Closure may merit public inquiry, says Swinney

Events surrounding the closure of the New School at Butterstone may merit a public inquiry, the education secretary has said.

After meeting with parents and pupils from the school in Birnam yesterday, John Swinney also said the Scottish Government could play a role in reinstating the institution.

He said: “The parents have asked me to consider the issue of an independent inquiry into this issue and I have undertaken to consider that.

“The parents have also asked me to look at some continuation of the New School at Butterstone and I will of course look at that, but the school was operated independently by a board, so that will require very careful consideration.”

Some parents and staff believe the statutory bodies and local authorities have deliberately tried to shut the school to save money.

The school had received positive inspections prior to 2016 but the institution had subsequently been subject to a number of improvement orders from the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland.

Both bodies have said they were responding to significant concerns about how children were protected from harm at the school.

But the most recent investigation – which resulted in the suspension of three members of staff including head teacher Bill Colley – is believed to be over a relatively minor incident.

All three members of staff in this case have been cleared of any wrongdoing and have returned to work supporting the school’s former pupils in finding new arrangements.

Mr Swinney said he was concerned to hear that many young people who attended the school had not yet secured alternative arrangements.

He said: “The focus of my attention since the closure was announced is make sure that young people had in place appropriate educational support that meets their requirements as appropriately as the New School at Butterstone.

“I have heard directly from a number of parents today that (this process) has not yet provided solutions for them, so one of the key points I will take away from today’s discussions is to focus ever more on what local authorities are putting in place in dialogue with parents.

“It’s obviously been a very abrupt closure and it is challenging to put that provision in place immediately.”

Picture: Getty. Deputy First Minister and Education Secretary John Swinney.