Teachers in Scotland won less classroom time. Will the budget show the money?

What happened

MSPs on Holyrood’s Education Committee want the cost of cutting teachers’ classroom time set out, with the funding, in next month’s Scottish budget.

Members of the Scottish Parliament asked on 5 November for the cost of shorter teaching hours to be in the budget. Holyrood’s Education Committee wants the Scottish Government to publish “full costings” for the change in its 2027-28 budget, and to say how it will be paid for. Finance Secretary Jenny Gilruth presents the draft budget on 3 December.

The change gives teachers 90 minutes less teaching each week. Teachers had voted to strike. In March 2026 the government, the teaching unions and Cosla, which represents Scotland’s councils, agreed the deal and the strike was called off. Primary schools start in August 2027 and secondary schools in August 2029. In the signed deal the government promises “full funding”, including the extra teachers.

A multi-year budget line from 2027-28 onwards will cover the full implementation costs.

Scottish Government, announcement of the deal, 13 March 2026

The two sides do not agree on the price. Cosla told the committee in September that councils can only make the change if the government pays in full, and put the cost at up to £250m to £310m a year. On 6 October Education Secretary Màiri McAllan called that figure “not accurate and, frankly, not affordable”, and said her own figure was still being worked out. Councils employ the teachers, and a government spokesperson said on 6 November that councils “must assess what is required in their locality”.

On 4 November the government said joint work with Cosla on the cost from August 2027 is under way and “will inform the Scottish budget”. Officials told The Herald its own estimate of the number of teachers and the cost is finished, but would not give the figures. The committee notes that, after rising prices, day-to-day government spending is set to fall by 1.2% in 2027-28. Spending plans from January 2026 did not mention money for the change.

Sources: STV News, Cosla (2, 3, 4), GOV.SCOT, The Herald

The Pattern

We looked for cases where the Scottish Government publicly promised money for a pay deal with teachers or other council workers, and then wrote its next budget. We found five such deals since 2019. Twice the next budget named a separate sum for the deal, and both were teachers’ deals. Three times, for other council workers, the next budget named no sum for the deal. (GOV.SCOT; GOV.SCOT; GOV.SCOT; GOV.SCOT; GOV.SCOT)

The Read

This is a teachers’ deal the government signed itself, as in the two times a sum was named. In 2019 and 2023 the government itself made a teachers’ pay offer, and the next budget showed the money. In the three times with no sum, councils made the offer to their own workers and the government added money. This time the government signed the teachers’ deal and promised a budget line from 2027-28. On 4 November it said its cost work “will inform the Scottish budget”.

There are reasons for doubt. All five budgets came from the same Scottish Government. Each past deal was about pay, and the government named its money when it made the promise. This time it has named no cost, and 2027-28 covers only primary schools from August. Money is tight, and on 3 November the Finance Committee could not say whether the government’s spending plans are affordable. Ms McAllan has also said her figure waits for councils to finish their local plans.

Sources: BBC (2, 3), GOV.SCOT (2, 3), The Herald, Scottish Parliament (2)