“Tories pledge to save Fort”

Two schools facing the axe have today been given a boost after Conservative councillors pledged to vote to keep them open.
The local Tory group has decided to vote to save Fort and Drumbrae primaries, while it remains undecided on the future of Royston and Burdiehouse, the other schools threatened with closure.

The Greens have pledged to vote to keep all four schools open, while Labour also looks likely to vote to save all four, though the party has yet to finalise its decision.

The fate of all the schools will be decided by councillors on 17 December.


30 November 2009

“Eat lunch in class and hold PE in corridor”

Education bosses suggested holding PE lessons in corridors and eating lunch in classrooms at a crowded school, councillors claimed today.
At a behind-closed-doors briefing on the proposed closure of four primary schools, it is claimed council officials said such measures would be a possible solution to overcrowding problems caused by closing schools.

Andrew Macmillan, chair of Trinity's parent council, said he has already raised the issue of PE provision and lack of dining space with education bosses and said exercising in corridors and eating lunch in classrooms was a "surprising solution". He added: "Kids are normally encouraged not to run up and down corridors.

"If they are having to consider trying to do PE lessons outwith the gym hall in corridors, we can only draw the conclusion that the place would be very overcrowded. It's symptomatic of the fact they are trying to fit 439 pupils into a school designed for 415."


23rd November 2009

“Expensive lesson in half-empty classes”

At least half the desks in more than one in ten city schools are lying empty, new figures have revealed.

City education leader Marilyne MacLaren said: "Under-occupied schools are very expensive so we must be sure that Edinburgh's schools are full of pupils to offer the best possible education.

"Whilst school closures are painful, the process helps to reduce the number of costly empty places and enables us to offer greater breadth in the curriculum.

If the Council’s proposal to close Fort is approved, they will certainly achieve their aim to have full schools! Using the Council’s own figures and methods for predicting school rolls and capacity, next year Victoria will have just 3 spaces and Trinity will have just 17 spaces with the council predicting 439 children in a school that had capacity for 415 children for many years. Using the original capacity as guideline, Trinity would increase to 106% occupancy!

Fort have put forward an alternative proposal to retain Fort but reduce the surplus capacity. This proposal reduces spare places in this area but retains a school that will be required as the population in this area is expected to grow significantly over the next few years. In their first paper the Council anticipated that an additional 150 places will be required.

“Education at the heart of new school safeguards”

“The Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Bill, passed by Parliament today creates a robust and transparent framework for consultation on school closures, and other major changes, that means educational issues must be taken into account. Education will be at the centre of consultations on changes to schools, with an educational benefit statement and report from HMIE required in every case.

The process will be more open with pupils, staff, parents, parent Councils and all school users having to be consulted. There will be a mandatory six week term time consultation period. The Bill also requires full and detailed proposals to be provided at the start of a consultation and provides opportunities to challenge incomplete or inaccurate information”.

We have continually argued that the needs of the children from Fort and Trinity have not been placed at the heart of this proposal and asked why HMIE have not been consulted on the proposal. The Council promised to follow the consultation requirements of the new Schools Consultation Scotland Bill “as closely as the current legislation allows”?

Instead, they have failed to involve HMIE; they have failed to consult staff, children and prospective parents. As we saw at the public meeting, they have failed to provide any sort of detailed response to the question of how they intend to ensure the children continue to receive as good an education despite huge increases in class sizes, loss of facilities, break-up of composite classes and (in the case of the Fort children) loss of teaching staff. They also increased the notional capacity to 456 from its original design capacity of 415 without telling the parents or school, and moved our head to Fort while the consultation was still ongoing.

“Anger over Edinburgh Council's 'inaccurate' minutes”

Parents have accused council bosses of producing "dodgy" minutes from a public consultation meeting into the proposed closure of a city school to back its case.
Campaigners fighting to save Drumbrae Primary claim the record of the two meetings discussing the future of the school, produced by the council's official minute-takers, are "inaccurate".

They say some questions have been missed out or recorded incorrectly, while answers given on other issues, including capacities and population projections, have also been left out.


9th November 2009

“Lower class sizes' helping pupils succeed”

More Edinburgh pupils are meeting basic standards in reading, writing and maths by the time they hit 14 as a result of lower class sizes, education bosses said today.


