Forres Drumduan Steiner School blocks shortcuts with hedge

A private school neighbouring a local housing estate has created a ‘natural barrier’ to stop short cuts through its grounds.

Members of the Drumduan School community have planted saplings donated by The Conservation Volunteers at the bottom of the slope into the play area at Drumduan Park off the track leading from Clovenside Road to their grounds.

Facilities manager, Rosie Tait, confirmed students, staff, and parent volunteers carried out the work as part of an ongoing effort to restore the school’s boundary.

She explained: “Pathways naturally emerge over time and we understand that some residents have come to use routes through the grounds informally. However, the particular paths formed through the previously damaged fence are creating a specific hazard.

“The erosion at the point where the paths meet our access road are affecting the road’s integrity and reducing its width, which is a growing safety concern.”

A Drumduan Park resident who would prefer not to be named discovered the blockade while walking her dogs.

She said: “I often walk through the playing field then up the dirt paths to get out across Clovenside Road into Cluny Hill woods - a lot of people use those shortcuts.

“However, a row of seedlings packed tightly with green tubes around them is now blocking the routes. I’m gobsmacked - it’s right across the bottom.”

Drumduan School claims increased footfall through its grounds and incidents of vandalism have raised concerns. The planting replaces ageing, collapsed fencing with a hedge.

Ms Tait said: “Drumduan is set within a beautiful natural environment and we aim to integrate nature into learning. A living hedge instead of a fence will provide a natural boundary while supporting local biodiversity.”

School grounds are excluded from the ‘right to roam’ under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, given responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment for pupils.

Moray Council’s access officer inspected the area after being advised of the changes by a member of the public.

A local authority spokesperson said: “The use of this informal route has led to several concerns, including safeguarding issues, as the path leads to areas where children are learning and playing. The newly planted saplings were placed to help define the school’s boundaries.

“Members of the public are encouraged to use the designated route via Drumduan Park and Clovenside Road, near the Forres Baptist Church as an alternative.”

Ms Tait added: “While we have always welcomed our neighbours to enjoy the grounds outside of school hours, during school hours access is restricted to staff, students, and visitors or volunteers who are PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) checked.

“We have a duty to ensure a secure environment for our students, and we hope the community will support us in this.”

Some of the newly-planted hedge trees have already been trampled and uprooted.

“This is particularly upsetting for the students involved in planting them,” said Ms Tait. “We’ll do our best to restore them, but we’d appreciate support in raising awareness of why maintaining clear boundaries is important.”