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In 1999 there were 2,293 primary schools and in 2024 there were 1,978 primary schools.

In 1999 there were 389 secondary schools and in 2024 there were 360 secondary schools.

In 1999 there were 195 special schools and in 2024 there were 107 special schools. However, since 2018 special schools with no pupils on the roll have no longer been included in the figure, which at the time resulted in a reduction of 21 schools.

The latest data by local authority (and nationally) is available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/pupil-census-supplementary-statistics/.Table 5.1 shows the data overall, Table 6.1 shows the data for Primary schools, Table 7.1 shows the data for Secondary schools and Table 8.1 shows the data for Special schools.

More detailed information about school openings, closures, mergers and instances where a school has been mothballed can be found on the school contact details spreadsheet in the 'Schools opened or closed' tab: School contact details - gov.scot, but recording of this data is only available from 2007 onwards.

Bursaries for independent schools are a matter for the proprietors of each institution. Scottish Government does not collect this information.

In Scotland that statutory responsibility for the delivery of Education rests with our local authorities. Accordingly, the Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. Local authorities may hold this information.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The number of nursery service cancellations and registrations is a matter for the Care Inspectorate. The Care Inspectorate publish data on service cancellations and registrations (available here: Statistics and analysis), however the published data does not go back as far as 1999.

Data on school nurses by sector and local authority is available from 2019 to 2023, here:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/school-support-staff-management-information/

from 2017 to 2018, here:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/school-support-staff-statistics/

and from 2010 to 2016, here:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/teacher-census-supplementary-statistics/

Data prior to 2010 is not available.

Data for 2024 will be released on 25 March 2025.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Funded places at colleges is based on the number of credits allocated to each college, with a credit equating to 40 hours of learning. SFC publish funding allocations annually in the College Final Funding Allocations release. Information for 2024-25 is available on the SFC website: https://www.sfc.ac.uk/publications/college-final-funding-allocations-2024-25/.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) collect and publish student data, through their annual College Statistics publication: https://www.sfc.ac.uk/publications/college-statistics-2023-24/

Previous funding allocation publications can be found on the SFC website:

Main Website - https://www.sfc.ac.uk/publications/

Archived Website (for publications pre-2019) - https://www.sfc.ac.uk/about-us/sfc-archive/

Further details can be requested from the SFC.

The Scottish Government intends to refresh and modernise the School Premises Regulations (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) to ensure that they meet the needs of pupils and schools in Scotland. The Scottish Government still intends to re-consult this year on the Regulations.

Scottish Government officials are taking steps to engage with relevant stakeholders and will be reaching out to further interested parties. Consultation responses will inform areas of focus for any proposals for changes to update the Regulations before these are brought forward.

It is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage their school estate, including the provision of toilets in schools.

Data on full-time equivalent (FTE) secondary teachers by main subject taught and Local Authority is available in Table 8.9 of the Teacher Census Supplementary Statistics for each year from 2010 to 2023, here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/teacher-census-supplementary-statistics/

Data from before 2010 is not available.

Data for 2024 will be released on 25 March 2025.

Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, all children and young people of school age have the right to an education that helps them develop their abilities to their fullest potential. Local Authorities, who deliver education, also have a statutory duty to make special arrangements for any affected pupils to receive education elsewhere than at a school, or other educational establishment, if they are likely to be absent for a prolonged period as a result of ill health. This statutory duty applies regardless of the nature of the health condition keeping a pupil absent from school, including IBD, Crohn’s diseases and colitis.

The Scottish Government published guidance on the education of children unable to attend school due to ill health and, within this guidance, it states that legislation requires that local authorities make special arrangement for children and young people absent from school through ill health ‘without undue delay’.

The guidance on the education of children and young people unable to attend school due to ill health is available on our website through the following link: Introduction - Education of children unable to attend school due to ill health: guidance - gov.scot. Alternatively, this information is also summarised on user-friendly fact sheets which are available on the Enquire website through the following link: too-unwell-to-attend-school.pdf.