Secondary schools bursting at seams

Stretched capacities in Tayside and Fife prompt social distancing worries

More than a fifth of secondary schools in Tayside and Fife were at least 90% capacity during the last school year, Scottish Government figures reveal.

Official counts at September 2019 showed 11 of the 45 secondary schools across Tayside and Fife were more than 90% full. Of these 11, six were at 95% capacity or above.

A freedom of information request has given more up-to-date, but provisional, data.

This has prompted concerns about the ability to maintain social distancing, particularly in secondary schools where the Scottish Government recommends that it is encouraged among pupils, where possible.

Joanna Murphy, chairwoman of the National Parent Forum of Scotland, said: “There were suggestions when we were going to be doing blended learning to start using other facilities outside of the school estates, such as local halls and libraries that are still not being used for anything else.

“They stopped looking at this because we were all going back to school and everything was fine but actually it’s not fine and it’s showing it’s not fine.

“Parents are always concerned about the state of school estates, lots of schools are not in great overall repair.

“We accept now that we are moving into a period of financial hardship for local authorities, but if the pandemic showed anything it was that schools are more than places where young people learn, but are significant for development socially for young people.”

However, others are keen for this not be used as an “excuse” to shut schools again in the event of a positive case.

Jo Bisset, organiser for Usforthem Scotland, said: “The return to school for children across Scotland of all ages should be as normal as possible.

“If we stick to that approach, the issue of schools being near capacity won’t matter.

“Children have suffered enough through this pandemic. It’s up to the authorities to find a solution that will not impact on their learning.”

The figures show nine of Dundee’s 43 schools were at 95% capacity or above.

Harris Academy was 99% full with 1,290 on its school roll and provisional figures for this year show the school has now reached its capacity.

Grove Academy was 92% full in September last year but pupil numbers at the Broughty Ferry secondary are also expected to rise.

St John’s High School was 85% full, rising to 90% this year.

The Scottish Government data also shows that four of Dundee’s primary schools – Blackness, St Peter and Paul’s, Rosebank and Craigowl – were full or over capacity when pupil numbers were officially recorded in September.

A spokesman for Dundee City Council said: “Issues like capacities were looked at carefully by schools ahead of the return of pupils.

“The council continues to work closely with colleagues from the trade unions and Tayside Contracts to provide a safe environment for everyone who works in our schools.”

In Angus, there were four primary schools and one secondary school which were at 95% or above capacity.

Monifieth High School had 1,119 pupils enrolled at the start of the last academic year, 59 more than its planned capacity.

The second most populated school is Forfar Academy, which is at 87% capacity based on this year’s provisional numbers, followed by Arbroath High School at 81% and Carnoustie High School at 80%.

Montrose Academy is the least full, with the provisional pupil roll amounting to just 65% of the school estate.

A spokeswoman for Angus Council said: “A small number of Angus schools currently have their maximum intake capped to allow us to manage rolls down.

“All of our schools have robust systems in place to ensure children and young people can safely attend school.

In Perth and Kinross, there were no secondary schools over capacity.

Perth High School had an official roll of 1,456, meaning it was at 94% in September and is now at 99%, according to provisional data.

Last year’s data shows four of the 18 secondary schools across Fife were at 95% or above capacity.

Auchmuty High School, Balwearie High School and Viewforth High School were all full, while Woodmill High School in Dunfermline was at 96% capacity.

The 2019 data also shows that 12 primary schools in Fife were either full or over capacity.