‘The safety of children and our staff is our main priority’ – City Council Chief Executive Andrew Kerr
The Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council and senior education officials met with directors of the Edinburgh School Partnership (ESP) this afternoon (Sunday 10 April) to receive an update on the programme of detailed structural surveys which is underway on the PPP1 schools.
More detailed structural surveys, arranged by ESP, continued over the weekend and will carry on over the course of the next week, with updated information being confirmed as early as possible in respect of each school.
As a result of the surveys last Friday (April 8) the Howdenhall Secure Unit stayed operational as only the gym area that was identified as needing remedial work.
The surveys are now focussing on secondary schools as a priority, with S4, S5 and S6 pupils preparing for exams in the coming weeks. The affected secondary schools are Gracemount, Craigmount, Firrhill, Drummond and Royal High.
It is hoped a clear picture on the secondary schools, including alternative arrangements if required, will be available by Tuesday.
The Council’s Chief Executive has been in regular contact with the Scottish Government, which has offered support with providing additional structural engineers to complete the work, as well as general support with contingency arrangements.
The Council is working to ensure that pupils from Oxgangs Primary, St Peter’s Primary and Braidburn Schools can continue to use alternative contingency arrangements that were put in place prior to the Easter break. It is anticipated that this will take place from Tuesday (April 12) subject to the necessary transport arrangements being put in place. The Council will update parents of these schools, directly on Monday.
However parents and carers with children at our local Primary Schools may have to wait a while longer for information as the council seeks a temporary resolution.
Alternative arrangements for other schools – including Craigroyston, Forthview, Pirniehall and St David’s primary schools – are being actively looked into and the Council will update parents via a dedicated section on the Council website (www.edinburgh.gov.uk/
The Council has received several offers of support from other partner organisations across the city, including Edinburgh University, offering support to put contingency arrangements in place.
Chief Executive Andrew Kerr said: “I today sought assurances from Edinburgh Schools Partnership that their ongoing programme of inspections would give us the confidence to reopen our schools. I have offered to help them secure the necessary resources to complete this as quickly as possible.
“I also reminded them of their contractual and financial obligations and want to assure Edinburgh residents that they will not be left footing the bill.
“The safety of children and our staff is our main priority and I’m simply not willing to compromise on this. I fully recognise the significant inconvenience to parents caused by these closures but I am sure they will understand why we had to take these steps.
“Officers are continuing to work on contingency arrangements and we will provide regular updates to parents and carers as and when further information becomes available.
“I am extremely grateful to those partner organisations who have come forward with offers of assistance and accommodation.”
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Why are school janitors still having to go in…where’s the concern of their safety!