COUNCILS have drawn up battle lines on the eve of a major announcement on changes to the way schools are run.

Cosla, the umbrella body for local authorities, has issued a briefing to MSPs setting out significant concerns over the future.

The warning comes as John Swinney, the Education Secretary, prepares to set out his thinking on school reform to the Scottish Parliament today.

The government has already moved some spending decisions away from councils by giving headteachers control over cash to support disadvantaged pupils.

But a consultation on planned changes earlier this year said ministers were committed to extending responsibilities and resources directly to headteachers.

The consultation has also looked at getting parents and the wider community more involved in the running of schools.

And the government has brought forward plans to create educational regions to provide more uniform support to education across the country.

The COSLA briefing, seen by The Herald, says councils are committed to working across all children’s services to improve education, but are clear the governance review “will not achieve this”.

It states: “To take forward a governance review based on the assumption that attainment is a school-based issue creates a separate silo in policy and practice which is at odds with the move towards collaborative working and could conversely work to widen the gap.

“There is no evidence that governance structures are a barrier to addressing the attainment gap and improving the delivery of education.”

COSLA said funding of education was “inherently complex” and should not be simplified by a “school-by-school formula”.

It added: “This would go against the grain of a whole system approach and would be contrary to maximising financial efficiencies.”

Councils also questioned how democratic devolving power to schools would be if it meant decisions were taken by unelected individuals such as headteachers.

It said: “There is a real risk we allow unelected officials to take significant decisions on behalf of communities who already struggle to be heard .

“The voice of vulnerable and chaotic households who are disinclined to engage will be drowned out by articulate and involved parents from more affluent areas.

“This could work to widen the divide between the most and least well off in our society and, ultimately, it will be the most vulnerable children and young people who suffer the consequences.”

However, the document also says councils are committed to “moving regional collaboration forward” in partnership with the government.

Writing in The Herald on Wednesday Mr Swinney said reforms already undertaken under the Government’s “vision of empowerment and devolution” had to go further.

He said: “There are some who say nothing needs to change, but it is clear that doing more of the same will not achieve our ambitions for our children and their future.

“We must go further to drive improvements, putting young people at the heart of education and supporting and empowering headteachers, teachers and parents.”

Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS teaching union called for better resources and reduced bureaucracy.

He said: “Improving learning in our classrooms can be achieved by providing greater support to teachers through improved resourcing and creating time to teach.

“None of these require organisational change, but all of them require change in the culture of local and national government.”