Union blasts closure of Castlebrae

SCOTLAND’S largest teaching union has condemned the planned closure of Castlebrae Community High, blaming lack of investment and uncertainty over its future for the school’s poor record.

The Educational Institute of Scotland said the threat of closure was one of the main reasons Castlebrae’s roll and attainment figures were failing. The school is set to close next summer after claims it is “failing the future” of pupils.

However, EIS local association secretary Alison Thornton said the failure to invest in “resources required to meet the needs of the pupils have condemned the school to ‘death by a thousand cuts’ since 2008”.

She added: “Regarding attainment, it seems that no-one is prepared to comment on the percentage of pupils from the cluster primaries who come from increasingly challenging backgrounds.

“Unforgivably, the Edinburgh council position does not take into account the dedication and commitment of all the staff who work tirelessly to engage pupils.”