The number of new teachers getting permanent jobs after their probation year is “plummeting”, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie has warned.

Scottish Government figures show that 1169 of the 3076 post-probation teachers (38%) went into permanent, full-time positions in state schools last year.

It is a drop of 10 percentage points from 2018-19 and the lowest proportion for at least seven years, according to official figures.

With 42% of teachers going into temporary, full-time posts after their probation year, it is the first time on record that more people have taken temporary jobs rather than permanent ones.