THE number of teachers and education support staff employed by the Department of Education and Children has dropped.
In October 2011, there were 1,333 teachers and education support staff – full time equivalent 1,101.35 – including 849 teachers.
This month, the number had fallen to 1,295 – full time equivalent 1,067.99 – including 817 teachers.
Department of Education and Children director of education Martin Barrow said the fall was not due to financial reasons, saying: ‘This year we have protected staffing in schools.’
Instead, he said there had been a number of reasons for the fall in staffing numbers.
They include the discontinuation of the Primary Modern Languages Service, the end of the department’s provision of pre-school education, and the merging of the International Business School with Isle of Man College.
In addition, there has been a slight fall in the number of pupil numbers in primary schools – with 921 children in reception (ages four and five) in the academic year 2011/12 compared with 2012/13.
A DEC spokesman said the savings made over the last 12 months had not impacted on the pupil/teacher ratio.
In primary schools, the ratio is currently 1:20 on average.
But the spokesman said classes would actually be larger than that because the figure also includes head teachers, cover teachers and any other non class-based staff.
The average primary school class has about 25-27 pupils.
The ratio is further complicated in relation to secondary schools because some teaching groups have to be smaller because they involve such things as workshop and laboratory work and to compensate others will be larger.