Teaching union’s concerns over education reforms

Sweeping proposals to overhaul teaching in Scotland could lead to more bureaucracy for headteachers, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) in Fife has warned.

In response to Education Secretary John Swinney’s speech on education governance, the teaching union raised concerns about the potential impact the changes could have on workload.

Mr Swinney said under the reforms education would be led by teachers, parents and communities.

Headteachers would take charge of learning and be responsible for raising attainment.

They would also be free to select and manage the teachers and staff in their school, determine their own school management and staffing structure, decide on curriculum content and directly control a significantly increased proportion of school funding.

David Farmer, EIS publicity officer in Fife, said: “More bureaucracy for headteachers and councils to face.

“However, it is not clear just what exactly headteachers are meant to do with their empowerment. Headteachers already have a not inconsiderable input into the appointment of staff in their schools.

“It is not clear just what extended powers headteachers might have in relation to deciding the staffing formula for their individual school.

“Headteachers have a pivotal role in the running of schools.

“That said they have little, if any role, in genuinely addressing the issues of poverty and deprivation which are such a blight on the lives of many of our young people.

“Much has been made of the role of headteachers in closing the attainment gap, which clearly is the educational goal for the Scottish Government, but little is made of where their time will come from.

“At present headteachers all have a huge, even daunting, workload.

“Some are the headteachers of more than one school. Few headteachers have the time to teach.

“Where exactly then will they find the time to work on the curriculum and close the attainment gap?”