The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Head teacher anticipating deal
A HEAD teacher at one of Scotland’s best performing state schools admitted that it is unclear whether his budget will absorb the fees for marking reviews.
Frank Lennon who leads Dunblane High, which came fifth in a nationwide league table based on exam results, said unsuccessful appeals could have cost his school more than £5,000 if the new system had been in place last year.
He said: “We published a leaflet (about the PostResults Service) which went out with our fourth years but we had to put at the bottom of it that the budget is being discussed.
“The expectation is the cost will not fall to the parents.
“The local authority will pay it, either from the school budget or they will have to find some way of doing it.
“I can’t imagine they will charge parents.
“If they charge parents you could say it’s an added disincentive.
“You can’t make it a parental responsibility otherwise you are giving children who come from affluent homes a better chance.
“I think the local authorities may come up with an agreement with the SQA on a figure to cover everything.
“That will avoid the need for individual charges being racked up. That’s the best solution.”
Mr Lennon said he will not be put off submitting exam papers to the PostResults Service, whether or not the school has to pay the charges.
He added: “If the parents still ask for appeals they will get it.
“If the school has to budget for that it’s just another thing we will have to budget for.”
However another senior teacher who asked not to be named said some schools cannot afford to pay.
“The charge goes to the school, it seems to me.
“It might be the local authority but I don’t think they have taken that on board.
“We don’t have a budget for appeals.
“It will be interesting to see where it is the budget is coming from because they’ve stripped everything from the school budget.”
Parents of pupils at independent Beaconhurst School in Perthshire will pay for the new service.
Head teacher John Owen said: “We’re asking the parents to pay. It’s quite a lot of money but a university place could rest on it.”