Anger as pupils are taught in corridors at crowded primary

Published on Friday 2 October 2009 10:15

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.

One parent, whose child started P1 this term, said: "It's still a good school, but this flood of children into P1 is just beyond the pale. The staff are doing all they can, of course, but it is undermining a lot of their good work.

"One of the things that appealed about Sciennes in the first place is that it is obviously a very caring and supportive environment, but this situation is threatening to destroy that whole ethos."

Another parent, who volunteers at the school, said: "The P1 nativity will have to have parents hanging out of the window this year as there's so many of them."

The school – which is the biggest primary in Edinburgh, with 643 pupils – is struggling to cope with the aftermath of a ruling which saw parents win the right to send their children to the school – despite it being classed as full.

The ruling forced the city council to increase class sizes to 30, going against its policy – and national "guidance" – of capping all P1 classes at 25.

Ten sets of parents managed to get their out-of-catchment children into the school by taking their cases to an appeals committee, resulting in growing class sizes.

Parents say they originally expected an intake of 75 new children but had 111 when the new term started. One class has 40 children in the one room on a "team teaching" basis.

Norman Brown, chairman of the school's parent council, said: "We already had to run a shift system for playtime and lunchtime because there are more children than the playground and dining hall can cope with.

" Lots of parents have told me they are concerned about the impact this will have on their children.

"I can't see a short-term solution. This is going to be a school which operates at maximum capacity and there's a chance we will operate over capacity in the future."

Melanie Main, whose daughter is in P4, added: "It's completely out of control. It's not benefiting the rest of the school community that some parents have been able to force this situation."

Margo Macdonald, independent MSP for the Lothians, said: "This is not acceptable, but the council is very short of money. It's going to take time to build new schools, and there's not enough room in Sciennes for temporary classrooms.

"We need to improve communication between schools, the council and parents, so they are aware of this situation when they apply for a school place.

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Earlier this year, the council urged the Scottish Government to introduce new legislation to make the maximum of 25 in P1 classes legally binding. The legislation will be brought in next year.

Councillor Marilyne MacLaren, the city's education leader, said: "Despite the increased numbers, the staff are ensuring that every pupil gets a fantastic education.

"Sciennes is equipped for large numbers but we must have some control to stop it bursting at the seems. That's why I called for the government to give us legal protection to limit P1 numbers which they now plan to do."