Letters / Nationwide school funding approach will ‘inevitably come’
Whilst I agree with Mr Smith that a Scotland-wide approach to school funding may not be appropriate for Shetland, it will inevitably come. (SIC raises concerns over future school funding; SN, 2/10/17).
As such Shetland must secure extra funding for certain aspects of school life that cause extra financial pressure that other partner local authorities do not have. The questions being put forward are not the right ones, they can be easily answered by anyone who has been a school governor under the new system.
Larger schools will have a business or financial manager. The titles and procedures may be different but the system will be similar – a governing body will run the school with the head teacher being equal to the other members consisting of teachers, parents, the local community and the business community.
There will be several committees including premises, financial, personnel etc. The finances of the school will be dealt with the business manager, who reports to the financial committee, who then in turn report to the full governing body.
The financial committee will have people with suitable financial experience to help with the smooth running. It can not be argued that this would be a problem for smaller schools as the systems in place are encouraging schools to join forces and be governed together. Not always neighbouring schools but schools that have common interests or high attainment.
Perhaps before you hand your documents objecting to the new initiatives, you need to find quite a few of the answers from people in Shetland that have already dealt with the English system as they will be the same. The job losses to SIC will be not be substantial or noticeable. So please get it right.
Tricia Stronach,
Upper Pund,
East Burrafirth
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