Yell folk sceptical over blueprint
PARENTS of children in Yell are sceptical about their views over the future of schools provision being taken seriously, despite an SIC agreement to take forward its blueprint for education with a fresh round of consultation.
Members of the SIC’s services committee moved to consult with parents across the isles on a range of educational issues when they met at the Town Hall last Thursday.
North Isles councillor Laura Baisley said recent experiences following the “fiasco” of the controversial shared headship pilot scheme meant parents in Yell would have a very dim view of any consultative process.
She said the views of parents in the isle were ignored when the unpopular scheme between Cullivoe Primary School and Mid Yell Junior High was first introduced.
Fellow North Isles member Josie Simpson said it was “important” to get out to rural areas to seek views from parents in smaller schools.
But Mrs Baisley said consultation would be treated with a degree of scepticism by parents in Yell.
“Consultation has been spoken about along the way, but when it comes to consultation with parents in Yell, you’ll find them less than confident about the results being taken on board, especially after the fiasco of shared headships.
“People will be very cynical about the consultation process.”
This will be the third time the council has consulted with the public on education in recent years.
A full consultation report will go back to the services committee in January, although head of education Helen Budge said progress reports could be provided before then.
