School boards want assurances over head teacher appointments

However, the move is likely to be resisted by head teachers.

School boards currently have a legal right to help make appointments and will seek assurances over their role in the future.

Education Minister Peter Peacock recently promised new leadership training for head teachers.

He said new head teachers could bring a fresh approach to schools and help them to improve their performance.

Ministers believe head teachers are the key to improving schools and they want to make it easier for local authorities to appoint the best staff.

However, that could mean more interviews and a decline in the influence of school boards.

We need to look at the implications of changing that legislation and what that would do to head teacher appointments Education Minister Peter Peacock

It is thought the boards would want assurances that they would still have a say in who gets the top jobs.

Alex Easton, president of the Head Teachers' Association, said it was difficult to recruit head teachers in the present climate.

Parents have the legal right to have at least one of them on a school board's appointment committee.

The education minister plans to change the law on school boards.

He said: "At the moment, appointments are in part governed by school board legislation which owes its origin to a different time in our history.

"We're looking at that legislation over the next six months and we need to look at the implications of changing that legislation and what that would do to head teacher appointments.

'More Bureaucracy'

"But that's a matter for discussions with head teachers and local authorities about what the implications might be."

Alan Smith, of the School Boards' Association, said parents may not be happy with the minister's plans.

He said: "I would be concerned if local authorities were suddenly taking head teachers out of a school where they are operating very well, to parachute them into a school that's not doing so well.

"I can understand the rationale behind it but how is that void going to be filled?"

Ministers hope to make recruitment more rigorous by the end of next year.

Scottish Conservative education spokesman, James Douglas Hamilton, said political interference was resulting in powers being taken away from school boards and parents.

He said: "This move will simply mean that there is more bureaucracy in the selection process for head teachers and that local politicians can interfere more.

"This executive needs to listen to the voices of parents and stop trying to take decisions for them."