Workload/class contact time and teacher wellbeing

The ballot on class contact time did not reach the legal threshold of 50% of ballot papers being returned in time. This means we are unable to take any formal industrial action.

While a ballot mandate would have helped our negotiating position with Scottish Government and COSLA, we will nevertheless continue to push for the implementation of the promised class contact time reduction. This aim is supported by the Deputy First Minister’s announcement in the Scottish Government budget of a commitment to protect teacher numbers, a key feature of any effort to deliver class contact time reduction.

Over the coming term, a programme of school/cluster visits will be instituted, with local campaigning focusing on teacher wellbeing, another key strand of our Better Deal for Scotland’s Teachers campaign.

School/cluster visits enable us to share information and suggestions, in areas like pupil behaviour, which should help to improve the day-to-day working lives of our members. Pease reach out to arrange a visit to your workplace/area.

The run-up to the 2026 election is an important time to press our members’ campaign aims and lobbying of political parties will also continue at pace (see below).

Pay

A revised pay offer, described as ‘full and final’, was tabled to teaching unions by local authorities’ employer body COSLA on 5 November 2025. It comprised a pay increase on all SNCT salary points of:

  • 4% from 1 August 2025, which will increase to 4.25% from 1 April 2026;

  • a further 3.25% from 1 August 2026 (to 31 July 2027).

There was also a commitment to negotiate a reopener clause with the teacher trade unions for Year 2 of the pay deal (1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027), which is particularly welcome, given stubbornly high inflation in recent years and the inaccuracy of many forecasts about inflation levels dropping.

The offer was considered and approved by the NASUWT Salaries Committee on 7 November 2025 and, at a meeting of the SNCT Teachers’ Panel on 11 November 2025, all teacher trade unions agreed to accept the offer.

It is hoped that all local authorities will swiftly process the new pay deal, including the backdated element to 1 August 2025.

NASUWT will continue to campaign in future years for real-terms pay restoration for teachers, something which Cabinet Secretary, Jenny Gilruth, has described as ‘a legitimate aim’.

​Scottish Parliament Elections 2026

Following the Westminster Government budget in late November and in advance of the Scottish Government budget early in the new year, NASUWT Scotland has launched an Election Manifesto, seeking to influence all political parties to commit to real change in education to help transform the lives of children.​

The manifesto, A Better Deal for Teachers, sets out urgent priorities to tackle excessive workload, declining pay, the crisis in additional support needs provision, and the systemic failures that are driving teachers out of the profession.

It demands investment in schools, colleges and wider support services to ensure every child and young person can thrive.

You can download the manifesto on the right/below.

 


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