Council halts plans to scrap Fife headteacher posts after huge backlash from parents

The local authority’s education service had begun consulting on a new approach for the Waid Academy cluster which could have seen the creation of a ‘super headteacher’ covering Waid and eight primary schools, and primary headteacher roles removed in favour of deputy headteacher or principal teacher posts.

The news sparked a furore in many local communities - with Anstruther, Crail, Pittenweem, St Monans, Kirkton of Largo, Lundin Mill, Colinsburgh and Elie Primary Schools all in line to be affected - and an online petition against the plans had reached over 1800 signatures first thing on Wednesday morning.

However, education chiefs revealed on Wednesday afternoon that the council will now take more time to listen to the views of local communities after concerns were raised over proposals to change leadership arrangements.

Convener of the council's Education and Children's Services sub-committee, Councillor Craig Walker, explained: "Parents and school communities have been making their views on these proposals heard over the last three weeks and I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to get involved.

"These leadership changes are aimed at improving education for all our children and young people. That has always been, and continues to be, our main priority.

"The opportunity to discuss the educational benefits and challenges of the recommended leadership models has been really helpful to us in understanding local views and perceptions.

“However, it's now clear we need more time to fully understand local concerns and make sure the proposals reflect the discussions we're having with Parent Councils and the wider community."

The council will continue to gather views on the proposals and bring back a range of leadership models for discussion at a future council meeting following the local elections in May.

Added Mr Walker: "We will then consult again in the next academic session (22/23) on a leadership model for the Waid cluster of schools.

“Current leadership arrangements across the schools in the Waid cluster will remain as they are for August 2022.

"As has always been the case, the outcome of the consultation was not predetermined, it was open and transparent as will any future discussions on this matter.

“I hope this reassures parents and school communities that our focus through all of this has, and will continue to be, supporting our school leaders and their teams to provide the best learning and teaching for all children and young people."

The news comes after parents and pupils at St Monans Primary School were the latest to stage a protest after school on Tuesday, voicing their opposition to the proposals on the table.

Mums, dads and carers were joined by local councillors Bill Porteous and Linda Holt for the event, and it followed a similar gathering at Anstruther Primary last week.

Campaigners had also produced ‘Keep the Heid’ postcards which enabled people to write comments which could then be sent on to Fife House.

Three proposed leadership models were being consulted on, the first of which would see one headteacher and two deputy heads based at Waid, Anstruther lose its headteacher and an additional deputy head teacher post added to retain three management posts there.

All the primary headteacher posts in the remaining seven primaries would be removed to create just one new headteacher post, but two new deputy headteacher posts and five principal teachers would be added.

The second model, which covers Waid and the eight primary schools, would create one ‘super head’ at Waid and four new primary deputy headteacher posts created to replace the existing joint headteachers in Colinsburgh and Elie, Kirkton of Largo and Lundin Mill, Pittenweem and St Monans and adding Crail and Anstruther.

The third model kept the arrangements at Waid separate, but would remove all the primary headteacher posts across the primary schools and create one new headteacher post.

In addition, four new primary deputy headteacher posts and four new principal teacher posts would be added.

The four deputy headteacher posts would be teaching in that approach, replacing the joint headteachers in Colinsburgh and Elie, Kirkton of Largo and Lundin Mill, Pittenweem and St Monans and adding Crail and Anstruther.

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