PRIMARY schools in deprived areas of Fife will get 27 new teachers this year, at a cost of £865,900, in a bid to reduce class size and improve attainment.
All new staff will be employed in August, however, Fife Council is yet to reveal which schools will benefit.
The local authority plans to use the extra staff in pre-school classes, as well as primaries one to three.
Executive director of educat
ion Ken Greer believes the new appointments will help to raise children's achievement.
He said: "In June 2007 the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning announced the provision of additional funding to allow education authorities to employ additional teachers. In session 2007/2008, this funding was used to reduce class sizes in areas of deprivation.
"As a result of this and other Council funding, a maximum class size of 25 was achieved in primary one in Fife primary schools; and the overall average class size in primary one this session is 21.4.
"Fife Council education service will work to achieve year-on-year improvements in line with the Scottish Government's education priorities."
There are a number of different criteria the Council uses to assess which schools will receive more teachers.
These include the number of pupils entitled to free school meals, as well as the amount of management time allocated for the nursery and headteacher.
The Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities have agreed there should be no specific targets for individual councils in reducing class sizes.
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