government and that Aberdeenshire Council needs more help to address these issues.
“Every child in Scotland should have the same educational opportunities, regardless of where they live, but these struggles highlight that this isn’t the case for pupils living in Aberdeenshire.
“Rural schools tend to have a smaller range of subject choices than their counterparts in urban areas and this trend must change for the sake of children in areas such as Huntly.
“The SNP need to take action to stop this decline by ensuring the north-east isn’t left behind compared to those in urban locations.”
Cllr Petrie said: "Through this year’s budget process, the Scottish Government provided additional funding to local authorities of £145.5 million to ensure that increased teacher numbers were maintained throughout Scotland.
"This is a clear indication that they are resolutely not ignoring teacher recruitment issues. It remains that case, however, that no one can force teachers to work in any particular area.
“I absolutely acknowledge there are problems, in some areas of Aberdeenshire, with recruiting teachers, and the responsibility falls upon us all, including the local Tory-led council, to ensure that we can show Aberdeenshire as an attractive and affordable place to live and work.
“On the specific issue around technical teachers – while this is more acute in the north-east, this is in fact a countrywide issue.
"Educators everywhere are having to think more creatively about how they can deliver these subjects to our young people.
"It is of course disappointing that some pupils can’t study all the subjects that they would like.
"However, I am reassured that through programmes like foundation apprenticeships, our young people can continue to experience some of these more practical subjects.”
