Comments on Ed Balls’s remarks

Judging by the emails coming into headquarters, school leaders were as angry as ASCL's officers with Ed Balls's remarks about saving money by reducing the number of school leaders. Following are a selection of the comments received in response to ASCL's statement about the direct link between strong leadership teams and the quality of education.

"You are expressing the rage that must be felt by school leaders across the country. In an age when the DCSF dumps initiative after initiative upon us, how on earth do they think we can put any of it into practice (if indeed it is worth putting into practice) without the support of a full leadership team! I suggest savings are made by reducing the number of bureaucrats that dream up the impossible initiatives that keep increasing our workload!"
Theo Nickson, Hertfordshire

"Well said John (Dunford) - and congratulations on the speed of response. In a week when we were unable to hold a full senior leadership team meeting because of ensuring that 'rarely cover' works, whilst preparing for Ofsted, analysing examination results, targeting intervention, supervising the revised lunchtime arrangements on a wet lunchtime and debating how on earth to recruit the extra midday supervisors and cover supervisors we need - they can federate me with the DCSF and perhaps I'll have someone else to share the workload!"
Anonymous

"This week we have the SIP (school improvement partner) jumping up and down on us because our English and maths results dropped - hardly surprising when both were without proper classrooms all of last year because of a multi-phase BSF refurb/remodel project. Federate me with anyone and let them try to do better."
Christine Wright, South Shields

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