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Balls warned
In brief
Flu resource
A swine flu resource has been
published to help teachers to
educate and inform students.
Biomedical research charity,
over £2 billion
The Wellcome Trust, has used
the latest edition of its teachers’
resource, The Big Picture, to focus
on the history of flu pandemics,
the origins of swine flu, vaccines,
and scientific research. It comes
at the same time as Teachers TV
spending cuts
aired a series of programmes on
swine flu. Visit: www.wellcome.
ac.uk/flu and www.teachers.tv/
series/swineflu
11 to 19 guidance
The latest 11 to 19 curriculum
Reports by Chris Parr
members of the National Union of welcome Mr Balls’ commitment to support document has been
Teachers striking last year. maintaining the number of teachers published offering schools
The minister also pledged to and teaching assistants. guidance on how to select and
Education chief Ed Balls has been make savings in his department, However, she questioned the focus on their own priorities for
warned of the “potentially disastrous and to cut the number of bureau- value of “executive headteachers”, curriculum development. The
consequences” of his proposed cuts crats advising schools on matters who take charge over two or more Qualifications and Curriculum
in education spending. such as the curriculum. schools as part of the federating Development Agency published
On Sunday (September 20), Mr However, Dr John Dunford, process. From Implementation to
Balls became the first government general secretary of the Association She said: “The enormous growth Development on Tuesday
minister to outline how their depart- of School and College Leaders, in consultant or executive headteach- (September 22). It looks in
ment will save money if Labour said it was “manifestly false” to ers, roaming the country being paid particular at how schools “should
Photography
wins the next election. claim that the number of heads and six-figure salaries to offer advice on be making the curriculum a
Hill
He claimed that £2 billion senior leaders could be cut without school improvement, has yet to be central and integral part of its
could be cut from the education damaging teaching quality. demonstrated as having any educa- strategy for improvement”. Visit:
Steve
budget by creating more federated He said: “There are good rea- tional value. These and other exam- http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/
state schools with over-arching sons why some comprehensive ples of inefficient and inappropriate
Photos: leadership teams, and by keeping schools federate, but it would be use of funding must be tackled.”
pay rises low when the next three- disastrous if this policy is pursued Her comments on this issue
NCSL is changing
year pay deal comes into effect in by the government as a means of came after last week’s Trades Union The National College for
What do you think?
2011. saving money on school leadership Congress annual conference, when School Leadership (NCSL) has
The minister stressed that there positions. It is, in any case, a false a motion was passed calling for a become the National College
were no plans to reduce the number assumption. “review of the financial account- for Leadership of Schools and
of “frontline staff” or increase class “Federations can promote effi- ability mechanisms for all schools”, Children’s Services. The name
On this page and page 1 this week, SecEd looks at a number sizes. However, he did concede ciency with economies of scale on and for clear criteria regarding any change reflects the extension of
of stories that have hit the news surrounding school budgets, that, in addition to streamlining procurement, information technol- additional payments to heads (see its remit to include responsibility
leadership salaries, and the overall financing of schools. Here we leadership teams, schools would be ogy and sharing resources, but not below for the full report). for providing training and
summarise some of the responses we have received from readers. expected to reduce the number of on leadership.” Ms Keates also claimed that sav- support for directors of children’s
“bureaucrats” they employ. He added: “Governing bodies of ings could be made with individual services. Steve Munby, chief
Reaction to plans to slash education spending (see right): Speaking to the BBC about federated schools should not – and, school budgets, saying that millions executive, said: “Our extended
“A major thrust of the story was in reducing the number of senior federated schools, Mr Balls said: in practice, do not – reduce the size of pounds are being “stockpiled in remit builds on the success of
leaders. It would appear that the number of senior leaders have grown “Under the headteacher there’s dep- of leadership teams because they school balances rather than spent our continued work to support
over the last 15 years but this is in direct response to the government’s uties, there’s assistant headteachers, recognise that a successful transi- on pupils”. leaders in schools.” Visit: www.
many initiatives. If the number of senior leaders are going to be reduced, and what we can do is pool leader- tion into a federated institution can However, Dr Dunford respond- nationalcollege.org.uk
who is going to make the judgements for SEFs, who will lead specialist ship together and that can free up only take place if there is effective ed: “While a small number of
schools initiatives, who will work on collaborations to facilitate the resource as well.” leadership.” school balances are excessive, the
Diploma, who will develop extended services, or implement VLEs, and On pay rises, Mr Balls promised Chris Keates, general secretary vast majority are because schools
Society snaps
who will seek out the funds through writing bids? It is a ridiculous and to be “tough”, sparking concerns of the NASUWT, also warned that are saving for particular projects or A national photography
ill-thought-out proposal. Purely a sound bite for party political reasons.” that the 2011 pay deal could see cuts in education spending would be are wisely keeping a reserve against competition is calling for 16
Paul Ainsworth, deputy head, Belvoir High School, Leicestershire teachers offered less than the 2.45 a false economy, with “potentially the rainy day that we know will to 19-year-olds to give their
per cent annual rise that led to disastrous consequences”, but did come in 2011.” viewpoint of British society. The
“Frankly, I think heads and senior leadership teams will be disappointed Learning and Skills Improvement
and insulted by the secretary of state’s comments. I’ve been on a
bureaucrat hunt round my school this morning – but haven’t found any
yet. Is he suggesting the crazy number of hours senior leaders work
TUC motion sparks
Service is asking youngsters to
take a photograph that addresses
the competition’s title question:
is unnecessary or simply misplaced?” Jacques Szemalikowski, head, The Real Picture: Strong
Hampstead School, London Communities or Broken Society?
