That unintended consequences occur as a result of the implementation of government educational policy is well documented. As the headteacher of a school with extended provision I am concerned that the unintended consequences of the children's agenda are making accountability muddled.
I embrace accountability. But I would be grateful for more guidance as to what that accountability will look like in terms of children's centres attached to schools with multi-agency provision, and in particular the private provision which we buy in as part of our childcare.
To what extent is the children's centre accountable to Ofsted for the services provided on their behalf by other agencies such as health? How are they to be held to account for their provision regarding our organisation? In short when is accountability to be ‘joined up'?
Three years ago I attended a multi-agency meeting about children's services. One clear message to those heads about to host a children's centre on site was that the centre was not to be part of the remit of the headteacher with regard to leadership and accountability. I was quite comfortable with the idea that the centre would appoint an independent manager who would be accountable to whatever system of governance was in place.
I expected that I would work in partnership with, but not be accountable for its provision. Perhaps still true, but the devil is in the detail.
Complications arise when we consider that the centre isn't quite as independent as was originally suggested. To what extent have other headteachers clarified this point with their governing body? Other questions follow from this. Are heads to be accountable for the performance of the children's centre? Are they expected to carry out the performance management of the manager of the children's centre on behalf of governors? And what about the conditions of service of those headteachers who undertake the role of children's centre manager?
We have answered these questions with job descriptions and roles identified across both parts of the organisation. I act as the performance management reviewer for our children's centre manager. This form of organisation would suggest that children's centres have effectively become departments of schools.
Line management and accountability need to be officially determined and I am not sure that all governing bodies and school leaders are aware of this. Great if all parties collaborate, but potentially a mess if they don't.
Just to muddy the waters a bit more: where do we stand when using a private nursery with separate registration situated on site for some of the delivery of childcare in the children's centre? They will be subject to inspection once as a separately registered provider and again as part of our inspection. At the very least they will impact on our inspection.
A further issue for schools with children's centres using private providers is that they are accountable for ensuring the effectiveness of the private provision of childcare on site, without the corresponding authority to lead it. Leadership through example and influence is arguably the best form of leadership but to be accountable without authority is more difficult.
It is my hope that the future will bring clarity and cohesive accountability. Why separately inspect the children's centre and the school when the governing body provides the governance of both?
Fortunately our school enjoys a close professional relationship with our children's centre, but that isn't the point. As the parameters of accountability for school leaders have not been spelt out clearly, the governing body has assumed that as a headteacher I am accountable for all provision which comes under the umbrella of the organisation that is Cherry Orchard School and Children's Centre.
I am happy to work with this. Equally, I hope colleagues nationally are aware of the hidden consequences of a fragmented and piecemeal approach to accountability.
