SWINDON COUNCIL is paying out hundreds of pounds a week to headteachers who are helping to sort out the failing education department.

The three representatives of the town's headteachers' associations Peter Wells (secondary), Andrew Nye (primary) and Keith Smith (special schools) are being refunded for their consultancy work with the LEA.

They are being given a day rate of £350 for the equivalent of one day a week. The fee is made up of time spent during a week, which roughly adds up to a day's work.

The £350 is only a fraction of what a professional consultant or advisor would receive. It has been estimated that Pricewaterhouse Coopers are receiving at least £1,000 a day for their consultancy.

The money goes directly to the headteacher's school and can be used by the head as they see fit.

The cash is currently coming from the LEA although negotiations are taking place with the Government's Department of Education and Skills to get funding. The role of the headteachers is to work with the LEA in addressing post-Ofsted issues.

Peter Wells is headteacher of St Joseph's RC Comprehensive in Stratton St Margaret. He said: "The work on addressing the problems which were identified in the Ofsted report began during the summer holidays. It was at that point when all three of the chairs agreed we would work closely with members, governors, officers and consultants to achieve a new form of LEA which would assist the raising of standards and improvement of education in Swindon.

"That has involved everyone giving a lot in terms of commitment, time and energy. Recently, it was felt that some acknowledgement should be given to that commitment because the headteachers were continuing to run their schools while attending meetings, preparing papers and ideas and reviewing other people's work and ideas for the LEA.

"It was then suggested that some form of pay should be made to the schools in recognition of this work and that the fee should be based on the fee that advisory consultants would receive if they were to come in to a school for the day, which is about £350. This money will go to the school and be used to compensate for the work of the head."

Andrew Nye is headteacher of Seven Fields Primary in Penhill. He said: "The only reason I can do this work is because I have a very strong and hardworking school staff.

"What the money does is to go some way to compensating the school. The school must come first. I am pleased to be involved and pleased that the work being done and sacrifice being made by the school has been recognised."

Keith Smith, headteacher at Crowdy's Hill special school, has been seconded to the special needs team at the LEA for two terms. He is also still working with the LEA on post-Ofsted issues.

He said: "The schools are getting some compensation in recognition of the fact that the school's have released headteachers to do this work.

"I am very positive that all the hard work that we have put in so far is beginning to come to fruition."

The council's lead member for education, Garry Perkins (Con, Dorcan), said: "These headteachers have excellent reputations and I wish we could actually pay them more. Their input at the front line is what has been missing for many years.

"This move can only be a good thing. It is an excellent move and we will be working very closely together in the future, and hopefully in the long-term."

Director of education, Mike Lusty, said: "We are deeply indebted to our chairs of the headteachers' association for the time and effort they have put in by supporting the council and the LEA in the post-Ofsted period.

"Their work has been invaluable in ensuring that a stakeholder perspective is at the front at all times."