Parent Councils across Argyll and Bute have joined together to respond to plans for school collectives across the area – and they are also working with the Wise4all group. Here they both have their say on the current situation.
Stella Kinloch, chair of Hermitage Academy Parent Council:
I would advise that many parent councils continue to question the validity of the model being proposed.
Parent councils must continue to engage in the process despite calls for a pause, as we understand this has been rejected through press reports.
With now over 50 parent councils engaging with each other through the self-administered network we are offering support and a space for authority wide discussion on the proposals.
The opportunity to hear from other chairs and committee members across Argyll and Bute, from rural and island communities as well as more urban areas of the authority, has been extremely important ensuring our network listens to all school communities, providing a better understanding of the challenges and importantly the good practice that is already demonstrated in our school communities.
These lived experiences are particularly important to parents, with reflection on the potential impacts these ‘innovative’ proposals may have is understandably of concern.
The Argyll and Bute Parent Council Network also liaises with Wise4all, which also provides parent council and community member support in respect of the current consultation.
A recent email from the newly appointed acting education manager for wellbeing, rights and relationships, Rosie MacKay has been a welcome contact from the authority, as it’s the first in many years that parent councils have had by way of central contact offering facilitation for group discussion, training and support.
We hope these themes continue and focus on the importance of early parental engagement and supporting the parent and pupil voice in Argyll and Bute’s education strategic planning.
Tracy Mayo of Wise4all:
Wise4all’S education adviser has previously stated: “Education is everyone’s business.”
It certainly has been since the launch of Argyll and Bute Council’s collective leadership model consultation, in November 2021.
Here are some questions to ask yourself before you submit your response (no later than March 31).
We have been listening to community members, and attending community council meetings, as a result here are some questions and the Wise4all position.
Are you clear on why you are being consulted? Is there a case for it? Do you know what decisions have already been made, can they be justified?
What is the national position on education change, have you got robust data to make an intelligent assessment of the proposal? Is there a case to answer?
Education change was first rumoured on Mull in March 2021, and despite attempts to clarify the situation, we could get no official confirmation – that came in June 2021, with the education change proposal, with one week to respond, before it was due to be considered by the community services committee.
We cannot safely agree to this model, it is a “model in principle”, there are no details, no culture, no reference to Gaelic could be found, no specific mention of the needs of islands.
The request is sign-up, and find the detail out later, the stakes are too high! The benefits can’t be determined. Are you sure this proposal will do no harm’ or address perceived problems?
What do chairs of parent councils say?
There are no terms and conditions, no detail, we can’t safely take the risk!
We have no training, no support, no way of sharing a balance of information with parents, no way of making an informed decision.
Some involved such as parent council chairs are asking, why have we been allocated the job of delivering this? Have others said no?
We are weighed downed by information, mistrusting, we feel manipulated, excluded, and patronised . Will it solve existing problems or simple carry them over to a new model? W don’t know.
The Argyll and Bute Parent Council Network is a voluntary group representing chairs, and they have linked up with Wise4all, and we are working collaboratively for better process that is fair/equal, inclusive consultation that ‘does no harm”, that is risk assessed and evidence based.
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