The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Alarm as P1 pupil goes walkabout
MEIGLE: Youngster crossed busy road and walked home
A safety review is under way at a rural Perthshire school after a primary one pupil wandered home alone, unnoticed.
Staff did not realise the youngster had disappeared until they were alerted by a concerned neighbour, who found the child on the street.
Perth and Kinross Council has issued assurances that staff at Meigle Primary School have been spoken to and a risk assessment review has been launched to make sure it does not happen again.
The youngster slipped out at some point during the school day on Thursday and walked across busy Dundee Road.
The council’s lifelong learning convener, Caroline Shiers, said: “The safety of all of our children and young people is paramount.”
A safety review has been launched at a Perthshire school after a primary one pupil slipped home without staff noticing.
The youngster wandered off from Meigle Primary in rural Strathmore and walked home alone across the busy Dundee Road.
The child’s mother was out during the day, and the pupil was found by a neighbour who alerted the school.
Perth and Kinross Council said the head teacher has since spoken to the pupil’s parents and the incident has been raised with all staff.
A spokeswoman said: “We are aware of an incident that took place at Meigle Primary School where a pupil left the grounds unaccompanied.
“The head teacher has been in touch with the parents of the pupil to discuss the situation, and discussions have taken place with all staff and risk assessment procedures have been reviewed.”
One local parent told The Courier: “It was really unfortunate. Nobody seemed to notice that the child was missing until they were contacted by the neighbour.
“Thankfully no one was hurt, but this could have been much more serious. The school is right beside a main road.”
The authority’s Lifelong learning convener Caroline Shiers said: “The safety of all of our children and young people is paramount.
“As soon as this incident came to light, all staff were spoken to.”
Meigle Primary, which has a roll of about 45 pupils, is one of the region’s oldest schools and dates back to 1876.
The future of the school is expected to be considered in the next phase of the council’s states review, along with neighbouring primaries at Coupar Angus and Kettins.
The school was recently praised during a local authority visit. A quality improvement officer praised staff’s good relationship with children and their families and highlighted “genuine nurturing approaches”.