Blueprint for Education Update - Closures Again - Aith

[shetlandpeat]

The UK Gov have a system in place where a community group could take over the running of various services. I wonder, is there the will to do it here? Doubt it!

[Para Handy]

80 million from the snp just for a school

so I hear what are they building the ninth wonder of the world

Knowing Lerwick yes would be the answer to that

[paulb]

The UK Gov have a system in place where a community group could take over the running of various services. I wonder, is there the will to do it here? Doubt it!

 

we asked the scottish goverment that very question if free schools were legal in scotland.

[crofter]

The UK Gov have a system in place where a community group could take over the running of various services. I wonder, is there the will to do it here? Doubt it!

 

we asked the scottish goverment that very question if free schools were legal in scotland.

 

Have you had a reply?

 

This is what Mike Russell said last November, the problem I see is the word "guidance" - the SIC will just ignore it.

 

A working group has been created to draw up revised guidance that will ensure local authorities fully explore all alternatives to rural school closures.

 

Announcing the membership of the new group, Education Secretary Michael Russell said:

 

"Rural schools are part of the fabric of education provision in Scotland. I am proud of the legislation we introduced to offer greater protection to rural schools and which gives parents stronger rights than ever before.

 

"However I am concerned that some rural communities that face losing their schools feel alternative proposals they put forward are being ignored or overlooked. That's why I recently announced plans to look again at the consultation process and to ensure that all alternatives are properly examined, tested and - where they hold water - accepted.

 

"This new working group will bring together all the key players to draw up robust, workable guidance for local authorities. Once in place it will offer further reassurance to communities that the financial constraints facing Scotland does not make school closures inevitable."

[paulb]

nope just an auto from their media folks. asked the same question to our mp and msp still looking for them to get back as well. odd why its so diffrent up here. most private schools are charging about 9k for a day pupil and this is with meals but minus the extras after school stuff. if the private sector can do it for 9 and make a profit we do have questions for SIC.

[shetlandpeat]

Schools that have opted out here have lower teacher requirements. They are not subject to all the regulations a state school would have to adhere to. They also get monies from other incomes. It would be hard to compare the two. Private schools also select their pupils. Something that cannot be done for education of the masses. Perhaps parents could contribute, many at my old school would get additional tutoring paid for by parents. You would need to add weighting to fairly compare the two systems.

[Guest]

If people keep on whinging and protesting about every single proposed school closure, nothing will ever happen and Shetland will continue to descend into the financial mire that it has got itself into because of the Rolls-Royce mentality that has been prevalent ever since the oil money arrived.

 

Yes a school on your doorstep is much easier than having to travel further afield, but if the money's not there - guess what - THE MONEY'S NOT THERE.

 

Work WITH the council to find a solution or compromise instead of getting the placards and petitions out at the first possible opportunity. Find some positive things about going to Lerwick instead of a rural Junior High that will never have the same range of facilities or opportunities. Anyone with sporting talents would benefit from having the the Clickimin next door for example.

 

You may not have the council providing everything you want from now on, but that doesn't mean the world will go to hell in a handcart.

[unlinkedstudent]

If people keep on whinging and protesting about every single proposed school closure, nothing will ever happen and Shetland will continue to descend into the financial mire that it has got itself into because of the Rolls-Royce mentality that has been prevalent ever since the oil money arrived.

 

Yes a school on your doorstep is much easier than having to travel further afield, but if the money's not there - guess what - THE MONEY'S NOT THERE.

 

Work WITH the council to find a solution or compromise instead of getting the placards and petitions out at the first possible opportunity. Find some positive things about going to Lerwick instead of a rural Junior High that will never have the same range of facilities or opportunities. Anyone with sporting talents would benefit from having the the Clickimin next door for example.

 

You may not have the council providing everything you want from now on, but that doesn't mean the world will go to hell in a handcart.

 

 

Some points I agree with you on, but others - nope!

 

Thankfully, my son is now in his twenties so I'm not having to face the current situation many peeps on here find themselves now in.

 

I do find it difficult to understand the arguments concerning transporting teenagers to attend school in Lerwick, given that the school I went to covered approximately a 15 mile radius and at least 500 pupils arrived/departed via bus. On the days that the town was snowed in, they kipped in the sports hall. That was in a rural location.

 

My own son coped with travelling on the London bus network and some of his class mates travelled via the tube to get to school. Again, it wasn't uncommon for the school journey to take over an hour.

 

Did it kill them? Did they get naff examination results? Nope, in the above instances.

 

That said, I don't believe younger children, say those at junior schools, would cope so well with a daily commute of around an hour. However, if education isn't provided via digital means/remote teaching, then I fail to see how it can be prudent to keep schools open where there is a very small school roll and I don't buy the argument that the kids will be traumatised by staying in the hostel, etc. You ain't telling me that there aren't some parents out there who aren't going to cry, "Result! A whole 5 days with no kids in the house!" If you portray it as a bad idea, your children will pick up on the bad vibes whereas many places in the world treat it as the norm.

 

What I do have concerns about though is those children with SEN and wonder as to how much thought has been given to those concerning not only support within the school but also relating to the transport situation/hostel accommodation.

