We had heard from a range of reliable sources that Head Teachers had been circulated with a cry for help from the council’s education department – to progress the school closure proposals., a case of a gamekeeper invited to turn poacher.
We have now received from an anonymous source a copy of the call to the Head Teachers – copied below. Applications closed on 12th January.
It is for a secondment of up to six months: ‘to support the Executive Director and Head of Service to take forward the School Estate Review’.
This is an unprecedented admission of a wholly incapable department.
It is more than well staffed, with no fewer than eleven – eleven – highly expensive (£55k per annum) Quality Improvement Officers (QIOs) who should be doing this work – yet they need urgently to bring in a Head Teacher for short term help. It could not demonstrate more clearly that Argyll does not need any of these people and that it is only the teachers who know what they are doing.
The QIO’s are answerable to Head of Service, Carol Walker who herself answers to Executive Director Cleland Sneddon.
Sneddon is almost nine months into his job and has not yet successfully given birth. But he is the senior officer responsible for what has arguably been the most damaging episode in the council’s history.
What Head Teacher would dream of taking on a job like this? Helping to improve the case for closure of the schools in which their colleagues teach? This job could not be more toxic? How could any teaching staff work with such a person in the future, when their loyalties had been so openly declared?
There is one ambitious teacher whose card we’ve marked and whose moves we’re watching here. We know exactly what the game may and we’re on the case.
The Job Description
‘Up to 6 month secondment to support the Executive Director and Head of Service to take forward the School Estate Review.
‘This post is a short term secondment to support the implementation of the School Estate Strategy. It will involve:
- Liaising with local Elected Members and all other stakeholders to ensure there is a consistency of approach to the management of the overall process
- Defining and coordinating the work of the Project Team to review the Council’s school estate.
- Liaising with the Quality Improvement Team with regard to the School Estate Strategy
- Assuming a key role in the management of the Strategy
- Quality assuring all documentation relating to this Strategy
- Briefing Senior Members and Council Officers on the progress of the consultation process
‘This post will involve variable hours and travel including the attendance at all public meetings. Excellent presentation and communication skills are deemed essential for this post.
‘It is anticipated that this post will be based in Argyll House, Dunoon.
‘If you wish any additional information regarding this post please contact Carol Walker, Head of Service by email carol.walker@argyll-bute.gov.uk or by telephone 01369 70 8525.
‘Expressions of interest should be intimated to Carol Walker, Head of Service by e-mail carol.walker@argyll-bute.gov.uk no later than Wednesday 12th January 2011 by 5pm.’
Meanwhile will there be backfill or maybe an acting up post at the school that this head teacher is seconded from? At cost of course.
A&B have made it cateogrically clear already that they do not like their staff ‘talking out of school’ (for choice of an apt if somewhat obvious phrase) and maybe this move is further designed to put the fear into education staff. It is hard to believe that, within the confines of their schools and wider educational circles, teachers have not discussed the school closure proposals in some depth over the past 8 weeks.
Now the Council are looking for direct access to someone who would be be privy to who said what, and when and to whom – or am I being too cynical?
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nope integrity , i dont think your being too cynical , i think you are not being cynical enough
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……and just what is Carol Walker doing sitting on her huge salary?
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and basing an Argyll wide post in Dunoon, really makes logistical and financial sense — NOT.
Mind you, it might suggest that they already have someone in mind, who is already living down there?
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Argyll House is where the Education Department is based which explains why it is based there.
Why the post is required is an entirely more dfficult question.
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You would have thought there were enough bodies to carry out the allotted tasks in the education department with all the highly paid guys allready in situ. Why another huge salary at this stage – obvious its not their money they’re playing with here.
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thanks Integrity
Mind you that only confirms that the post should be anywhere else BUT !
The whole thing just more beggars belief; just when one thinks ABC have scraped the barrel of improbity, they just find another way to prove us wrong.
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WALKER AND SNEDDON MUST GO. If ever more proof were needed of the incompetence of this administration and its executive, then this is it. Exactly how much are the Ed. Dept. prepared to pay for these thirty pieces of silver? Do we have any figures??? One thing is for sure though. Whoever is daft (or cynical) enough to take on this job will be a PROFESSIONAL LEPER for evermore. The whole episode would be pathetic if it were not so DISGUSTING. GRRRR
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The measure of the incompetence and failure of the Councillors to control their Leader and the Salaried staff is the fact that for almost the first time in my political career of over 60 years we are talking of resignations and sackings of Civil (supposedly) Servants. This normally occurs after criminal cases have been disposed of, only. The normal worst that happens is that the Political masters take the rap with the voters and the staff are “promoted” sideways , or allowed to retire on reasonable terms.
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can we propose someone for this job?
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How about ‘Shaggy’ as they clearly don’t have a scooby
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Newsroom,
“Sneddon is almost nine months into his job and has not yet successfully given birth.”
thank you for providing one of the most frightening images and the funniest statements I’ve heard in a long time, really cheered me up!
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Here’s a scarier one from the article about James Robb’s challenging questions:
According to Newsroom, Dick Walsh is wearing the Emperor’s New Clothes ie naked
Yukkkk!! Thank you very much! That is not a mental pic I want to see!
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jan/24/uyeasound-rural-school-closures
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I found out today how many people applied for the post. If my information is right (and I have no reason to believe it isn’t) take a number between 0 and 1 and round it down.
Yep, not a single one.
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For Integrity? Not in the Independents: That says a lot for the integrity of Argyll’s teachers. Neither near retirement nor young ambition were seduced.
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The phrase “ten foot barge pole” comes to mind. Two thumbs up for the teachers.
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