SCHOOLS are “exploiting” trainee teachers by deploying them to cover staff shortages, a senior education official has warned.

Ken Muir, chief executive of the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), which sets the professional standards expected of staff, said he was aware of schools where probationers were teaching longer hours than they were supposed to.

They are meant to be given several hours in the school week to observe other classes, develop lessons and discuss concerns with senior staff.

Read more: Herald View - Dangers of piling the pressure on trainee teachers

Teachers argue making probationers work longer hours damages their training, makes them more prone to stress and could lead them to drop out.

There is also a concern pupils will suffer because they are being taught by probationers for longer than they should be.

Non-teaching time is supposed to be protected with schools given additional money to cover for senior teachers when they act as mentors.

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Mr Muir, whose organisation establishes and monitors teaching standards, said: “Sometimes, because of a shortage of teachers, probationers are being asked to cover a full timetable and that means they are not getting the mentoring time which is crucial to their development.

“There is an arrangement between the Scottish Government and the councils to make sure that mentoring happens and it is fully funded and it should be happening.

“Because new teachers are keen to impress they are more likely to take on an additional burden, but that is not what should be happening.”

Read more: Warning over shortage of Scottish trainee teachers in key subjects

His comments came after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pledged during this month’s Scottish elections to put education at the heart of her new government. Last week she appointed cabinet big hitter John Swinney as education secretary. He is charged with closing the attainment gap in schools.

Seamus Searson, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, which discussed the issue at its annual general meeting in Crieff, said the practice was damaging to teachers and pupils.

He said: “With the staff shortage situation it is very much the case that probationers are being dumped in at the deep end and asked to do things they are not supposed to be doing and they cannot say no.

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“It is unfair that headteachers are putting probationers in that position because it means the experience is much more stressful and it could put them off a career in teaching.

“Because young teachers in this position don’t have time to prepare lessons properly or reflect on what they are doing they can just flounder and the pupils miss out.”

The criticism comes against a backdrop of teacher shortages. Last year seven local authorities called for a national taskforce to reverse the situation.

Read more: 80% of teachers have considered quitting due to 'unmanageable workload'

There have also been concerns over shortages of specialist teachers in key subjects such as mathematics, physics and computing with Scottish Government targets for training places not being filled.

Cosla, which represents local authorities, said councils took their duty of care to all staff very seriously, but agreed to meet with the GTCS to discuss its concerns.

A spokesman said: “Councils are well aware of their obligations both contractual and otherwise relating to probationer teachers and they also treat teacher vacancies with the utmost priority.

“If this is an issue as is being suggested we would be happy to meet the GTCS on any concerns.

“I would stress that probationer teachers are both valued and used in the appropriate manner.”

Meanwhile, the SSTA said early indications from an indicative ballot on industrial action over workload found that teachers backed strikes.

Of the 20 per cent of members who have responded so far 95 per cent said they were not confident measures to reduce workload would have an impact and 70 per cent said they would be prepared to take strike action and 91 per cent backed action short of strike action.

Although the ballot has two weeks left to run Mr Searson said it showed how strongly teachers felt about the workload demands of new National qualifications which involve more internal assessments than previous qualifications such as Standard Grade.

He said: “National qualifications have been hugely difficult to implement and teachers have been swamped with internal assessments.

“We keep asking for help to prevent stress on the teacher workforce, but so far we are not getting the resolution we desperately need.”