This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Cash for schools that put customers first
27/06/2005
Schools across Scotland will recieve a £250 grant if
they join a scheme to drive up standards of service given
to pupils and parents.
Education Minister Peter Peacock urged schools to apply
for the Charter Mark quality award to help them drive up
standards and focus on the service offered.
He announced that schools which sign up will receive
£250 to offset part of the cost of applying for the
award.
Participating schools are assessed against a set
standard - looking at factors such as systems for recording
and analysing feedback and complaints, and the action taken
to ensure improvement.
Mr Peacock said:
"I want all schools to deliver a first class service for
pupils and parents and the Charter Mark award is designed
to help all public sector organisations focus on
delivering excellence.
"That is why I am offering all schools a £250 grant for
applying for this recognised quality award.
"Charter Mark is not about winning a trophy, it is about
commitment to ongoing improvement. I hope the schools will
use it to drive a change of culture that will help them to
become more efficient and responsive to the needs of pupils
and parents."
The Charter Mark scheme is both a standard of customer
service and a quality improvement tool to assist public
sector organisations improve customer service.
"A Guide to Charter Mark for Scottish Schools and
Pre-school centres" was published in 2004 by HMIE and North
Lanarkshire Council. The guide shows how educational
establishments can use the quality indicators in "How good
is our School?" and "The Child at the Centre" to assess
their work against the Charter Mark Standard.
Across Scotland, 11 primary schools, one special school
and nine secondary schools have already achieved Charter
Mark standard.