“How will they square ‘over-arching leadership teams of federated
schools’ with low pay rises if they intend to recruit the best? And how
‘bonus culture’ debate
The most striking images will
be shortlisted and exhibited at
Portcullis House in London on
and when did the workforce reform agenda which they championed March 9, 2010. Visit: www.
become ‘excessive bureaucrats’? Ben Greene, deputy head, Newstead At the same time as education chief challenging situations, while retain- we don’t know who is being paid post16citizenship.org
Wood School for Girls, Bromley Ed Balls set out his proposed educa- ing the headship of their current for what. There’s this whole area
tion spending cuts, a row was erupt- school. of work called ‘school support and
Reaction to the row over the so-called “bonus culture” (see right): ing over executive headteachers The upper limit on the statutory advice’, and it is generally accepted
Author shortlist
“For me, one large comprehensive with 1,500 students and over 150 and the increasing “bonus culture” national pay scale for school lead- that struggling schools benefit from Acclaimed author, Neil Gaiman
staff is more than enough people to get to know and influence. Ours is a in school pay deals. ers is currently £102,734 (outside help that comes from people out- joins five other writers who
‘people industry’, and I regard personal relationships as key. I could not At the Trades Union Congress London), but since 2008, education side. have been shortlisted for the
envisage being head of a school that I would only occasionally visit.” annual conference in Liverpool last salary scales have allowed extra “So we get these wonderful Booktrust Teenage Prize 2009.
Mike Griffiths, head, Northampton School for Boys, Northampton week, the Association of Teachers payments to heads who run more consultant heads, but they need to The awards, which celebrate
and Lecturers (ATL) tabled a motion than one school. decide what their job is. If they the best contemporary writing
“There are so-called super heads, whose salaries exceed the agreed calling for a “review of the finan- The ATL claims there is evi- are in charge of a school, then they for teenagers will see Gaiman’s
national pay-scales. There is also too much at the governors’ discretion, cial accountability mechanisms for dence that some leaders are receiv- should be paid as a headteacher, and latest work, The Graveyard Book,
so that you can have similarly located schools, of similar sizes, with all schools”, and for clear criteria ing bonuses as well. every school must have a head – but compete for a £2,500 cheque
similar issues to address where the heads’ salary ranges vary enormously regarding any additional payments However, Dr John Dunford, only one.” and trophy at a ceremony to be
but remain within the guidelines.” Peggy Farrington, head, Hanham to headteachers. general secretary of the Association ATL’s motion, which was held in London on November 18.
High School, Bristol General secretary, Dr Mary of School and College Leaders, passed, included an amendment by Visit: www.bookheads.org.uk
Bousted, said they did not object told SecEd he thought the motion the NASUWT calling for a statu-
Reaction to criticism of schools’ budget surpluses (see front page): to heads being paid a fair wage, was misleading, and refuted the tory duty to be placed on all schools
“The idea that schools hoard money comes from politicians who still but warned that if a bonus culture claims that heads were being paid to publish annual details of the pay
Academy award
don’t trust us to run our own budgets. If a school ‘carries forward’ manifested itself in schools, there bonuses. and rewards of headteachers and The Folkestone Academy
spending, it can only be for a good reason, based on planning would be a range of new highly He said: “It is completely wrong other school leaders. in Kent has won £5,000 in
and approved by governors.” Ray Tarleton, head, South Dartmoor paid leadership jobs which would to confuse additional payments for The trend for heads oversee- recognition of its healthy eating
Community College, Devon have little to do with children’s heads, which are modest and reflect ing multiple schools is set to con- campaign. The award is part of
education. major additional responsibilities, tinue with the introduction of the the School Food Trust’s Million
“A school that is ‘hoarding’ may have made legitimate strategic She said: “We do not want with the ridiculously high bonuses Accredited School Groups, pro- Meals campaign, which aims to
decisions to develop the school in the interests of students. A school that schools to go any further down the paid in the City. These are not posed in the recent White Paper. get a million more pupils eating
is in deficit may simply be badly managed.” Melvyn Roffe, principal, road towards becoming businesses. bonuses, they are additional sal- These groups place increased school meals by 2010. Every
Wymondham College, Norfolk And we do not want a generation of ary for extra responsibility – often importance on headteachers’ man- month, it will give £5,000 to
school leaders who think the bot- earned through helping to support agement experience, and their track a school that has successfully
“Many schools look to build a surplus over time to either fund capital tom line has a pound sign instead other schools in challenging cir- record in improving school per- promoted healthy eating among
projects or to iron out changes in pupil numbers which can have a short- of being about public service. We cumstances.” formance. its pupils. The competition is
term devastating effect on continuity, quality and breadth of provision.” do not support the growth in execu- However, Martin Johnson, ATL But Mr Johnson added: “When open to all schools that have
Paul Scutt, head, Bishop Fox’s Community School, Somerset tive heads, consultant heads, super deputy general secretary, said there we create a system that encourages signed up to the campaign.
heads, and super duper heads.” were “insufficient checks and bal- heads to be more like businessmen, Visit: www.schoolfoodtrust.org.
Email your views to the editor: pete.henshaw@markallengroup.com Executive heads advise and ances in place on headteachers”. then we are encouraging improper uk/millionmeals
assist other schools, frequently in He continued: “The trouble is, financial conduct.”
SecEd • September 24 2009 
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