Mull left 'disengaged, disillusioned and distrustful' by school reform

A public meeting of 350 people on Mull - 10 per cent of the island's population - failed to find a single person in favour of Argyll and Bute Council's plan to replace head teachers.

 

Mull Community Council says it has been left 'disengaged, disillusioned and distrustful' by Argyll and Bute Council's consultation about changes to school leadership and the grouping of schools into collectives, 'Collective Leadership Model: Empowering our Educators'.

 

With no plan to extend the school reform consultation, Mull CC says proposals are a ‘waste of time’.

 

Mull Community Council said: 'Our recent public meeting had an audience of over 350 people on Facebook and Zoom. Some may have been from other parts of Argyll & Bute, but nonetheless it's equivalent to more than 10 per cent of our island's population.

 

'Nobody spoke in favour of the proposals despite repeated invitations from the convenor to do so and, to date, we've had no subsequent comments in favour.

 

'The proposals might be good for the future of education or they might be bad. But they have failed to produce any evidence about the benefits for children's education that they claim, or any real plans for achieving them. They have failed to address concerns about what they might lead to for the future of island and rural schools, and island and rural communities.'

 

The convenor of Mull Community Council, Tom Nelson, added: 'Huge amounts of the time of parents, residents, volunteers and community groups has been given over to considering the proposals.

 

'But in the end no one can give a considered view, because Argyll & Bute has failed to produce any real evidence for their proposals and no plans for achieving the benefits they claim. It has been a waste of the time of local people who care for their communities.

 

'We want to have meaningful discussion about our children's education. Argyll & Bute needs to find a way to engage the community in a serious way. Instead it has left us disengaged, disillusioned and distrustful.'

 

The community council added: 'Children have only one chance at education, so it is not enough to claim that these proposals are "innovative". We want a serious dialogue about how to achieve them. Argyll & Bute Council has simply provided us with PR-led assurances.

 

'There may be merit within the proposals, but Argyll & Bute Council's failure to face up to the serious questions that people want to raise leaves us no option but to urge that they are withdrawn at this time.

 

'We have no doubt about their commitment to their schools and communities. But we can have no confidence in the proposals if Argyll & Bute Council fails to properly address the questions that are being asked by Parent Councils, by Community Councils, by Teaching Unions and by others in our community.

 

'Argyll & Bute's original proposals spoke about pooling financial and teaching resources across schools within collectives. The latest proposals say that there will be no more movement than there is now.

 

'But unless Argyll & Bute Council is willing to engage the community in a serious discussion about the challenges and options, we cannot have confidence that schools in island and rural areas will not be diminished, and that our communities will not be diminished with them.'