EIS

The EIS welcomed the opportunity to contribute to a conference in Angela Ruskin University, organised by Sarah Drummond, Director of ‘Don’t Say Gay’, the first feature-length doc about the 1988 legislation implemented by the Conservative Government banning the 'promotion of homosexuality'.

The burden of excessive workload leaves teachers feeling stressed in all aspects of their lives, at work and at home, and reduces wellbeing – work shouldn't hurt!

Vote YES YES for improved wellbeing

Scottish Government & COSLA commitments on workload have failed, including a specific clause in the 2018 pay settlement aimed at tackling excessive teacher workload. Workload has since spiralled even further out of control.

Vote YES for an SNCT agreement focused specifically on workload reduction.

The EIS has urged Scotland’s teachers to grasp their last chance to vote in the current statutory industrial action ballot on teacher workload, which closes on Wednesday of next week. #EISNews

https://www.eis.org.uk/latest-news/lastchancetovote

This is your ballot, make sure your voice is heard!

The postal workload ballot closes on 4th March, make sure your vote makes it in on time and post today.

Lecturers at Edinburgh Napier continue to push for a guarantee against compulsory redundancies. A rally will be taking place at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 5th March. ENU must recognise the value of its staff and commit to protecting jobs.

Jennifer is urging members like her to vote in the new workload ballot.

Let your voice be heard on workload!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VWK3cXVSjE

Excessive workload and working hours are health and safety concerns as they increase the risk of serious health issues, as identified by the World Health Organisation and the International Labour Organisation. Vote YES to protect the health and safety of teachers.

Martyn outlines why reducing class contact time and increasing preparation & correction time is an important step in improving outcomes for Scotland's teachers and young people.

Have you voted?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBA4uyKEFIo

Whatever you think about class contact time, we need to hear from you!

If you have not yet posted your ballot paper, make sure you get it in the post this week📮📮📮

YouTube video by EIS Union Rebecca Quigley, 2026 Statutory Workload Ballot

Rebecca outlines why a win in our workload dispute would be so critical to members like her and critical to the future of teaching in Scotland.

This is your ballot, your chance to have your say. Have you voted?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQfr...

Reducing weekly class contact hours will help all teachers if the preparation & correction time is correspondingly increased. Employing more teachers will reduce workload for staff at all levels.

Vote YES for more teachers and more manageable workloads.

Join LGBT+ activists from across Scotland to reflect on the strengths, struggles and challenges facing LGBT+ workers and the shared history of LGBT+ trade unionists pushing for change.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pride-power-solidarity-tickets-1982495750156?aff=oddtdtcreator

Members at Dalintober Primary in Campbeltown are voting yes in our workload ballot✊

Not got your ballot paper yet? Last chance to get your replacement by emailing Ballot@EIS.org.uk before 5pm on Wednesday 25th Feb⏰⏰⏰

Just a month until the ULA annual conference and dinner with this year's focus on the future of HE in Scotland. We will also welcome guest speakers Andrew McGettigan and Yvonne Evans.

Register for the conference on the ULA section of the EIS Website: https://www.eis.org.uk/ula/annualconf2026

Lecturers are continuing to push for a guarantee against compulsory redundancies at ENU with a fifth day of strike action today.

Members will continue to take this action until ENU recognises the value of its staff and commits to protecting their jobs.

Student Webinar 2026 – Registration now open! Effective Classroom Management Monday 30th March 4.30pm-6pm one of the most common concerns of student teachers is classroom management. In this session we will be joined by an experienced practitioner who will offer practical tips for classroom organisation, strategies for effective classroom management and guidance on dealing with aggressive and disruptive behaviour from pupils. Register- https://www.eis.org.uk/content/courseregistration/1278

Registration is now open for the next EIS Student Webinar on Effective Classroom Management!

Students can join us online on Monday 30th March, 4:30-6pm, featuring speakers Kyra Tweddle, Eilidh Gittus, and Suki Sangha.

🔗 https://www.eis.org.uk/content/courseregistration/1278

We are losing teachers from the profession and we are likely to lose more teachers because of excessive, unsustainable workload.

A reduction in class contact time is the first step in adressing excessive workload for teachers, vote YES in our ballot and post it back today!📮#SU4QE #Ballot

Mark adds that the current 25 hours learning time would be split up with more teachers being employed to deliver that teaching time so that workload and wellbeing is improved for all teachers.

What does reducing class contact time mean for education, will learning time be reduced for pupils?

Anne explains that it is teaching time for teachers that will be limited to 20 hours, not learning time. That teachers will be given that time back for marking and prepartion work.

Anne adds that access must be improved to Scottish students who live in poverty. She describes that students may find that their tuition is covered at university but any further study/diplomas are not, degrees like law that require this are not accessible to many Scottish students.

Mark highlights the importance of student focussed universities and the need for opportunities for all. Referencing the work the EIS do around campagning for better resourcing in every stage of education.

He highlights the issue of universities relying on fee paying international students, citing the tensions in the current world stage. We need to work better to ensure universities are funded on a sustainable footing. We need a cross party discussion that looks at HE funding.

Ross Greer starts by reinforcing the Green Party value shared by the EIS that education must remain free to access in Scotland including in higher education.

The fringe moves to a Q&A session.

"What is the EIS and the Scottish Greens doing to advocate for university workers against models of privatisation and how can we continue to fight against tuition fees coming to Scotland as has happened in other parts of the UK."

"Education has to meet the skills and needs of the economy but we need to place more emphasis on the societal good it can do."

"A vision of the Scottish Greens is to create a new kindergarten system with play based learning for 3-6 year old learners"

We also want to focus on the teacher workload crisis.

"A huge amount of teacher workload is admin work, we need to trust our teachers more rather than creating more paperwork and box ticking exercises for them."

Our vision around assessments would be less pressure on end of year exams and more focus on building skills around leadership, teamwork, communication and more. We also want to focus on continuous year round assessments.

We are looking to update the school curriculum while also keeping the workload of teachers at the forefront of discussions around this.

The first thing I tried to change as an MSP was being taught about consent in sex education for Scottish schools. I am pleased to say that the new guidance on the delivery of relationships, sexual health and parenthood education will start with a chapter on consent.