The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)

Head teachers to be handed greater powers over schools

Swinney outlines major reforms but opposition parties want more teachers

- Kieran andrews

John Swinney has been urged to concentrat­e on attracting more teachers to classrooms as he revealed major plans to give head teachers greater powers over schools.

The education secretary outlined sweeping reforms at Holyrood, including a radical overhaul of how schools are funded in an effort to increase transparen­cy, raise attainment and close the gap between the poorest and richest pupils.

Head teachers will also have the power to choose staff and management structures, decide on the curriculum – within a national framework – and directly control “significan­tly” more funding.

“The evidence is clear that the strength and quality of leadership in our schools is crucial to delivering improvemen­t,” Mr Swinney said.

“We know that head teachers want to focus on delivery of learning and teaching, not be chief administra­tor of their school.

“We will, therefore, give head teachers more power over decisions on learning and teaching, freeing them to make a difference to the lives of children and young people.”

Mr Swinney told MSPs the changes would “put the power to directly change lives into the hands of those with the expertise and insight to target resources at the greatest need”.

He also said parents would be given a stronger voice, with involvemen­t in the running of schools.

But he rejected a bid by a group of parents at a Catholic primary school in Glasgow to remove the school from council control, adding that local authoritie­s will retain a “vital role” in the education system.

The Perthshire North MSP said he had already ruled out a “fixed national funding formula” to work out settlement­s for schools.

Instead, a consultati­on on “fair funding” has been launched to consider how to distribute cash.

Labour’s Iain Gray said: “Consultati­on responses to the governance review from teachers, from parents, from educationa­lists and from councils all said the same thing – that the first reform we need is more teachers, properly paid, properly supported and properly resourced. Why has (Mr Swinney’s) statement nothing to say about that?”

The Greens’ Ross Greer said the review will not resolve the key issue in Scottish education, which is loss of staff.

 ?? Picture: PA. ?? Education secretary John Swinney and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at FMQs.
Picture: PA. Education secretary John Swinney and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at FMQs.

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