Clarifying teaching hours

Monday August 17th 2015

Councillor Bob Constable, the cabinet member for education, welcomed back pupils and staff to school and took the opportunity to clarify recent reports about teaching hours in Midlothian.

Cllr Constable said: “Welcome back to the start of the new school term. We hope everyone enjoyed their holidays”.

“We just wanted to take the opportunity to clarify pupil contact time with teachers as there have been some media reports suggesting some local authorities are spending less time teaching than others. I can confirm that the recent Reform Scotland report published incorrect data for Midlothian Council.

“In line with regulation 5 of the Schools General (Scotland) Regulations 1975, the school year across Scotland is made up of 190 pupil days, this is the same number of days allocated in Midlothian and our term dates are approved by Midlothian Council each year.

“Reform Scotland reported that the total number of hours in Midlothian for Primary and Secondary school pupils was 855 hours, this information is incorrect. I can confirm that the secondary school week in Midlothian is made up of 27.5 hours totalling 1,045 hours over the course of the school year. In Primary 3-7, the school week is made up of 25 hours totalling 950 hours over the course of the school year. It is only in P1 and 2 that the school week is made up of 22.5 hours totalling 855 hours per school year.

“We can assure parents, pupils and carers that, like all local authorities, we are bound by school regulations and national agreements and remain committed to making sure all pupils get the highest quality of education as possible.

“On welcoming back to the start of the new session, I also wish to congratulate our pupils, parents and teachers on the recent exam results successes which include some record results for Midlothian. We are very proud of the achievements of our pupils.”

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