Better - but Not Good Enough

4.27.05pm GMT Fri 10th Mar 2006

Parents are going to be the major losers in the slash-and-burn approach of the Tory BDR

Head Teachers and educationalists were appalled by Surrey County Council's intention to remove 14 posts and make all four Surrey Local Education Officer teams redundant as part of the Business Delivery Review.

Local Education Officers do important work that depends on their being seen as experts, representing the Local Education Authority and independent of individual schools. They support and mediate when a school or parent has a problem with the education system, and guide the response to major emergencies involving schools. From the small intervention of advising a parent about admissions to more serious emergencies such as making sure schools would look after children when parents could not collect them on time after the 7th July terrorist attacks in London, the Local Education Officers stop unavoidable problems turning into avoidable disasters. They also know their areas so well that they have a significant role in planning future educational provision.

"We have repeatedly questioned this proposal in Committee and Full Council" said Diana Smith, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Schools and Communities on Surrey County Council. "I'm glad there has been some back-tracking, and the proposal now is for two Education Officer teams covering the whole of Surrey, but still with only six posts. Surrey's Contact Centre will deal with inquiries from the public to do with admissions, appeals and complaints, and schools may be asked to pay £1,000 a year for an insurance-style 'traded service'."

She added: "An extended telephone service sounds like a good idea, but not in the context of this rush to reduce staff numbers. Not all schools will buy back in. Parents are going to be major losers in this. It is typical of the whole slash-and-burn approach of the Business Delivery Review"