Although today marks the last day of classes for primary school pupils, preparations for staffing the next school year have already begun. Even before the current year officially ends, attention has turned to September and the needs that will have to be covered in Primary, Pre‑Primary and Special Education.
A few weeks before the placement landscape begins to take shape, school staffing is once again at the forefront. The figures under discussion point to increased needs, more contracts and greater mobility compared with last year, with interest focusing mainly on Primary Education and optional all-day schools.
The challenge, as every year, is not only how many teachers will be appointed, but also when procedures will be completed, so that schools can open in September with as few pending issues as possible. July permanencies, open-ended appointments, annual contracts and, later, part-time contracts in all-day schools together form a particularly demanding timetable for the education authorities.
The first figures
The data available so far indicate that new appointments in Primary Education are expected to exceed 500. This number is not yet considered final, as the overall picture will depend on decisions regarding permanencies, departures, retirements, the needs recorded in each school unit and the contracts to be issued before the start of the school year.
It is important to note that the figures currently being discussed mainly reflect budgetary ceilings, that is, the maximum capacity for employing teachers. This means that, until all procedures are completed, adjustments may occur depending on the system’s final needs.
The increased needs in Primary Education are linked to a number of factors. These include the creation of new classes, the implementation of new education policies, reductions in teaching hours for certain years of service or age groups, as well as initial reductions in administrative time. These changes directly affect staffing planning, as they increase the need for personnel.
Pressure on all-day schools
Particular importance is also placed on the operation of optional all-day schools, which appear to be one of the main areas where staffing needs are increasing for the new school year. For 2026–2027, 150 full-time contracts are foreseen for these programmes, an increase compared with 100 in the previous year. Of these, 114 relate to Primary Education, 32 to Pre-Primary and four to special schools.
At the same time, part-time contract positions are also expected to arise in optional all-day schools, which are estimated to reach up to 958. Of these, around 300 will concern contracts of 20 teaching periods, while the remainder will concern contracts of 15 teaching periods.
The increase compared with the previous year is estimated at 106 additional part-time contracts, mainly due to the operation of 60 new all-day schools. However, the final allocation of posts will depend on the actual needs recorded, as the operation of full-time contracts is tied to specific conditions, such as the minimum number of classes or groups in each school unit.
