Students help at teacher shortage school in Edinburgh

University students are to help out at an Edinburgh school struggling with a shortage of maths teachers.

Third year Edinburgh University maths students will assist Trinity Academy pupils in S2 and S5 while a qualified teacher from a different subject leads the class.

It emerged in September that a shortage of maths teachers had forced the head teacher to appeal to parents for help.

Two maths post have been readvertised after they failed to be filled.

The university students are due to start helping at the school from next week until Easter.

Two groups of pupils are not always being taught maths by a maths teacher.

Some S2 classes and the S5 class for people who did not obtain a National 5 qualification in S4 are being taken by teachers whose specialism is in other areas.

University maths students in their third year of study are being brought in to offer additional support to these teachers and their pupils - but they are not in charge of the class or the lesson.

Students studying for their National 5 in S4 and the Higher classes are always taught by dedicated maths teachers.

The temporary measures taken by the school have the support of its parent council.

The ongoing problems faced by Trinity highlight the ongoing concern over the recruitment of Science, Maths, Engineering and Technology (Stem) teachers across Scotland.

Many places in teacher training in these subject areas have gone unfilled.

The council's education convener, Councillor Ian Perry, said the vacancies were currently being re-advertised.

He said: "We have been working closely with the school over filling the vacancies and will continue with the various measures put in place, which has the support of the Parent Council, to minimise disruption to the pupils' learning.

"Our priority remains ensuring that the curriculum continues to be delivered to the highest possible standard."