Teachers don't want parents to have more say in schoolsm, says union

Teachers have baulked at plans to increase parental consultation in school inspections, in a shake-up of how schools are measured.

• Teachers already feel parents have more than enough influence in the classroom Picture: Getty Images

Scotland's primary headteachers' union expressed concern that parents with a personal gripe can already have too much influence.

A consultation document published earlier this week by HMIe, the school inspectorate, proposes to give groups other than teachers more input.

However, Greg Dempster, general secretary of the Association of Heads and Deputes (AHDS) in Scotland, said disproportionate weight was already given to parents' views.

He said: "While parental involvement is rightly seen as an important and desirable element of school life, members have regularly expressed concerns that under existing inspection procedures, disproportionate weight is given to parent perceptions, with little right of reply afforded to schools. The proposals would appear to give greater opportunity for this to happen."

He said particularly groups of parents with gripes about specific issues add to the stress of teachers. However, he said it was very important parents were involved in schools rather than just during inspections.

He also expressed concerns about inspectors picking out individual members of staff, other than the headteacher, in the process. He added: "I would rather see inspection teams try to increase and improve communication with the headteacher and other staff throughout the inspection. This would achieve the same goal without singling out one staff member as the 'inspector's pet'."

However, parents backed the move saying their input would help find local solutions.

Eileen Prior, director of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, was part of the group consulted by HMIe on potential reforms.

She said: "We are very supportive that parents should have more input into the process. And we shouldn't think parents are always going to be negative - parents can be a great source of support for schools."