Tag: school closures

Edinburgh schools set to close as UNISON announce new strike date

UNISON has served notice of further strike action in the dispute over local government pay to South Lanarkshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Edinburgh and Fife councils.

Staff working in schools, and early years establishments linked to schools, within the four local authorities will walk out on Wednesday 8th November.

This is the second week of a rolling programme of action that will take place, says UNISON, with further strike dates and other councils being announced in due course.

UNISON have already notified Glasgow City, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde councils, that staff working in schools, and early years establishments linked to schools will be taking strike action next Wednesday (1st November).

The move comes after UNISON members voted overwhelmingly to reject Cosla’s latest pay offer. More than 21,000 workers represented by the union took three days of strike action in September, resulting in the closure of 75% of Scotland’s schools.

UNISON Scotland’s head of local government Johanna Baxter said: “Despite our repeated calls for Cosla and the Scottish government to get back round the table for meaningful discussions we have had no invitations to even exploratory talks.

“The union is committed to reaching a resolution to this dispute as soon as possible.  And there is still time for Cosla and the Scottish Government to get back round the negotiating table to explore every avenue to reaching a negotiated settlement and avoid further disruption for parents and students.

The strength of feeling amongst UNISON’s 91,000 local government members, who voted overwhelmingly to reject Cosla’s latest pay offer, is clear.  They are determined to continue to fight to get an improved pay offer.”

UNISON Scotland chair of the local government committee Mark Ferguson said: “No one takes the decision to strike lightly.

“I’m a parent myself, so I understand the disruption strikes cause. But if wages don’t rise, school staff will leave for other jobs beyond education that pay significantly more. That would be a disaster and would help no one.

“The current offer amounts to a real-terms pay cut and adds further stress to a dedicated workforce already suffering from the cost-of-living crisis.

“Cosla and the Scottish government need to give school staff a decent wage rise, fund any increase properly and commit to implementing a minimum underpinning rate of pay of £15 per hour for all local government workers.”

Local school closures tomorrow

There will be significant travel disruption along the route of the Queen’s coffin on the afternoon of Tuesday 13 September.

Police Scotland will be putting in place numerous road closures from 1pm which will cause significant disruption across the city.

As a result, a number of schools and early years centres along the route will close early from 12 noon to allow pupils and staff time to return home safely before the Police Scotland closures are in place.

We apologise for any inconvenience this will cause. However, you will appreciate these are exceptional times.

All schools will open on Wednesday 14 September as normal.

The schools and early years centres affected are:

Early years centres

  • Cammo Kindergarten
  • Fox Covert Early Years Centre
  • Fox Covert Kindergarten
  • Lauriston Kindergarten

Primary schools

  • Blackhall
  • Clermiston
  • Cramond
  • Davidson’s Mains
  • East Craigs
  • Ferryhill
  • Flora Stevenson
  • Fox Covert
  • Hillwood
  • Stockbridge
  • St Andrew’s Fox Covert

High schools

  • Broughton
  • Craigmount
  • St Augustine’s
  • St Thomas of Aquin’s
  • The Royal High School

Special schools

  • Rowanfield
  • Oaklands

Closing schools: putting families and staff first

Education Convener Councillor Ian Perry writes about how decisions are reached when closing schools:

Closing just one school for a day is not a decision anyone takes lightly so Tuesday night’s move to close all our schools was taken after much consideration.

Always at the forefront of all our planning is the health and safety of our pupils, staff and parents/carers. The advice we received from the Met Office, Police Scotland and the Scottish Government on Tuesday night was that travel into and within the amber weather warning areas was a risk for anyone making those journeys – that was a message we could not ignore.

With the red weather warning issued yesterday by the Met Office for Edinburgh and surrounding region we kept our schools, nurseries and early years centres closed today and they will remain closed tomorrow.

We recognise that parents and carers appreciate the earliest possible notice of any potential closure and of course we need to balance that with changing circumstances that might result in schools being able to open.

