Teachers call for the closure of schools to raise cash

Published on Friday 21 January 2011 11:40

SECONDARY headteachers are calling on council bosses to "urgently" look at closing more schools to create the millions of pounds' worth of savings they are being asked to find.

The heads believe that reducing the number of under-occupied schools is the only effective way of dealing with the extent of funding cuts the council is planning to impose in next month's budget.

In a joint letter to education bosses, the headteachers of Edinburgh's 23 secondaries say that a "strategic review of the entire existing and future estate is essential".

It is the second time in as many years that headteachers have made the call for school closures to protect budgets.

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The letter states: "Edinburgh continues to educate a considerable minority of its young people in sub-standard accommodation at the same time as many of its schools are under-occupied.

"Edinburgh requires to review the number of schools it requires, the quality of its school buildings and the price it can afford to pay to maintain these.

"We urgently request that the school estate in the city of Edinburgh is rationalised to create savings and enhance the education of all its pupils."

The council's money- saving proposals to save 3.3 million in secondary schools - as revealed by the Evening News in September - include increasing class sizes in S1 and S2 English and maths from 20 pupils, charging pupils for music tuition and increasing the amount of time teachers spend in the classroom.

But it is the proposals to reduce the number of bursar and business manager posts by having only one per school and to cut the number of deputy heads in schools where they are not needed that are particularly worrying headteachers.

They say it will "adversely affect service provision" in schools as the business support staff undertake a range of duties which will have to be picked up by other staff on top of their current duties. They also worry about the knock-on effect it will have on the delivery of the Curriculum For Excellence.

The letter to education bosses continues: "We believe that the proposals would impact on our focus on raising attainment and quality assurance by requiring school managers and others to undertake duties which are currently carried out by other staff.

"Equally concerning is the potential negative impact on positive school ethos and staff morale."

Councillor Paul Godzik, Labour's education spokesman, believes the proposed cut to business support in schools is "the wrong cut, at the wrong time".

He said: "Bursars play a vital role in our schools, and removing them will clearly impact on teaching staff and the introduction of Curriculum For Excellence."

The city council has closed seven primary schools over the past two years, but has pledged not to put any more school closures on the table before next year's council elections.

In 2007, they had to abandon plans for widespread school closures across the board, including three secondaries - Drummond, Castlebrae and Wester Hailes Education Centre.

A council spokesman said: "We welcome this feedback and it will be considered as part of our overall consultation and engagement process."