In last week’s TESS, Joan Fenton highlighted the fact that Peter Peacock finally acknowledged that job-sizing did headteachers no favours and has had serious repercussions in relation to recruitment of new heads.
Perhaps unintentionally, certainly inaccurately, her article implied that the blame should rest with the Scottish Executive. As Greg Dempster, general secretary of the Association of Heads and Deputes in Scotland, pointed out in a letter the week before, job-sizing and its implications can’t be laid solely at the door of the executive.
The Educational Institute of Scotland was, and is, in the driving seat in national negotiations, so it is only right that the bulk of the creditblame should go to them.
Combined with the fact that the EIS will always take the part of classroom teachers in any dispute with managers - even if that manager is an EIS member - it astounds me that the EIS has any headteacher or depute members left.
Bill Milligan
Headteacher
Dalmilling Primary
South Ayrshire
