Monday 21 November 2005

Give and take

It's quite natural for people to seek more control at work. Indeed, how could anyone manage without having control? According to this report:
Education Minister Peter Peacock has said he wants headteachers to be given more powers, allowing them to make their own decisions.
And:
His words were met with a round of applause by secondary heads at their annual conference in Edinburgh.
The BBC seems to think that some headteachers already have a considerable degree of "control" over their schools:
South Ayrshire Council gives its heads most control, at more than 90%.
I don't believe that for a moment, do you? Can the headmaster of Ayr Academy decide to make a takeover bid for Marr College? Would he be allowed to insist on Latin for all pupils, or be free to expel all those who don't reach certain academic targets? How about refusing to employ teachers who are union members?

The truth is that headteachers will never have any meaningful degree of control over their schools so long as they (the schools and the headteachers) are owned by the state. Take control - go private.

1 comment:

David Farrer said...

Comments made on previous template:

Robert Speirs
Shuggy: 
 
If he can't do #3, he's under 90% control already. Without control over whom he employs, none of the other "powers" really matter.

29 November 2005, 16:41:44 GMT
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Shuggy
Would he be allowed to insist on Latin for all pupils, or be free to expel all those who don't reach certain academic targets? How about refusing to employ teachers who are union members? 
 
The answers are: 
 
1) Yes 
 
2) No 
 
3) No, that would be illegal - thank goodness.

24 November 2005, 19:49:35 GMT
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Andrew Duffin
I cannot imagine how they arrive at this 90% figure, or quantify such a thing at all, come to that. 
 
But, speaking as a former South Ayrshire school board chair I have no doubt whatever that Mr.McCabe has far more say over what goes on in our schools than all the head teachers put together.

23 November 2005, 12:12:38 GMT