The unique aspect of the weather warnings this time has shown that initially the forecast for severe weather was amber and was escalated yesterday to red during what would have been a school day. We anticipate that the weather warnings will be updated over the coming days and hopefully will indicate more settled circumstances.

I expect that normal services will resume on Monday but should there be any need for further school closures these will be communicated direct to parents, via the Council website, social media channels and local radio stations.

And lastly can I thank all the Council staff, including our road services teams and health and sopcial care staff, and members of the public who have rallied round during this extreme weather situation to keep the city moving.

I would remind everyone to visit our website www.edinburgh.gov.uk/schoolclosures, listen to media broadcasts, especially local radio, visit the Traffic Scotland website, follow @edintravel and Police Scotland on Twitter to get the latest updates about the weather situation over the coming days.

 

Back to skool!

Pirniehall and St David’s pupils return ‘home’ on Monday – Rowanfield back on 27 June

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One thousand pupils are returning to school earlier than planned after the latest programme of remedial works was submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council by the Edinburgh Schools Partnership.
Continue reading Back to skool!

PPP school closures: There must be transparency, Greens warn

‘If the confidence of the public and school communities is to be restored this fiasco must be carefully examined’ – Cllr Melanie Main

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Green city councillors have criticised an update report on the ongoing school closures and are warning Edinburgh’s Labour/SNP administration that there must be transparency as an inquiry into last month’s PPP1 school closures is announced. Continue reading PPP school closures: There must be transparency, Greens warn

A time to make new friends

School closure offers unexpected opportunities

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Last month’s closure of 17 PPP1 schools caused much anxiety – for council officers, for school staff and particularly for families and for children. And while the saga rumbles on, many local parents and carers still don’t know when their child will return to his or her own school. Continue reading A time to make new friends

Local schools to stay closed until after summer holidays

Council confirms local schools will be closed for months

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Parents and carers worst fears were realised with the announcement this afternoon that local primary schools Craigroyston, Forthview, Pirniehall and St Davids are to remain closed until after the summer holidays. Rowanfield, too, will stay shut until August. Continue reading Local schools to stay closed until after summer holidays

Local PPP Primary Schools: info for next week

This is the latest information we have on next week’s arrangements:

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CRAIGROYSTON

Nursery

Nursery children should attend the school on Tuesday 19 April.

Parents should bring morning pupils to Craigroyston High School reception at 08:45am and collect from the same place at 11:20am.

Parents should bring afternoon pupils to Craigroyston High School reception at 12:05pm and collect from the same place at 2:40pm.

Class Teacher Temporary location Phone Transport
AM Mrs Cross, Mrs McCabe and Mrs Chatir/Miss Porteous Cramond Primary School, Cramond Crescent, EH4 6PG 312 6450 Bus
AM Mrs Greenhalgh and Mrs Smith Queensferry Primary School, Burgess Road, South Queensferry, EH30 9NX 331 1349 Bus
PM Mrs Cross, Mrs McCabe and Mrs Chatir Cramond Primary School, Cramond Crescent, EH4 6PG 312 6450 Bus
PM Mrs Greenhalgh and Mrs Smith Queensferry Primary School, Burgess Road, South Queensferry, EH30 9NX 331 1349 Bus

P1 – P7

We aim to have nursery pupil arrangements in place from Tuesday and further information will follow.

Tuesday 19 April

All pupils should report the main entrance at Craigroyston Community High School at 9:00am. They will again be met by Craigroyston Primary staff.

Pupils should be collected at the following times:

  • P1 and P2 – 2:30pm
  • P3-P7 – 3pm

All children will be provided with a free packed lunch.

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FORTHVIEW

All P1 to P7 and nursery pupils should report to the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre on West Pilton Grove at their normal time on Tuesday 19 April, where they will be taken by bus to their alternative locations, listed below.

Parents should then collect their children from West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre at normal pick up times.