5th November 2009

“Closure plan raises fears over pupils' road safety”

Children at primaries threatened with closure could be at "significant risk" on the walk to their new schools, according to the city's senior health and safety adviser.
In a report which assessed the new routes children would have to take if their schools close, three were deemed to pose a risk to children walking on their own.

Parents with children at the closure-threatened schools today warned that if pupils were unable to travel to their new schools alone – as a lot of them currently do – it could have a serious knock-on effect on families.


9th October 2009

“Parents' fury as building starts on new nursery”

Furious parents have accused education bosses of holding a "sham" consultation into the future of a city primary school after it emerged work to build a new nursery to accommodate its pupils has already started. Workmen have been carrying out test drilling for foundations for the new nursery at Clermiston Primary, which would receive the pupils from Drumbrae Primary if the closure goes ahead next summer. Clermiston parents claim this "insensitivity" indicates the council has already made up its mind about the closure and that the public consultation – which runs until 16 October – is nothing but a "sham".


2nd October 2009

“Anger as pupils are taught in corridors at crowded primary”

Children are being taught in corridors, eating lunch in classrooms and taking playtimes in "shifts" at an overcrowded primary which has seen an influx of new pupils this year. A cloakroom has also had to be turned into another teaching area at Sciennes Primary to cope with the extra demand on space caused by the record number of primary-ones going into the school.

The conditions at the school were described as "unacceptable" by one local MSP, while parents said they felt the problems could undermine their children's education.


22nd September 2009

“Fort Primary closure 'means classes of 38”

Closing a city primary and sending its pupils to a nearby school would lead to 38 children in a single Primary 1 class, campaigners warned today.

Council chiefs want to close Fort Primary in Leith and send its 100 children to Trinity Primary, which is already a popular and well-attended school. Campaigning parents of children at Trinity warn that the influx of pupils would mean the youngest children would be taught in classes of 38. They say "team teaching" – classes with two or more teachers – would also be introduced in several year groups.

Andrew MacMillan, chair of the parent council at Trinity, said: "We don't have any team teaching at the moment, but the council's own figures predict that there would be a class of 38 in P1, 33 in P2 and 37 in P3, which would all require two teachers.


14th September 2009

“Union accuses education bosses of demoralising teachers”

A teaching union has accused education bosses of "demoralising" teachers by saying they are closing schools so children can get a better education elsewhere. The EIS teacher's union is calling on the council to stop using attainment figures as one of its arguments for closing schools in the city. The Edinburgh branch secretary of the EIS, said he had received complaints from teachers who felt they were being blamed for poor attainment in the schools being earmarked for closure.


7th September 2009

“Education boss sent sardines to highlight school overcrowding fears”

Parents are sending dozens of tins of sardines to the city's education leader, Marilyne MacLaren – to highlight their fears about overcrowded schools.
They are concerned that plans to close four primaries will lead to packed classrooms in the schools their children will have to attend. They hope the gimmick will help gather support for their argument against the closures.


25th August 2009

“Primary school closures to cost city £1.5m”

CLOSING four Edinburgh primary schools is going to cost the city council a total of £1.5 million – £429,000 more than will be immediately saved by axing them.
New classrooms and nurseries will have to be created in nearby schools in order to accommodate pupils, while extra pedestrian crossings will need to be installed near the alternative schools.

A new report published as part of the public consultation process, which is now under way, reveals the savings that will be made through staffing and running costs amount to just less than £1.1m per year, while the council will have to fork out an initial outlay of £1.5m on the improvements and extensions before the four schools can close.

The council hopes to bring in £2.4m through land sales, which would be re-invested into upgrading other schools, although selling the land is likely to take some time in the current economic climate.


20th August 2009

“Parents to get say as school closures talks announced”

Dates have been announced for the public meetings to take place in the schools affected by the council’s plans to close schools in Edinburgh. The dates of the two meetings in this area are as follows:

• Fort Primary, Tuesday 22 September, 7-9pm
• Trinity Primary, Tuesday 29 September, 7-9pm

“Malcolm Chisholm MSP supports Fort at Scottish Parliament”

Malcolm Chisholm MSP (Scottish Labour, Edinburgh North & Leith) has tabled a motion at the Scottish Parliament in support of both Fort and Royston Primaries:

S3M-04586 Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Scottish Labour): School Closures in North Edinburgh and Leith— That the Parliament is concerned by the proposal to close Royston Primary School and Fort Primary School in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency; notes that the average number of pupils per primary school in Edinburgh is already the second highest in Scotland; is dismayed that almost two thirds of the proposed revenue savings from primary school closures in Edinburgh are stated by the council to arise from reducing staff costs; believes that closures will therefore increase class sizes and pupil teacher ratios, and calls on the council to concentrate instead on reversing the decline in teacher numbers in Edinburgh and recognising the important and successful role that Royston and Fort primaries play in their respective communities.

