Headteacher calls for fewer initiatives
Jun 30 2008 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal
PRIMARY schools should say no to Government initiatives if they want to be successful, according to a leading headteacher from the North.
In a report for the National College for School Leadership, Alan Thomas, headteacher at Hetton Lyons Primary School in Hetton-le-Hole, Houghton-le-Spring, calls for a reduction in the number of initiatives coming from central Government.
His report – Long Lasting Success: Creating strategic and sustainable primary schools – was based on interviews with successful headteachers in six areas: Newcastle, Gateshead, Durham, Sunderland, Darlington and Middlesbrough.
It found that experienced headteachers were “brave enough” to say no to initiatives, but they were concerned for inexperienced heads or heads of schools in difficulty who “may not have the strength to say no”.
Mr Thomas also found concerns that not enough teachers were wanting to go on to leadership positions in schools.
He said: “I think the relationship between schools and the Government is, on the whole, a healthy one.
“They pour a huge amount of resources into the system and they are raising aspirations but I think schools suffer from too many initiatives.
“I think schools in general would welcome a reduction in the number of initiatives and it would help make the system more sustainable.
“Some heads end up giving up – they’re tired and worn out. I think the expectation on schools is tremendous and it’s about building leadership capacity for the future.
“From my research it was clear that the leadership of the heads and the teachers themselves were key. If there were fewer Government initiatives that might help with recruitment.”
Mr Thomas’ report concluded that schools “should make greater use of strategic abandonment” – that they should be quicker to reject initiatives for the good of the school. He cited examples of headteachers refusing to use a pupil tracking system and ICT software, while one head had rejected involvement in the Intensive Support Programme because it harmed staff morale.
He also quotes a village school headteacher who said: “I thought it was getting too much. I didn’t want to be involved in the neighbourhood nurseries. If I have to deliver these things, I’ll do it in my own time and in my own way.
Mr Thomas added: “You have to be careful as a head. Our core service is delivering high quality education and I feel you’ve got to keep your finger on the button. At the end of the day, if the quality of education is affected, at this school we would get our knuckles rapped.”
A spokeswoman for the Department of Children, Schools and Families said the Government was preparing to introduce curriculum changes this September which would free up teachers to focus on their own priorities.
She added: “We disagree though that there are too many initiatives at school. We make no apology for trying to improve the education of young people.”