Lunches and breakfast club

There will be no breakfast club. We will provide free packed lunches for all pupils.

After school club

North Edinburgh Childcare will contact parents directly about arrangements.

Arrangements

Class Teacher School Phone Transport
P1a Rona Bean Granton Primary, Boswall Parkway, EH5 2DA 552 3987 Bus
P1b Lucy Watson Granton Primary, Boswall Parkway, EH5 2DA 552 3987 Bus
P2a Susan Ewing and Morag Robertson Canal View Primary, 4 Hailesland Place, EH14 2SL 442 3894 Bus
P2b Fiona Bogie Canal View Primary, 4 Hailesland Place, EH14 2SL 442 3894 Bus
P3a Elaine Harvey and Sarah Jordan Leith Walk Primary, Brunswick Road, EH7 5NG 556 3873 Bus
P3b Alison Chalmers Leith Walk Primary, Brunswick Road, EH7 5NG 556 3873 Bus
P4a Stuart Harris Leith Walk Primary, Brunswick Road, EH7 5NG 556 3873 Bus
P4b Alice Jones Leith Walk Primary, Brunswick Road, EH7 5NG 556 3873 Bus
P5 Damien Couty Fox Covert Primary, Clerwood Terrace, EH12 8PG 339 3749 Bus
P5/6 Grant Chisholm Fox Covert Primary, Clerwood Terrace, EH12 8PG 339 2383 Bus
P6 Jude Thomas Fox Covert Primary, Clerwood Terrace, EH12 8PG 339 2383 Bus
P7a Niall Heron Leith Primary, St Andrew’s Place, EH6 7EG 554 4844 Bus
P7b Sarah Muldoon Leith Primary, St Andrew’s Place, EH6 7EG 554 4844 Bus
Nursery Susan Maclennan and Sarah Jordan Wester Hailes Education Centre, 5 Murrayburn Drive, EH14 2SU 442 2201 Bus
Nursery Jennifer Taylor Hope Cottage, Cowan’s Close, East Crosscauseway, EH8 9HF 667 5795 Bus

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PIRNIEHALL

P1 to P7

All pupils meet their class teacher on the Astroturf at their normal start time (8.40am) on Tuesday 19 April.

Pupils should be collected from the Astroturf at 3pm.

For the safety of the pupils, please do not park on the streets around the school. You should enter the school by the main gates, drop the children and leave immediately by the side gate. This will help keep the children safe.

Nursery

Morning and afternoon nursery children should report to the Astroturf at their normal times on Tuesday 19 April.

Morning pupils should be collected at 11:40am from the AstroTurf.

Afternoon pupils should be collected from the AstroTurf at 3pm.

Lunches and breakfast club

There will be no breakfast club. We will provide free packed lunches for all pupils.

After school club

North Edinburgh Childcare will contact parents directly about arrangements.

Contact the school

For all absence, and to contact school staff, please call 07570585468 from Tuesday 19 April.  Please do not contact host schools directly.

Arrangements

Class Teacher School Phone Transport
Nursery AM Lorna Manus Abbeyhill / Brunstane Primary 661 3054 / 69 4498 Bus
Nursery PM Lorna Manus Abbeyhill / Brunstane Primary 661 3054 / 669 4498 Bus
P1A Jennifer Mann Abbeyhill Primary, Abbey Street, EH7 5SJ 661 3054 Bus
P1B Claire Mitchell Abbeyhill Primary, Abbey Street, EH7 5SJ 661 3054 Bus
P2A Ann Maguire Flora Stevenson Primary, Comely Bank, EH4 1BG 332 1604 Bus
P2B Katie O’Mahony Wardie Primary, Granton Road, EH5 3NJ 552 3896 Bus
P3A Sophia Godard Abbeyhill Primary, Abbey Street, EH7 5SJ 661 3054 Bus
P3B Rose Hammett Abbeyhill Primary, Abbey Street, EH7 5SJ 661 3054 Bus
P4A Fiona Herbert and Anna Arnot Davidson’s Mains Primary, Corbiehill Road, EH4 5DZ 336 1184 Bus
P4B Chelsea Tidy Wardie Primary, Granton Road, EH5 3NJ 552 3896 Bus
P5 Natasha Millar Wardie Primary, Granton Road, EH5 3NJ 552 3896 Bus
P5/6 Fiona Herbert and Louise Cobban Davidson’s Mains Primary, Corbiehill Road, EH4 5DZ 336 1184 Bus
P6 James McNeil Davidson’s Mains Primary, Corbiehill Road, EH4 5DZ 336 1184 Bus
P7A Joyce Forsyth Flora Stevenson Primary, Comely Bank, EH4 1BG 332 1604 Bus
P7B Nikki Paterson Flora Stevenson Primary, Comely Bank, EH4 1BG 332 1604 Bus

