Motion
A New Plan for Scotland’s Teaching Workforce
S6M-17669 · Motion For Debate · lodged by Rennie, Willie
Lodged on
22 May 2025Heard / answered on
28 May 2025Watch the chamber session on SPTV · lands on the meetings recorded on 28 May 2025
That the Parliament acknowledges the work carried out by Scotland’s teachers in schools across the country and commends them for all they do; recognises that the subjects that they teach provide important foundations for knowledge and skills in sectors that can be vital for Scotland’s economy; notes with concern, however, that there has been a sharp decline in the number of teachers in key subjects, such as maths, physics and modern languages, and that targets to train teachers in STEM subjects have been continuously missed; believes that, should these targets continue to be missed, and the decline in the number of teachers continues, it will add to the strain on the teaching workforce, Scottish education will suffer and Scotland's ability to compete globally in important sectors will be impacted; further believes that a lack of permanent contracts for teachers will further compound issues with recruitment and training; notes that there are also high levels of unemployment and underemployment of primary teachers and teachers for some secondary school subjects; further notes the failure of the Scottish Government to make sufficient progress on its 2021 commitment to recruit 3,500 more teachers, which is set to be missed by the end of the current parliamentary session in 2026, and calls, therefore, on the Scottish Government to develop a new, urgent plan for the teaching workforce, working with stakeholders.
Lodged by
Rennie, Willie
alone — no additional MSPs have signed on.
Final vote on motion (as amended)
28 May 2025
Carried
Show MSPs
For
89Against
23Abstain
0Not voted
16Amendments incorporated
- S6M-17669.3 Gilruth, Jenny — carried 64/49: As an amendment to motion S6M-17669 in the name of Willie Rennie (A New Plan for Scotland’s Teaching Workforce), leave out from "further notes" to end and insert "recognises that local workforce planning is led by local government and must be undertaken in partnership with it; supports local authorities, as the employers of teachers, to use the significant additional funding made available, including £186.5 million in the 2025-26 Budget, to increase teacher numbers and create more permanent posts, and calls for the Scottish Government to commit to working in partnership with COSLA, through the joint education and assurance board, to develop a joint evidence-led education workforce strategy with stakeholders."
Computer-generated best guess
Possible final motion text after carried amendments
This is a computer’s best guess at applying carried amendments to the original motion text. It uses simple text rules for phrases such as “insert at end”, “after X insert Y”, and “leave out from X to end and insert Y”. Treat it as an aid, not the official motion text.
That the Parliament acknowledges the work carried out by Scotland’s teachers in schools across the country and commends them for all they do; recognises that the subjects that they teach provide important foundations for knowledge and skills in sectors that can be vital for Scotland’s economy; notes with concern, however, that there has been a sharp decline in the number of teachers in key subjects, such as maths, physics and modern languages, and that targets to train teachers in STEM subjects have been continuously missed; believes that, should these targets continue to be missed, and the decline in the number of teachers continues, it will add to the strain on the teaching workforce, Scottish education will suffer and Scotland's ability to compete globally in important sectors will be impacted; further believes that a lack of permanent contracts for teachers will further compound issues with recruitment and training; notes that there are also high levels of unemployment and underemployment of primary teachers and teachers for some secondary school subjects; recognises that local workforce planning is led by local government and must be undertaken in partnership with it; supports local authorities, as the employers of teachers, to use the significant additional funding made available, including £186.5 million in the 2025-26 Budget, to increase teacher numbers and create more permanent posts, and calls for the Scottish Government to commit to working in partnership with COSLA, through the joint education and assurance board, to develop a joint evidence-led education workforce strategy with stakeholders.
Applied by the parser
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S6M-17669.3: leave out from "further notes" to end and insert As an amendment to motion S6M-17669 in the name of Willie Rennie (A New Plan for Scotland’s Teaching Workforce), leave out from "further notes" to end and insert "recognises that local workforce planning is led by local government and must be undertaken in partnership with it; supports local authorities, as the employers of teachers, to use the significant additional funding made available, including £186.5 million in the 2025-26 Budget, to increase teacher numbers and create more permanent posts, and calls for the Scottish Government to commit to working in partnership with COSLA, through the joint education and assurance board, to develop a joint evidence-led education workforce strategy with stakeholders."
In the Official Report
Debated in chamber — 7 contributions reference this
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The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Chamber
· 28 May 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2025
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-17669, in the name of Willie Rennie, on a new plan for Scotland’s teaching workforce. I invite members who wish to participate in the debate to pre…
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The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
Chamber
· 28 May 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2025
There are nine questions to be put as a result of today’s business. The first question is, that amendment S6M-17669.3, in the name of Jenny Gilruth, which seeks to amend motion S6M-17669, in the name…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 28 May 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2025
We move to the vote on amendment S6M-17669.3, in the name of Jenny Gilruth, which seeks to amend motion S6M-17669, in the name of Willie Rennie. Members should cast their votes now. The vote is clos…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 28 May 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2025
The next question is, that amendment S6M-17669.2, in the name of Miles Briggs, which seeks to amend motion S6M-17669, in the name of Willie Rennie, on a new plan for Scotland’s teaching workforce, be…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 28 May 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2025
The next question is, that amendment S6M-17669.1, in the name of Pam Duncan-Glancy, which seeks to amend motion S6M-17669, in the name of Willie Rennie, on a new plan for Scotland’s teaching workforc…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 28 May 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2025
The next question is, that motion S6M-17669, in the name of Willie Rennie, on a new plan for Scotland’s teaching workforce, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 28 May 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2025
The result of the division on motion S6M-17669, in the name of Willie Rennie, on a new plan for Scotland’s teaching workforce, as amended, is: For 89, Against 23, Abstentions 0. Motion, as amended, …
Amendments and how the chamber decided
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S6M-17669Selected itemCarried 89/2322 May 2025 · Motion For Debate · Rennie, WillieThat the Parliament acknowledges the work carried out by Scotland’s teachers in schools across the country and commends them for all they do; recognises that the subjects that they teach provide important foundations for knowledge and skills in sectors that can be vital for Scotland’s economy; notes with concern, however, that there has been a...
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S6M-17669.1Linked amendment/item27 May 2025 · Amendment · Duncan-Glancy, PamAs an amendment to motion S6M-17669 in the name of Willie Rennie (A New Plan for Scotland’s Teaching Workforce), insert at end ", and further calls on the Scottish Government to develop a consistent national system of supply to support supply teachers across local authorities, make Pupil Equity Funding permanent to empower schools to properly plan, ...
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S6M-17669.2Linked amendment/item27 May 2025 · Amendment · Briggs, MilesAs an amendment to motion S6M-17669 in the name of Willie Rennie (A New Plan for Scotland’s Teaching Workforce), insert at end “; continues to be concerned at the levels of violence being reported in schools, including unacceptable physical and verbal attacks and threats being experienced by teachers and the wider school community; notes the s...
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S6M-17669.3Linked amendment/itemCarried 64/4927 May 2025 · Amendment · Gilruth, JennyAs an amendment to motion S6M-17669 in the name of Willie Rennie (A New Plan for Scotland’s Teaching Workforce), leave out from "further notes" to end and insert "recognises that local workforce planning is led by local government and must be undertaken in partnership with it; supports local authorities, as the employers of teachers, to use the sign...