Parents urge school chiefs to save front-line services

PARENTS today urged education bosses to protect front-line services in schools after the latest round of budget cut proposals came to light.

The Evening News revealed this week that council bosses are considering a range of measures to make 3.3 million of savings from the secondary schools budget.

Parents have warned they will oppose any plans which directly impact upon pupils, such as proposals to charge for music tuition or increase class sizes in S1 and S2 maths and English.

However, they have said that moves to cut the number of "background staff" will be supported if it means protecting the impact on children's education.

Proposals being put forward by education chiefs include reducing the number of bursar and business manager posts by having only one per school, cutting the number of deputy heads in schools where they are not needed and increasing the amount of time teachers spend in the classroom.

Francis Barkey, chair of Balerno High's parent council, said: "At Balerno, we have actually already merged the business manager and bursar roles because our headteacher saw this as a feasible option, and I'm sure the bulk of parents won't object to this.

"Parents are looking to be supportive where they believe it won't really affect the delivery of service to pupils. They won't have as much sympathy for background staff."

He added that charging for music tuition will be "the most controversial one".

Gavin Corbett, chair of Craiglockhart Primary's parent council and a member of the Edinburgh Parent Council Network, said the "big call" from parents is to minimise the impact on front-line services.

He said: "The council seems to have taken that on board to some extent, but obviously not in relation to music tuition.."

Alison Thornton, Edinburgh secretary of the EIS teaching union, said it was an "uncertain" time for teachers.

She added that proposals to increase class sizes in English and maths is also a concern.

Education bosses will meet with parent councils next month to get their views on the proposals. City education leader Marilyne MacLaren said: "Councillors are very keen to hear what people think of our officers' proposals."