Dumfries and Galloway teacher refresh impact assessed

A council report claims a scheme in south west Scotland to allow senior teachers to retire while bringing in new staff has had no adverse effects.

The Teacher Refresh Programme was used by Dumfries and Galloway Council.

More than 100 staff left their posts early resulting in "up front" costs of nearly £600,000.

However, a report on the issue said that the savings generated by employing new teachers on lower pay would see that recouped by next year.

After that it is estimated it will cut nearly £300,000-a-year from council costs.

The scheme was approved by the authority in January last year and resulted in dozens of senior staff leaving their posts.

A report on its impact said secondary head teachers felt their schools would benefit from the "influx of new teachers".

It concluded that there had been no negative consequences from the scheme and did not recommend any "mitigating actions" to tackle its effects.