Scotland’s schools are on the brink of fresh industrial unrest, as teachers across the nation prepare to vote on strike action over class contact time and mounting workloads. The dispute, simmering for years, has reached a boiling point just as the Scottish Government faces renewed criticism for failing to deliver on promises to support its educators. With ballots opening this week, the stage is set for what could become a pivotal moment in Scottish education—one that has parents, pupils, and politicians watching with bated breath.
At the heart of the row is a pledge made by the Scottish National Party (SNP) in its 2021 election manifesto: to cut teachers’ weekly class contact time by 90 minutes, reducing it from 22.5 hours to 21 hours. The goal, according to the SNP, was to give teachers more space for essential work like lesson planning, marking, and adapting materials for pupils with additional support needs. However, as reported by BBC and the Daily Mail, teachers’ unions say that, nearly five years on, little progress has been made.
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), the country’s largest teaching union with around 60,000 members, has now launched a postal ballot, urging members to vote for both strike action and action short of a strike. The ballot opened on November 12, 2025, and will run until January 14, 2026. The NASUWT union will begin its own ballot on November 19, while the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) is expected to follow suit soon.
“In opening this ballot, we are reminding the Scottish Government and Cosla that it is essential that they keep their promises to Scottish education, Scotland’s teachers and Scotland’s learners,” said Andrea Bradley, EIS General Secretary, as quoted by the Daily Mail. “It is simply not acceptable for national or local politicians to be elected on the promise of improving education, in this case by tackling teacher workload and employing more teachers, then failing to deliver upon those promises, particularly when issues around teacher workload and precarity of employment are so serious.”
Teachers describe a profession under siege. Speaking to BBC, Rod McCready, a physics teacher and NASUWT rep in Glasgow, explained the challenges: “Physics can be a complicated topic. You need half a dozen ways to help explain something and you are waiting for one of those ways to click with a kid, to pursue that.” He added that the pressure is “unbelievable,” especially as reports of classroom violence and aggression rise. “If you get pushed against a wall, that’s 20 minutes to 40 minutes just to fill in the paperwork.”
Derrick Roberts, a history teacher in Lochaber, said he spends evenings and weekends rushing to adapt lessons for children with additional needs. “The 90 minutes would allow me to adapt materials—changing the resources so they fit in the right place. I’ve got my bank of resources but I don’t have sufficient time to adapt them.” He recalled that, 13 years ago, teachers were expected to do less non-teaching work and rarely hit the 22.5-hour contact time limit. Now, with staff shortages and more “please takes”—where teachers cover for absent colleagues—most are maxed out.
The number of children with additional support needs has soared. Alison Beattie, who works in support for learning at a Glasgow primary, told BBC that the proportion of children with such needs in her school jumped from 11% two years ago to 60% by May 2025. “That figure is realistic,” she said. “That’s my experience, that’s the needs that are presenting in front of us. Maybe a few years ago it perhaps wasn’t as urgent, it would have been nice to have 90 minutes then, but it’s urgent now.”
Carol Wood, an additional support needs (ASN) teacher in Moray, described the heavy administrative burden. “There is a lot of admin in ASN,” she explained. “There’s learning support plans, learner plans, individual education plans. You need to go and observe kids, then write a STAR report. The extra time would support much more effective understanding of these pupils which would help mainstream colleagues understand them better.”
Behind the scenes, teacher numbers have slipped, despite SNP promises. In 2021, there were 54,285 teachers in Scotland. By last year, that figure had dropped to 53,412. First Minister John Swinney has pledged to restore numbers to 54,033—the 2023 level—but unions say this is not enough to meet the growing demands in schools, especially as teachers are currently allocated only 7.5 hours per week for preparation.
Political reactions have been swift and pointed. Scottish Tory education spokesman Miles Briggs blamed SNP ministers for the crisis, warning, “If teachers vote for strike action, the blame will lie with SNP ministers who have broken yet another promise. Pupils missing classroom time ahead of crucial exams is the last thing they need, but this government has failed to recognise the hard work that our teachers do. They are overworked and under-resourced—instead of offering them warm words, the SNP should set out what concrete steps they will take to support this vital workforce.”
On the other side, the Scottish Government has expressed disappointment over the union ballots but insists it remains committed to reducing class contact time and working with unions and Cosla, the council umbrella body. In a statement to BBC and the Daily Mail, a government spokesperson said: “Ministers have been clear that reducing class contact will help support the time and space necessary for teachers, to allow them to drive improvement and reform in our schools and improve outcomes for their pupils. We are committed to working with teaching unions and Cosla to agree our approach to delivering a reduction in class contact time at pace. Ministers respect union members’ right to withdraw their labour, but are disappointed that the EIS has taken this action while these constructive discussions are ongoing.”
Cosla, which represents local authorities and employs teachers, said that delivering a reduction in contact time would require additional funding and voiced disappointment at the union ballots. The group highlighted practical issues, especially the need for more staff in the right places to provide cover for colleagues using their additional non-contact time.
The ballot announcement coincided with teachers accepting a cumulative 7.5% pay rise over two years—a deal that includes a 4% increase from April 2026 and a further 3.25% from August 2026. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth welcomed the pay agreement, saying it ensures “Scottish classroom teachers on the main-grade scale continue to be the best paid in the UK.” However, union leaders maintain that pay alone will not address the deeper issues of workload and staff shortages.
With ballots underway and tensions running high, the next few months could prove decisive for Scottish education. As teachers, parents, and politicians await the outcome, the question remains: will this be the moment that forces real change, or just another chapter in a long-running struggle?
For now, Scotland’s teachers are making their voices heard—demanding not just promises, but action.
