Parent councils ask for more time to review school plan
Almost 30 parent councils have signed a letter to Argyll and Bute Council’s executive director Douglas Hendry concerned about plans for cluster schools.
The letter asks that the consultation deadline of Friday March 4 is paused to give more time for parents to review the proposals in detail and get a fuller understanding of what the impact could be.
Stella Kinloch who is chairperson of the Hermitage Academy Parent Council and was speaking for Argyll and Bute Parent Council Network, said in the letter: ‘Disappointingly, to date, there has been no response from the authority, and parent councils are being left with no choice but continue to be forced to answer what is asked in the pre-printed feedback forms despite repeated calls for more details on the evidence base, the impacts and true costs as well as the research that confirms such sweeping changes are what is needed to achieve the desired outcomes.
‘The parent councils represented within the network are not opposed to change, or striving for improvement and welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with the education team. However, the approach taken by the authority in this consultation lacks partnership, transparency and simply leaves too many key questions unanswered.
‘Parent councils are advised it’s a model in principle, but most don’t believe this is, in any way, a good foundation for the changes needed in education within Argyll and Bute. Argyll and Bute Parent Council Network has approached WISE4All to work in partnership in raising awareness of parents concerns.’
The authority’s proposed Empowering our Educators project would see executive headteachers appointed to clusters of schools across the area in a non-teaching capacity.
At a special press briefing held by the council on Tuesday January 25, it was confirmed clusters will only be put together if the proposals are approved by the authority in the autumn. Education bosses say they want planned changes to the structure of the service to be ‘cost neutral’. Findings from the public consultation would be presented by councillors before a final decision is made later in the year.
Teaching union representatives have previously voiced fears that headteacher numbers in the area will be reduced, but a frequently-asked-questions document produced by the council denies this.
During the press briefing Louise Connor, the council’s education manager for transformation, said: ‘If the proposals are approved by the committee in the late autumn, we go out to consultation on the collectives. Cost neutral is what we are working towards.’
Jennifer Crocket, the council’s head of education for lifelong learning and support, also addressed the feedback received by the council to date.
She said: ‘It would be fair to say we are confident the consultation has given a broad range of opportunities to all stakeholders. It has been successful in that we are already getting feedback, from all parties, that we are in a position where we are collating views.’
Iona Community Council has repeatedly asked Argyll and Bute Council for information on the proposals, although not as a Freedom of Information request as reported in last week’s Oban Times, and members are still awaiting a response from Pippa Milne.
Speaking after the press briefing, Councillor Alastair Redman, who opposes the shake-up, said it is not a proper consultation because it is a ‘leading consultation’.
‘Who has asked for this restructure? No parents, headteachers or teachers I know of.
If it’s just a costcutting exercise the council should just be honest about it.’
Lobby group WISE4all said: ‘The model of collective leadership is a model of last resort. Across Scotland, shared headships are only used when it has proved impossible to recruit. For example, two neighbouring small primary schools may be led by one headteacher. The collective leadership model is a much grander scheme; based on what? There is no evidence it will improve the quality of life and achievements of young learners. There is no evidence that it will solve any staff recruitment issues. In fact, these proposals could negatively impact the future sustainability of rural and island communities.’
The proposals can be viewed, and feedback submitted to the council, by visiting its website at argyll-bute.gov.uk.