Teacher targets articles in local press incorrect

Contrary to reports in today's Press and Journal, and which has been subsequently copied on the Inside Moray website, the council is not facing a £1.6million sanction for missing teacher recruitment targets.

The Scottish Government set recruitment targets and pupil/teacher ratios that has to be reached if councils are to receive a share of a £51million funding pot. Due to a drop in pupil numbers we have eight fewer teachers this year (not six as reported), but our pupil/teacher ratio remains the same and meets the government's target.

We will now negotiate with the Scottish Government over any sanctions we may be subject to. According to the previous allocation the maximum it could be is £310,000, but indications so far say it will be nothing like that.