FOI Request - Zero Hour Teaching Contracts
1. How many teachers has your local authority employed for each of the past six years?
a) 2025
b) 2024
c) 2023
d) 2022
e) 2021
f) 2020
i) How many of these posts are filled with those on permanent teaching contracts for each of the past six years mentioned above?
ii) How many of these posts are filled with those on temporary teaching contracts for each of the past six years mentioned above?
2. Does your local authority use centralised local authority arranged supply teaching contracts, an employment arrangement or employment contract in which a teacher agrees to be available to carry out temporary teaching cover in schools or other educational establishments?
If so:
a. Do these contracts have a minimum number of guaranteed hours?
b. How many full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers were employed or had such an arrangement in place in the following years respectively:
i) 2025
ii)2024
iii) 2023
iv)2022
v) 2021
2020
3. Does your local authority have any form of contract, pool, or pre-approved list of teachers in which there is an agreement that no work hours are guaranteed, work is offered only as needed, and the person can accept or decline each request or notification of work?
If so:
a. How many (FTE) teachers were employed or had such an arrangement in place in the following years respectively: 2025
i. 2024
ii. 2023
iii. 2022
iv. 2021
v. 2020
4. What local authority procedures are in place to ensure that advertised supply or cover work is allocated equitably to teachers?
Response 13-02-2026
1.
| As at the annual September census | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Number of teachers in school on census day* | 999 | 1098 | 1096 | 1081 | 1080 | 1065 |
| Permanent staff | 879 | 904 | 920 | 896 | 930 | 906 |
| Temporary staff not including NQTs, long-term temporary &supply | 147 | 233 | 218 | 224 | 197 | 224 |
| 1026 | 1137 | 1138 | 1120 | 1127 | 1130 |
Note: staff may have more than one contract in more than one school
2. Yes
2.a) No
2. b) 2025 - 273 on the primary list and 156 on the secondary list as at 4/6/25
2024 - 304 on the primary list and 159 on the secondary list as at 29/10/24
2023 - 278 on primary list and 155 on the secondary list as at 4/12/23
2022 - 242 on primary list and 140 on the secondary list as at 29/8/22
2021 – information not held.
2020 – information not held.
Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.
3. Yes - Supply teachers go on a list which is available to all primary and secondary schools. They have no minimum contractual hours per year. They are requested as and when required and directly by schools.
3.a) As 2b above
4. Schools arrange their own supply. There is no process in place for allocating work equitably.