Teachers working at schools in Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire are under “high levels” of stress, union leaders have warned.

The EIS – Scotland’s largest education trade union – highlighted its concerns after Deputy First Minister John Swinney laid out the SNP government’s commitment to a teacher-led approach to learning.

He said reforms to school governance will give teachers more freedom to do their job.

However, the EIS has warned that more must be done to ease the pressure being experienced by many of its members.

Larry Flanagan, EIS general secretary, said: “Recent studies have confirmed the very high levels of workload pressure and work-related stress that are being placed on teachers.

“While the Scottish Government has taken some steps to address this issue, more action is needed to reduce the strain on teachers and to ensure that the focus is on supporting learning, rather than on excessive administration and bureaucracy.”

Mr Swinney, who is also Education Secretary, is confident the Scottish Government’s plans to reform education will be good for teachers and their pupils.

He said: “Through our new reforms, we will put more powers in the hands of headteachers and give teachers even greater freedom to teach.

“And we will back that up with more professional development and more professional support.

“We will press on with reform. We will keep faith in our teachers. And, together, we will build a school education system designed to equip our children for the future.”

Mr Flanagan said discussions with the Scottish Government and council chiefs on a pay settlement for teachers are continuing.

He added: “Steps must be taken to improve teachers’ pay, following a decade-long decline in salaries.”