technology
Scotland’s Computing Teacher Numbers Fall 30% Since 2008-09 as Higher Entries Rise 23%
The number of computing teachers in Scottish state schools dropped from 766 in 2008-09 to 523 in 2025, The Times reported. Only two local authorities increased staff while most recorded sharp declines, even as higher computing entries rose. Industry leaders and teaching unions said the trend threatens the country’s AI ambitions.
May 9, 2:45 PM·2m read1 source
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The pool of state computing teachers in Scotland shrank by about 30 per cent between 2008-09 and 2025, falling from 766 to 523, according to analysis by The Sunday Times. The decline has left most local authorities with fewer specialists even as demand for computing education grows. Between 2010 and 2025 only East Lothian and South Lanarkshire increased their computing teaching staff.
East Lothian rose from 11 to 12 teachers while South Lanarkshire went from 41 to 42. 4 per cent from 19 to 6. Highland recorded a 68 per cent decline from 25 to 8 over the same period.
6 per cent from 51 to 42. 1 per cent from 58 to 52. 8 per cent from 26 to 18. The average age of computing teachers in Scotland is 45, with 22 per cent aged 55 or over.
Targets for new entrants have been missed in recent years. The target for new computing teacher entrants was 52 for each of the years 2023-24 and 2024-25. Only 16 new computing teachers were hired across those two years combined.
Recruitment improved in 2025-26 with 31 new computing teachers recruited. Higher computing entries in Scotland have nevertheless increased by 23 per cent since 2019, reaching 3,960 candidates in 2025. Nicola Taylor, chief operations officer at ScotlandIS, said the findings were hugely concerning.
“Scotland’s AI strategy sets out a clear and ambitious vision. But the education pipeline must keep pace with that ambition — particularly at a school level — and teachers are central to that,” she said. Shane Corstorphine published the Scottish Scale-up Panel report in 2025.
