There will be fewer teachers as classrooms get smaller

Scottish Executive figures showed that primary and secondary school rolls are expected to fall by about 15% by 2013.

Teacher numbers are also predicted to fall over the same period. Ministers had previously pledged to increase teacher numbers to 53,000 by 2007.

But the executive admitted that nursery teacher numbers would fall from 1,600 in 2002 to 1,500 by 2013.

The figures predicted that the number of primary school teachers would rise to 24,000 by 2007 before falling to 22,000 by 2013.

Secondary school teacher numbers will also rise from 25,000 in 2002 to 26,000 in 2007 before falling to 24,000 by 2013.

Predicted drop

Education Minister Peter Peacock insisted the executive was on target to reach its goal of higher teacher numbers.

He said: "This executive has set clear and ambitious targets to increase teacher numbers despite falling school rolls and ensure our children receive the level of support they need in school and the chance to develop their full potential."

The statistics showed that the number of children in nursery schools was predicted to drop from their September 2002 level of 58,000 to 53,000 by 2013.

Primary school numbers are expected to fall from 414,000 to 353,000 by 2010 and to 347,000 by 2013 - an overall drop of 16% from 2002.

In secondary schools, pupil numbers are set to drop from 320,000 in 2003 to 268,000 in 2013.