Statistical Bulletin - Summary Results of the September 1998 School Census

6. Publicly funded secondary schools

Pupils

6.1 At September 1998, there were 392 publicly funded secondary schools in Scotland. Around 313,250 pupils were based at these schools. This included about 1,150 pupils attending attached special units (see Annex note 2.1.2). The number of schools has decreased a little over recent years. The number of pupils was slightly lower in 1998 than in 1997. The average roll, excluding adults, was 799 in 1998 compared to 785 in 1997.

6.2 The number of teachers (FTE) was 24,085 in 1998, an increase from 23,875 in 1997. The pupil/teacher ratio was 13.0 in 1998, compared to 13.2 in 1997.

Publicly funded secondary schools, Summary information
Table 12

⁽¹⁾ See Annex note 3.3.
⁽²⁾ This information is collected biennially. Excludes pupils in S5-S6.
⁽³⁾ See Annex note 3.9.

6.3 At September 1998, 30 secondary schools had a behavioural support unit and 93 a special unit. In many schools, the unit catered for pupils with a variety of impairments. Schools did not necessarily have pupils with these impairments in the unit at the time of the 1998 School Census.

6.4 Of the special units attached to secondary schools, 49 catered for pupils with moderate learning difficulties, 30 for pupils with social and emotional difficulties, 33 for pupils with language and communication disorders and 27 for those with physical or motor impairments. Fourteen special units catered for pupils with autistic spectrum disorder.

Special units attached to publicly funded mainstream secondary schools
Table 13

⁽¹⁾ Some units catered for more than one impairment; therefore, the total is not the sum of the breakdown.
⁽²⁾ Previously included in the category ‘Language and communication disorder’.

6.5 At September 1998, 3,463 pupils were attending special units attached to mainstream secondary schools for some proportion of their education, 15.2 per cent more than in 1997. Almost 67.5 per cent of secondary pupils attending the special unit for some or all of their time had a Record of Needs, compared with 51.4 per cent in 1997.

6.6 The split of time between the special unit and mainstream classes varied widely amongst secondary pupils with a Record of Needs, with around 27 per cent spending more than two thirds of their time in the special unit. Pupils without a Record of Needs generally spent less time in the special unit, with 14.8 per cent there for more than two thirds of their time.

6.7 At September 1998, 2,225 pupils in full-time attendance at mainstream secondary schools had a Record of Needs compared to 2,724 in 1997.

Integration of pupils with special educational needs into publicly funded secondary schools
Table 14

⁽¹⁾ The number of pupils with special educational needs, but without a Record of Needs, spending all of their time in mainstream classes was not collected prior to 1998.

Staffing: Teachers

6.8 At September 1998, there were nearly 25,800 teachers, with a full-time equivalent of about 24,100, employed in publicly funded secondary schools. Just over 53 per cent of secondary teachers (FTE) were female. Almost two thirds of unpromoted teachers were female. This compared to over half of Assistant Principal and Senior Teachers and over a third of Principal Teachers. Nearly a third of Assistant Headteachers were female, as were one in five Depute Headteachers. Only 9.8 per cent of Headteachers were female.

6.9 Overall, 13.8 per cent of secondary teachers were working part-time. The mode of working of teachers is recorded on a school-by-school basis. Thus staff who work full-time, but in more than one school, will be recorded as working part-time in each of these schools. Similarly, that will include those staff who work in the primary/secondary and secondary/special departments of a school serving more than one sector. Part-time working occurred more frequently amongst unpromoted teachers, more than a quarter of whom were working part-time, but was generally uncommon in other grades.

Teachers (FTE) in publicly funded secondary schools, by sex and grade, September 1998
Table 15

⁽¹⁾ Including other promoted posts.

Teachers (number) in publicly funded secondary schools, by mode of working, September 1998
Table 16

⁽¹⁾ For definition of part-time working, see 6.9 above.
⁽²⁾ Including other promoted posts.
⁽³⁾ These part-time secondary headteachers are also part-time headteachers of the primary departments attached to their schools.