THE number of Scottish trainee teachers caught up in a crisis over vital school placements has grown.

New figures show even more students have been left without classroom placements than was first feared in the week they were supposed to begin.

Yesterday, The Herald revealed some 110 placements for September had still to be filled, with the majority involving students at Strathclyde University, in Glasgow.

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However, John Swinney, the Education Secretary, told the Scottish Parliament the total was now 128. Figures published by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) showed the numbers at Strathclyde have grown from 97 to 106.

Mr Swinney urged councils and universities to act immediately to ensure there were enough spaces available for those students who did not have a placement.

He said: "Supporting student teachers is a fundamental professional responsibility of local authorities, schools and experienced teachers and I expect all schools to be willing to offer placements to students and it is vital that there is co-operation between the General Teaching Council, universities, local authorities and schools to ensure that sufficient places are secured.

"I understand entirely the frustration of young people who are affected in this way and I find it wholly and utterly unacceptable that this situation has arisen.

"There has been a substantial number of placements already arranged... but that is not good enough for the 128 young people who are affected by this problem."

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Mr Swinney said headteachers had been asked to consider taking a placement at short notice with those that became available being given to students without having to go through the computer system which matches places with trainee teachers.

Monica Lennon, inequalities spokeswoman for Scottish Labour, said Mr Swinney had refused to offer a timescale for resolving the "worsening situation".

She said: "Similar issues with placements emerged in 2014 and the GTCS said the new computer system needed time to address issues to ensure a smoother operation in future.

"Two years on, many of the next generation of teachers are again disadvantaged and I would urge all those involved to co-operate and ensure students are placed at the earliest opportunity."

The two to four week primary and secondary placements are seen as crucial because they represent the first time trainee teachers experience a school environment and get to know staff and pupils.

The situation was even worse last week when hundreds of students from universities across the country including Dundee, Edinburgh and Stirling were unaware of where they would be taking their placements.

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The problem has arisen for a number of reasons including a shortage of places in schools close to universities and the fact schools don't have to take trainees if they don't want to.

Glasgow is a particularly complex situation because both Strathclyde and Glasgow University produce teaching students who are then competing for a limited number of places in surrounding local authority schools.

The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), the professional body for teachers, said it was the responsibility of universities to secure placements in partnership with local authorities.

A spokesman added: "When a student does not have a matched placement, it is the responsibility of the university and local authority to find a suitable match for the student."