Why Can’t Scotland Fill Its Top Education Posts?

Why Can’t Scotland Fill Its Top Education Posts?

Ronnie Boyd

For months now, two of the most important roles in Scottish education — the Chief Executive of Education Scotland and His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education — have remained vacant. Despite repeated recruitment drives, no permanent appointments have been made. What is behind this leadership gap in such important institutions at a crucial time in Scottish education?

A Crisis of Confidence

I would suggest at the heart of this issue lies a crisis of confidence. Education Scotland and the Inspectorate have faced heavy and relentless scrutiny in recent years. Teachers' unions, parliamentary committees, and even the OECD have criticised the current structure of Scottish education for lacking clear lines of accountability. This has left Education Scotland — and those who might lead it in the future — in a politically awkward position.

These positions are not just jobs they are minefields. And that is not an easy sell especially when the financial inducements are not hugely attractive when compared with likely sources of candidates: large local authorities or large secondary headships.

Confused Governance, Blurred Roles

One major challenge is that Education Scotland plays two distinct roles: implementing policy and evaluating schools. Many argue that this creates a conflict of interest. Should the body that helps design educational strategy also be the one that judges whether that approach is working?

The Scottish Government is trying to address this through reform, but in the meantime, the dual role confuses stakeholders — and deters strong candidates from stepping into leadership roles where expectations are unclear and sometimes contradictory.

Structural Reform Adds Uncertainty

In 2024, the Scottish Government introduced the Education (Scotland) Bill to address long-standing governance issues. Among other things, it aims to:

  • Replace the SQA with a new body, Qualifications Scotland

  • Establish a standalone inspectorate, separate from Education Scotland

While these reforms were welcomed by many, they have also engendered a sense of instability. If you are applying for one of these top leadership roles, you may understandably wonder if this organisation will even exist in its current form a year from now?

Recruitment Woes: Not Just an Education Problem

The challenge of filling high-level posts is not unique to education. Scotland has struggled more broadly to attract senior civil servants and public leaders. The reasons for this problem include the following:

  • Relatively low public-sector pay compared to private sector roles

  • Heavy ministerial oversight and political pressure

  • A small talent pool, especially for roles that require deep knowledge of both pedagogy and policy

In short potential successful candidates know they will face high public and political expectations, enjoy curtailed autonomy, and receive comparatively low reward.

Where Do We Go from Here?

Scotland’s education system is at a turning point. There is consensus that reform is needed — but the transitional phase we are in now makes it hard to attract the leadership required to drive that change.

Until there is structural clarity, improved morale, and a more attractive professional offer are in place, the struggle to fill these top jobs is likely to continue.

 

Isabelle Boyd