Parent Councils in north-east Fife hit out at 'super head' plan in new options

Waid, Anstruther, Crail, Pittenweem, St. Monans, Elie, Lundin Mill, Kirkton of Largo and Colinsburgh worked together to stop last year’s plan to introduce a ‘super head’ leadership model.

It would have seen one headteacher be ultimately responsible for the education of all pupils at Waid Academy, all primary schools and nurseries within the cluster - 14 educational establishments which stretch over 15 miles.

A working group spokesperson said Fife Council has now come back with seven new options for parents to consider.

They added: “Fife Council shows clear intent to change the current leadership structure, yet many feel they have produced no evidence to show that this will benefit children.

“The proposed options provide one headteacher for up to 10 educational establishments – seven schools plus three nurseries.

"Most options deliver reduced leadership staffing levels compared with the current situation. In addition, these options leave numerous primary schools in the cluster without any leadership presence for up to 80% of every school week. It is difficult to understand how this will lead to positive change say many fighting against the changes.

“The International Council of Education Advisers (ICEA) report to the Scottish Government, states that ‘school leaders are barely holding the front line of the system together…there will eventually be a breaking point’. The ICEA report advises that ‘the over reliance on one leader, and one senior leadership team, must shift…this means bringing in more leaders’. Fife Council proposals seem diametrically opposed to this.

“Fife Council has openly admitted that its proposals are driven not a by a need or desire to improve the quality of our children’s education, but due to predictions of falling school roles, poor use of resources, reported struggles to attract high quality candidates for headteacher positions and issues with staff retention.

“Numerous Parent Councils reject these motivating factors as justification for the upheaval of school management, teachers and hundreds of children. Many parents across the cluster schools challenge the need to make any changes and question the lack of alternative positive solutions for the underlying issues.”

Emily Robson Ramsay, Parent Council chair at Elie Primary commented: “Our children and families currently benefit from a headship 2.5 days a week, which would be cut to one day a week with some options in the new proposals.

“This simply cannot benefit the children, staff or school community. Our children are still making up for lost learning and fielding the emotional fall-out post Covid.

"At a time when they need stability, educational support, present leaders and role models, change such as that proposed by Fife Council lacks sense and stands only to disadvantage our children.”

The group has urged parents to engage with the online questionnaire to express their thoughts and concerns prior to the deadline of March 10.

It added: "We call on parents to reject the options for the grouping of large numbers of primary schools and nurseries. We urge Fife Council to listen to the people of their communities and deliver what they are fighting for.

Shelagh McLean, head of service at Fife Council, said: “Following a number of face-to-face sessions with staff, parent councils and the wider parent body, where we were able to answer questions and hear suggestions, we launched the official online survey. We want to hear from as many parents/carers as possible.

“I would like to reassure parents that all the models being considered would enhance professional learning and collaborative working, specifically to improve attainment through empowered school leaders improving provision and outcomes for our children and young people.

“The reason behind any proposal for change to our leadership models is the creation of an improved and more sustainable leadership system for our schools, and in this case our rural schools.

"It is increasingly more difficult to recruit to some of these posts and we need to explore every possible option to improve the outcomes and experiences for our children and young people.”

To find out the full details of the proposals, and to let the council know of any suggestions or feedback you may have, please see the Waid Cluster area – School Leadership Models information and form at: http://bitly.ws/B6Ut

Once all the responses have been gathered the education service will review the feedback and confirm the next steps.

If the planned approach includes a model of leadership of more than two schools, a report will be considered by the Cabinet Committee of Fife Council, in May, for a decision.