Fair funding to achieve excellence in education: consultation analysis

Appendix 2: Topic guide for headteacher focus groups

Thank you for taking the time to join us today. We are independently analysis the responses to the Scottish Government's consultation into the funding of education. The Scottish Government are particularly keen to hear the experiences and views of headteachers, so in addition to analysing written submissions, we will be conducting several focus group interviews with headteachers across Scotland. These focus groups are a chance for us to gain a thorough understanding of what you feel works within the current funding system, what you believe needs to be improved and your ideas on how things could be done differently in the future. All points raised within these discussions will remain anonymous.

In order to give us a better sense of who we have in the group, could we first of all ask you to introduce yourself, briefly explaining your role, where your school is based and what type of school it is (primary/secondary), number of pupils, current PEF income?

The first few questions relate to your experience of the current system of funding schools:

1. Thinking broadly to begin with, what has your experience been of the current system of funding?

• What do you think works?
• What are the biggest issues you have faced?
• How could your experience have been improved?

2. [If not covered in the introductory question] More specifically, what has your experience been of the Devolved School Management schemes ( DSM)?

• What are the benefits of these schemes?
• What issues do you face in exercising the responsibilities you have under DSM?
• Are there any specific examples of issues?

3. [If not covered in the introductory question] More specifically, what has your experience been of directly allocated funding to your school, cluster or area? For example, Pupil Equity Funding?

• What are the benefits of directly allocating funding such as the Pupil Equity Funding?
• What issues do you face when spending directly allocated funding?
• Are there any specific examples of issues?

We are now keen to hear your opinions and ideas when it comes to future funding arrangements:

4. What needs to change to gain a fairer funding system that benefits everyone?

• What would be the advantages and potential issues of a targeted funding approach like the PEF?
• What would be the advantages and potential issues around using an extended 'Headteacher's Charter' approach?

5. Under education governance reforms, headteachers will gain further powers when it comes to making decisions about resources and staffing at their schools…

• What support will you need to ensure you can fulfil these responsibilities effectively?
• What would the benefits be of greater flexibility to decide how your school's staffing budget is spent - e.g. being able to change your staffing structure?
• What issues would you face in exercising further powers, for example over resources and staffing? What considerations need to be made when it comes to practical aspects like reporting on expenditure? The appointment of staff?
• What should be the respective roles of local authorities, Regional Improvement Collaboratives and schools in terms of fairer funding models?

6. [Facilitator to provide summary points] Is this an adequate summary?

7. Is there anything that you would like to add before we finish?

Thank you again for your contributions today. This will now be combined with written submissions to form a wider evaluation of the Fair Funding consultation. We will however be compiling a separate report, summarizing the findings of the focus groups. This will be sent out via email*. If you haven't already completed a written submission online, this would be very welcome. The consultation is open until 13th October 2017.