Probation teachers receive a warm welcome in the Highlands.

Seventy five probationer teachers who will start work in Highland schools next week attended an induction day in Inverness today.

The probationers were welcomed by Chairman of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee, Councillor Bill Fernie, and Hugh Fraser, Highland Council Director of Education, Culture and Sport.

The new teachers will be starting work in schools across the Highlands on Monday 16 August. Pupils return to school following their summer break on Tuesday 17 August. In total, 33 probationers have been allocated to secondary schools and 42 to primary schools.

The numbers of probationer teachers in primary schools in each area are: 4 in Caithness, 2 in Sutherland, 14 in Inverness, 10 in Ross and Cromarty, 2 in Nairn, 5 in Skye and Lochalsh, 4 in Lochaber, and 1 in Badenoch and Strathspey. Three of these primary probationers will be teaching through Gaelic Medium.

The numbers of probationer teachers in secondary schools in each area are: 6 in Caithness, 2 in Sutherland, 7 in Inverness, 5 in Ross and Cromarty, 3 in Skye and Lochalsh, 4 in Lochaber, and 6 in Badenoch and Strathspey.

The 33 probationers in secondary schools will be working in the following subjects: Biology (3), Chemistry (2), English (8), Gaelic (1), Geography (3), History (2), Home Economics (1), Mathematics (4), Music (3), Physical Education (4), Physics (2).

Councillor Bill Fernie, Chairman of the Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee, said: “I am delighted to welcome our new probationary teachers to the Highlands. With the introduction of Curriculum for Excellence transforming the education system throughout Scotland these are very challenging and exciting times to start a career in education. These new probationers will provide a vital role in helping the Council to meet the roll out of Curriculum for Excellence in our schools.

“I hope that all of our probationer teachers will have a positive experience in our schools and I wish them all the very best at the start of their career in this very important profession.”

The probationer induction day is the first of a number of in-service training days throughout the year specifically allocated to probationer teacher induction and training.