“Pupils act in bid to save their school”

The Evening News reports that children at Fort primary are making a heartfelt film about their feelings for the school in the hope that it will help keep it open. The pupils at Fort Primary will send their pleas out to the councillors who will be making a decision on the future of the school later this year to let them see just how much it means to them.


18th July 2009

“Mark Lazarowicz MP objects to the proposed closure of Fort”

Our Labour MP Mark Lazarowicz has spoken out in support of Fort Primary School, urging Edinburgh councillors to consider its position within the community and the effect that a merger would have on the children from both Fort and Trinity primaries. Mr Lazarowicz attended a Fighting for Fort campaign meeting recently where he agreed that while Edinburgh Council does need to make budget cuts, it should not be at the expense of our children’s education.

Mr Lazarowicz has also written to the Director of Education, and the local councillors to express his views:

I am writing to object to the proposed closure of Fort Primary School. I have been contacted by many of my constituents who are concerned about this.The proposed closure would have negative effects not only on Fort Primary School but also on Trinity Primary.This proposed closure does not recognise the particular needs of the Fort Community. Moreover, it does not take in to account future population trends in the area. Whilst I recognise that Fort House is due to be demolished, I understand that most residents are likely to be rehoused locally, and that there are plans for many more housing developments in the area.Furthermore, I do not believe that Trinity Primary School would be able to cope with the numbers that it would be required to accept as a result of the closure of Fort Primary School. I am told that it is likely to have to lose the science room, library and IT suite to meet the extra numbers.In addition, the plans envisage that most savings would come from staffing costs. This would put further pressure on other local schools as well. It would also have a negative impact on both staff and pupils.I do hope that you will consider the concerns I have raised, and those raised by parents of both Fort and Trinity Primary School, when making your decision. I would urge you not to support the closure of Fort Primary School.Yours sincerely,MARK LAZAROWICZ

“Parents told to send twins to closure-threatened school”

The Evening News reports that parents of twins have been told to send their children to the closure-threatened Fort Primary – so they can get them into the school of their choice if it closes down. [Children] have been refused places at Trinity Primary, despite the fact their older brother goes there. The couple claim they were told by council officials that if they sent their children to Fort – which the council is proposing to close next summer — they would have a better chance of securing them a place at Trinity next year.


30th June 2009

“School future talks a sham say parents as head is moved”

The Evening News reports that the headteacher from Trinity Primary – where Fort pupils would go if their school were to close — is moving to the under-threat Fort. This has sparked fears that the move has been arranged so that headteacher Jacqueline Scott can get to know pupils and staff at Fort before they are moved to Trinity. Parents believe the decision is undermining the consultation - which doesn't actually start until August – and say the council is treating them with "contempt". Andrew MacMillan, chair of the parent council at Trinity, said: "Parents are incensed that the council is treating them with contempt. "The Fort consultation process has not even started yet, and the council are treating it like a sham by moving our existing headteacher in to start to get to know Fort pupils and staff in order to prepare for integration.


22nd June 2009

“Parents declare virtual war over school closure”

The Evening News reports that parents have launched a campaign to fight council chiefs over their plans to close Fort Primary School. Fighting For Fort has set up a website and plans a fundraising drive to help promote its campaign and attract more support. Parents and others in the local community insist they have a "strong case" for opposing the council's plans.


20th June 2009

“Parents say Trinity will be one of most overcrowded in city”

Education bosses are being warned that moving children from a closure-threatened school into Trinity Primary would lead to it becoming "one of the most overcrowded" in Edinburgh. Parents fear that if nearby Fort Primary is closed – which the council is proposing – Trinity would not be able to cope with the increase in pupil numbers. The chair of Trinity's parent council, Andrew MacMillan, says a lot of the year groups are already full so it would struggle to receive the 94 Fort Primary pupils.


9th June 2009

“Another four city schools to close”

An article in the Evening News announces that Burdiehouse, Fort, Royston and Drumbrae primaries had all been earmarked for closure after a consultation on review process that starts on the 24th August 2009 and end in mid-December 2009.