The Pre-School and Childcare Statistics 2006 show that the number of nursery teachers registered with the General Teaching Council (GTC) fell from 2,181 to 2,068. The proportion of nursery staff who are GTC-registered teachers has dropped from 19 per cent in 2004 to 16.5 per cent.
Ronnie Smith, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland, said, 'The decline in teachers in our nursery schools is a matter of grave concern. Evidence shows that the presence of qualified teachers is vital to a quality education for children.'
However, a GTCspokesman said that mandatory registration for primary and nursery teachers was repealed in July 2003 to give 'local authorities greater flexibility in the way they staffed nurseries'. He said this ruling could account for the apparent decline in registered teachers.
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