Practical subjects to be delivered at Forres Academy again in new term following faulty concrete works
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PARENTS were invited to an open evening with education chiefs to discuss plans for the current and the new Forres Academy.
The information event before the end of last term was organised by head teacher Jan Sinclair and attended by Moray Council chief executive Roddy Burns, learning estate programme manager Andrew Hall, head of housing and property services Edward Thomas, head of education Vivienne Cross and deputy chief executive Denise Whitworth.
Attendees were sent a letter ahead of the meeting confirming there would be updates from Moray Council’s Property and Learning Estate on the current Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete repairs at the school, educational continuity, and reconfiguration, as well as plans for a new building.
A local authority spokesperson confirmed the panel facilitated the meeting and answered questions from the floor.
She said: “Topics such as the learning and teaching impacts, property updates and the new school build were discussed.
“Phase 3 building works, focused on recovering and repurposing classrooms, are progressing at pace. They will allow practical subject delivery within Forres Academy again.
“Post-Christmas, practical science and technical lessons will be able to be delivered at the school. However, practical home economics lessons will continue to be delivered at host schools for the foreseeable future.”
She added: “There is ongoing review and evaluation of learning during the period of using alternative locations. Mrs Sinclair and her team will determine any mitigations in due course. Additional support is available for pupils across the senior phase.”
An attending parent who wishes to remain nameless hoped to hear that the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) would factor in ongoing disruption to lessons, and in some cases relocation to other towns when it came to end-of-year results.
She added: “My stomach flipped when I read that pupils will need to go elsewhere for their exams.
“So much extra pressure is being put on these young people due to huge failings at council/government level to recognise that, long before now, the school is not fit for purpose.
“However, I appreciate that there is no alternative and to be fair, the school staff seems to be handling a terrible situation in the best way possible.”
Regarding possible poorer marks due to the situation, the council spokesperson would only confirm parents and pupils have been provided with a letter prepared in conjunction with the SQA outlining everything.
She added: “The SQA are aware of the school’s situation and further discussions will occur over the coming months.
“Forres House Community Centre will be used for exams. Compensation to user groups will be part of ongoing monitoring and discussions.”
The Gazette asked Moray Council to respond to claims that Forres Academy pupils and staff have been mistreated in other schools where they are doing practical classes.
The spokeswoman replied: “A senior leader accompanies pupils along with the class teacher and is able to deal with any situations which occur.”
Despite these reassurances from Moray Council, parents have heard from senior pupils that, in some cases, they are now a month behind with their classwork as a result of the disruption.
One parent said: “Kids being shipped to Elgin and Lossie are getting less time for their lunch and less time for lessons to allow for travel time. Compared to other pupils across Scotland, I think it equates to around two hours less a-week in learning time.”
The spokeswoman said: “This is not our understanding of the situation. If parents and pupils are concerned with this we recommend they raise this issue with the school directly.”
