Teacher numbers are now the highest since 2010 while achievement in primary schools is increasing, according to new statistics.

The number of working full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers rose by 447 to 51,959 in 2018.

The proportion of primary pupils assessed as achieving the expected levels in listening and talking, reading, writing, and numeracy was higher in 2017-18 than in 2016-17.

Among primary 7 pupils, 75% were assessed as reaching expected levels for numeracy and 70% for literacy - both four percentage points higher than last year

Welcoming the statistics, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said:

"These positive figures demonstrate the impact of our investment in schools and in teachers.

"There is an increased proportion of primary pupils assessed as achieving the expected levels of Curriculum for Excellence by up to four percentage points. This coincides with the first year of our £120 million Pupil Equity Fund. While it is too early to draw direct conclusions from this data, I am encouraged to see the attainment gap has also narrowed slightly.

"Teacher levels are the highest in a decade and the number of primary teachers is the highest since 1980. The average size of primary one classes has been dropping consistently in recent years, which is particularly important as helping children in the early years is crucial if we are to close the attainment gap between the most and least deprived.

"Pupils and teachers should have the best possible environment to learn in. For the first time, more than 600,000 pupils are educated in schools classed as good or satisfactory condition. This is concrete evidence of the impact of our Schools for the Future programme, and it's why we have set aside a further £1 billion from 2021 for schools in the poorest condition."

Background

Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland brings together a wide range of information on school education and early learning and childcare provision in Scotland and covers: pupils, teachers, early learning and childcare, and school estates.

Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels contains achievement data based on all pupils in publicly funded Primary 1, Primary 4, Primary 7 and Secondary 3 classes and for all pupils based in special schools/units.

Today also sees the publication of the first national report on standardised assessments, which forms part of the range of evidence that teachers will draw on to inform their judgment on whether a child has achieved a Curriculum for Excellence level.

The 2019 National Improvement Framework (NIF) and Improvement plan is also published today. You can view the National Improvement Framework Interactive Evidence Report (NIFIER) here.