SLS calls for education boards

Headteachers have called for local authorities to be scrapped and replaced by between eight and 11 education area "boards" which would be responsible for between 35 and 50 secondary schools.

School Leaders Scotland (SLS), the secondary headteachers' union, suggested the boards be directly funded by central government. The group said the move would free education from "political fashion" and stop education money being siphoned off to other areas by cash-strapped councils.

SLS made the proposal in its evidence to the Scottish Parliament's education committee's inquiry into the running of Scottish schools.

It comes after a controversial proposal to create a cluster of schools into a charitable "trust" at arms length from council control was given consideration by the education secretary Michael Russell.

However, East Lothian council scheme has been criticised as removing a layer of accountability.

Primary headteachers also support "regional boards" in order to reduce duplication of staff and "simply the education landscape". Some smaller councils are already looking at merging backroom services in a bid to rationalise spending.

The Association of Directors of Education in Scotland said it was "not opposed to change" but said the details of any such move would need careful consideration.