Heads give the cold shoulder to county quiz

COUNCILLORS are disappointed after more than half of the county's schools failed to return a questionnaire intended to be used to monitor council services.

Only 77 headteachers out of a total of 240 chose to complete the forms and sent them back to Buckinghamshire County Council.

The questionnaires are expected to be discussed at the next meeting of the council's services to schools committee to assess its performance in the area.

Cllr Margaret Dewar (Con, Beaconsfield), schools sub-committee chairman, said: 'The more we know about the views of headteachers the better we can serve them and put our finances and resources in those areas.

'We have got to listen to the professionals.

'The county councillors are not professionals. They are policy makers. It is the heads that hold the key to success and can tell us where we are going wrong.

'It is vital they return the questionnaires so we know what they are thinking. It is all part of seeing us as a caring county.'

David Shaw, the council's senior education officer, said service providers were in constant contact with schools.

He added: 'There will be vigorous follow-ups, especially with those schools that have said there is some dissatisfaction.

'We are going to ask for our service managers to prepare an action plan over the issues raised and a plan for future years.'

A copy of the action plan will be sent to all headteachers.

Retired Dr Challoner's head John Loarridge, 77, said he was not surprised headteachers failed to respond and criticised the council's education department for sending out 'faceless questionnaires' to schools.

Mr Loarridge, who represents the diocese for Church of England schools on the committee, said: 'If 77 schools replied then 163 did not.

'I think officers should go and see those 163, talk to them and turn faceless questionnaires into living people to whom they can chat.'

The county's director of education, David McGahey, said that although the response had been less than last year, it still provided important information to identify key issues.

He added: 'I can only assume the schools that did not respond are happy with the services we provide.

Heads give the cold shoulder to county quiz

COUNCILLORS are disappointed after more than half of the county's schools failed to return a questionnaire intended to be used to monitor council services.

Only 77 headteachers out of a total of 240 chose to complete the forms and sent them back to Buckinghamshire County Council.

The questionnaires are expected to be discussed at the next meeting of the council's services to schools committee to assess its performance in the area.

Cllr Margaret Dewar (Con, Beaconsfield), schools sub-committee chairman, said: 'The more we know about the views of headteachers the better we can serve them and put our finances and resources in those areas.

'We have got to listen to the professionals.

'The county councillors are not professionals. They are policy makers. It is the heads that hold the key to success and can tell us where we are going wrong.

'It is vital they return the questionnaires so we know what they are thinking. It is all part of seeing us as a caring county.'

David Shaw, the council's senior education officer, said service providers were in constant contact with schools.

He added: 'There will be vigorous follow-ups, especially with those schools that have said there is some dissatisfaction.

'We are going to ask for our service managers to prepare an action plan over the issues raised and a plan for future years.'

A copy of the action plan will be sent to all headteachers.

Retired Dr Challoner's head John Loarridge, 77, said he was not surprised headteachers failed to respond and criticised the council's education department for sending out 'faceless questionnaires' to schools.

Mr Loarridge, who represents the diocese for Church of England schools on the committee, said: 'If 77 schools replied then 163 did not.

'I think officers should go and see those 163, talk to them and turn faceless questionnaires into living people to whom they can chat.'

The county's director of education, David McGahey, said that although the response had been less than last year, it still provided important information to identify key issues.

He added: 'I can only assume the schools that did not respond are happy with the services we provide.