Snail's Pace

The other day a head teacher in a Scottish school - Knowepark Primary in Selkirk - was removed from her £60,000 a year job following claims about poor education standards.

Apparently the head teacher Cathy Mady - was ousted after school inspectors spent two days at the school - which had been heavily criticised in reports going back four years.

Which begs the obvious question:

'How could it possibly take the authorities four years to act?' 

Not least because four years represents more than half the time a child would spend at primary school.

Yet the local council - Scottish Borders Council - allowed the situation to drag on for years before taking decisive action.

School inspectors visited Knowepark Primary - which has 300 pupils - in 2008, 2010 and 2011 and demanded improvements after each visit.

The Scottish Borders Council says that the head teacher is still employed in education - by the council - but they refuse to say what she is doing in return for her salary - or if she is going to face disciplinary action.

Better late than never I suppose - but it seems incredible to me that the local council should have taken such a long time to step in - and do the right thing by the children. 

I wonder what the the parents were told? 

I would have though that school inspectors should have a duty to inform and meet with parents - to discuss their concerns about an under-performing school.

But I suspect the opposite is true.

In my experience the education establishment likes to close ranks on these occasions - instead of involving parents whose voice is of paramount importance - if the interests of children really are to be put first.