 

Paulb makes valid points regarding the private sector and it reminded me that there are also a lot of church schools down south - forgive my ignorance but are there any church schools here and if not, perhaps this might be a way forward for perhaps at least one area to consider?

[Shoogler]

nope just an auto from their media folks. asked the same question to our mp and msp still looking for them to get back as well. odd why its so diffrent up here. most private schools are charging about 9k for a day pupil and this is with meals but minus the extras after school stuff. if the private sector can do it for 9 and make a profit we do have questions for SIC.

 

this is interesting for comparative cost purposes - however, the private sector is just that. It is paid for privately, not out of the public purse. Unless you are suggesting that people in Shetland pay for a school to stay open then I am not sure why you are using this analogy.

 

The only way to drop down the cost of delivering education in Shetland is to reduce the staff levels and/or find a cheaper delivery method (using technology of whatever kind). On top of that, the next bigg cost is the buildings themselves - so a few less is the way to go.

[paulb]

What im trying to say in my ham fisted way is that the council does not always need to be the service provider.

 

if we look for example at most social care provision in England/Wales they provide the funding that the law says and the independent sector supplies the service.

 

now if its education why can't the same concept apply. it goes against my left wing views but if a private sector provider was willing to provide the service at 9k or a discount then that must save a heap of money. its a long way from how its been done in the past but it could work.

 

did we all hear the idea of the doctors moving to the primary school in scalloway. on the radio this evening.

 

this raises questions.

 

whats the cost of converting the secondary to primary use.

 

does that then not make a joke of their cost saving having to run a bigger school half empty. is this the first step in the super primary in scalloway.

[Guest posiedon]

unlinkedstudent

Paulb makes valid points regarding the private sector and it reminded me that there are also a lot of church schools down south - forgive my ignorance but are there any church schools here and if not, perhaps this might be a way forward for perhaps at least one area to consider?

Are you having a laugh!?

There aren't any "sectarian" schools here (as far as I know) and long may that continue.

It's one of the best things about Shetland.

 

Oh, and sectarian schools are not in the private sector, they are funded by me (the tax payer)

[unlinkedstudent]

Are you having a laugh!?

There aren't any "sectarian" schools here (as far as I know) and long may that continue.

It's one of the best things about Shetland.

 

Oh, and sectarian schools are not in the private sector, they are funded by me (the tax payer)

 

The church schools I visited in London were nothing like the church schools of old. For example, science is now taught 'scientifically' as opposed to the God created blurb that was spouted out yonks ago. I'm not a fan of religion in education at all but by the same token, I'm not a lover of corporate companies sponsoring schools (or should I say academies?) either.

 

I never said church schools were in the private sector; clock the word "reminded" in my post.

[Deorccwen]

I honestly think private sector providers are a terrible idea. You can't get more for less: if they're trying to provide kids with an education *and* make a profit, you know that it's the education or other provision for the kids that's going to suffer, not the profits.

 

Besides, a private provider would only take on a potentially profitable school, and if it is potentially profitable, then the council should hang onto it and make it profitable itself.

 

Private companies are not answerable to the people they (supposedly) serve in the way that a council or other government is, and they *will* take advantage, take the profit, and run when it doesn't suit them anymore, leaving devastation behind them.

[Guest Lone Wolf]

If people keep on whinging and protesting about every single proposed school closure, nothing will ever happen and Shetland will continue to descend into the financial mire that it has got itself into because of the Rolls-Royce mentality that has been prevalent ever since the oil money arrived.

 

Yes a school on your doorstep is much easier than having to travel further afield, but if the money's not there - guess what - THE MONEY'S NOT THERE.

 

Work WITH the council to find a solution or compromise instead of getting the placards and petitions out at the first possible opportunity. Find some positive things about going to Lerwick instead of a rural Junior High that will never have the same range of facilities or opportunities. Anyone with sporting talents would benefit from having the the Clickimin next door for example.

 

You may not have the council providing everything you want from now on, but that doesn't mean the world will go to hell in a handcart.

 

 

 

 

 

Hooray, I was beginning to think I was the only one who thought that way. I am shocked by the level of whinging that incessantly goes on in Shetland. There are a very many capable and driven people in both the private and public sectors in Shetland and they endeavour to make things better for everyone. However, their resolve is constantly undermined by those that want to have things handed to them on a plate.

 

Some of the decisions I don't agree with, but to constantly say, "oh you can't stop this", "you can't do that", "you musn't close the other" drives me round the bend. Something has to happen!

 

The forefathers of Shetland had to work a damned sight harder than any of their 21st Century descendants for half the luxuries we now have. There is an obvious alternative if Shetland becomes such a dreadful place to live as the whingers are making out - leave! Let those enterpreneurs that want to drive Shetland forward do so without the voices of the incessant whingers pounding in their ears.

 

There are even individuals from all over the country now telling us and our Council how we should be spending our money. What the hell has it got to do with them. Let them spend their money as they want to and we'll spend ours as we see fit.

[PressedCurdsOfMilk]

So, when you've sent all the incessant whingers south on the boat you can get on and fix all the problems and spend all the money as you see fit?... Genius!