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ST DAVID’s

P1 to P7

All pupils meet their class teacher on the Astroturf at their normal start time on Tuesday 19 April. Pupils should be collected from the Astroturf at normal times.

For the safety of the pupils, please do not park on the streets around the school. Please enter the school by the main gates, drop the children and leave immediately by the side gate. This will help keep the children safe.

Nursery

Morning and afternoon nursery children should report to the Astroturf at their normal times on Tuesday 19 April and be collected at normal times.

Lunches and breakfast club

There will be no breakfast club. We will provide free packed lunches for all pupils.

After school club

North Edinburgh Childcare will contact parents directly about arrangements.

Contact the school

For all absence, and to contact school staff, please call 07342 908521 from Tuesday 19 April.

Please do not contact host schools directly.

Arrangements

Class Teacher School Phone Transport
P1A Mr Brendan Creaney St Ninian’s RC Primary School, 150 Restalrig Road South, EH7 6JA 661 3431 Bus
P1B Mrs Nicola Murphy St Ninian’s RC Primary, 150 Restalrig Road South, EH7 6JA 661 3431 Bus
P2 Mrs Karen Magill St Mary’s RC Primary, 63 East London Street, EH7 4BW 557 2455 Bus
P3 Miss Aoife Lambert Hermitage Park Primary, 9 Hermitage Park, Edinburgh EH6 8HD 554 2952 Bus
P3/4 Mrs Marion Ruthven/Mrs Caroline Par St Francis’ RC Primary, 20 Moffat Way, EH16 4PY 621 6600 Bus
P4 Mrs Aileen Hughes St Francis’ RC Primary, 20 Moffat Way, EH16 4PY 621 6600 Bus
P5 Miss Folan Remain at St Paul’s Annexe, St David’s Primary 07342 908521
P5/6 Miss Hancock Remain at St Paul’s Annexe, St David’s Primary 07342 908521
P6 Miss Fallon Remain at St Paul’s Annexe, St David’s Primary 07342 908521
P7 Mrs Pam Hamilton Hermitage Park Primary, 9 Hermitage Park, Edinburgh EH6 8HD 554 2952 Bus
Nursery AM Mr Kenneth Innes Viewforth Early Years Centre, 18 Viewforth Terrace, EH10 4LH 229 6667 Bus
Nursery AM Mr Kenneth Innes Lochrin Nursery, West Tollcross, EH3 9QN 229 7743 Bus
Nursery PM Mr Kenneth Innes Viewforth Early Years Centre, 18 Viewforth Terrace, EH10 4LH 229 6667 Bus
Nur PM Mr Kenneth Innes Lochrin Nursery, West Tollcross, EH3 9QN 229 7743 Bus

PPP1 school closures: Faults found at ALL schools

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The city council has confirmed that construction faults have been found at all seventeen buildings built during the first PPP contract. The degree of repairs required varies, but council leader Cllr Andrew Burns has conceded that some schools may be closed ‘longer term’. Continue reading PPP1 school closures: Faults found at ALL schools