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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Stephen Bark

South Lanarkshire Council to hire more than 200 extra teachers

South Lanarkshire Council is set to hire more than 200 extra teachers and support staff to boost education recovery after the summer.

In total, the equivalent of 204.6 full time teaching jobs and 39.2 full time school support assistants will be brought in for the 2021-22 school year.

Councillors on the education committee heard funding for the one-year fixed-term posts would be provided by the Scottish Government as well as specific council funding earmarked for education recovery.

Head of senior phase education Stewart Nicolson said: "We see this as a positive step. Not just in recovering some of the ground lost through Covid but in starting in earnest the process of renewal and reshaping in response to the issues we've faced.

"Research indicates not only that there has been an overall impact on the progress on young people but there has been a disproportionate impact on those who were already disadvantaged.

"The resilience of young people and the support they have had is recognised from a general perspective and commended, it is noted that some will also require further targeted support as well."

Priorities to focus on pupil wellbeing, continuity of learning and equity have already been agreed and the new teachers will be utilised to introduce support both during and outwith school.

This will see targeted support given to pupils in areas that may have been affected by school closures in 2020 and 2021.

Mr Nicolson added: "The aim is to provide a package of additional support activity which is coherent and which is consistent with what's happening in schools already rather than introducing a range of ad hoc programmes.

"The plans and activities we will progress or develop based on the views of school leaders, school staff, our learners and parents and also by looking outward in terms of our external partnerships.

"Our approach will provide a range of opportunities but will prioritise some groups and some stages.

"The biggest element of the plan will be the recruitment and deployment of additional staff."

From August, the new staff will be used to identify any learning loss so interventions can be made and pupils can catch up.

This will include focus on health and wellbeing, literacy and numeracy, family engagement and covering staff absences due to illness or self-isolation.

Primary schools will benefit from 153.6 of the new teaching posts with the rest being deployed across the region's secondary schools.

The total cost of the additional jobs is set to be around £12.2 million.

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