Consultants have been brought in by Argyll and Bute Council as it tries to push through controversial plans for school ‘clusters’ or ‘collectives’.
The authority was urged to rethink the plan by an MSP this week, and has extended a consultation deadline.
It is understood that London-based PR agency Stand is behind the consultation approach, which is branded as ’empowering our educators’, with a new bespoke website set up.
A council spokesperson refused to confirm which agency was involved, or the value of the contract, saying only: “The council has engaged external assistance to help engage with our communities across Argyll and Bute in regard to the future of education in our area.”
The plans would see schools across Argyll and Bute grouped into ‘collectives’ – previously termed clusters’ – of four to six schools, each under an executive headteacher.
Read more: Parents fear their children will ‘just become numbers’
Teachers’ union EIS has launched a petition against the proposals, which it says would decrease the current number of headteachers from 84 to around 14.
It states: “School leadership is critical and every school and its community should have a headteacher in post.
“Our starting point should always be to locate leadership as close as possible to practitioner practice.”
And MSP Jackie Baillie, whose Dumbarton constituency includes the Helensburgh and Lomond area of Argyll and Bute, said this week that teachers would leave to work elsewhere if the plans went through.
“These proposals appear to be badly thought out and I fear that it will have a detrimental impact on local education standards,” she said.
“As well as the impact on pupil education, I have spoken to teachers in the area who fear that they will have to leave the local authority if they wish to progress their career in education.
“Argyll and Bute Council must urgently rethink its plan and work with local teachers and parents to come up with the best way forward.”
The Stand agency’s website states: “We build brands that believe in better.”
It adds: “By challenging the way people think, feel and act, we help our clients create meaningful change.
“We use strategic communications to help organisations – both commercial and not-for-profit – talk about their work. Inspiring others to work towards better, too.
“That way, we believe we can change the way people think and ultimately behave.”
The council has announced that the consultation timetable has been extended by a month, with teachers, residents and parent councils now having until March 4 to comment.
The final decision is now due to be made by the council next autumn.
A statement added: “The council are committed to giving everyone the time they need understand and have conversations around the proposed model, before providing their feedback.
“Community councils, parent councils, teachers and school staff should now all have a copy of the proposal and a feedback form.
“If they have not yet received this, they can contact support@empoweringoureducators.co.uk to request it in a format suited to them.
“All other members of the public can view and feedback on the proposal at EmpoweringOurEducators.co.uk .”
How to win an argument. If it fails under one name (clusters) change the name (collectives) and have another go. The proposals for “collectives” would reduce the number of headteachers by 70. Who would do the work that they currently do? Or are we to assume it’s work that was it necessary?