Forres Academy faulty concrete: Pupils to return on Tuesday with some lessons in makeshift classrooms, as "entire upper floor" closed

PUPILS at Forres Academy will return to school from Tuesday despite the "entire upper floor" being closed, with the assembly hall, gym halls and library becoming improvised classrooms.

The extensive closure due to faulty concrete (RAAC) means that staff have been "maximising" space available in "all lower floor class areas," and that no "practical science, woodwork or home economics" lessons will take place.

Forres Academy will remain closed to pupils on Monday, with remote learning, but on Tuesday children based within the ASN base and S4-S6 pupils will attend – with remote learning for S1-S3.

Whereas Wednesday will see pupils within the ASN base return and S1-S3, and Senior College, pupils learn in-person with S4-S6 remote learning.

Thursday and Friday will see all pupils return to in-person learning.

The phased return is required because: "we need to test this out", the letter from head teacher Jan Sinclair said.

It added that: "As you will appreciate it has been no mean feat looking to how we facilitate everyone when we have lost this amount of space."

The letter also confirmed that this was the first part of the "Phrase 1" plan, with "Phase 2" beginning after the October Holidays and restoring senior pupils' access to practical subjects.

The letter to parents reads:

Dear Parents/Guardians and Pupils

Once again, I sincerely hope you are doing well.

In terms of areas of the building that are now closed due to RAAC concerns this is the entire upper floor of the school.

As you will appreciate it has been no mean feat looking to how we facilitate everyone when we have lost this amount of space.

As shared earlier, we have been working on plans during what we are referring to as "Phase 1" - this is up to the October holidays.

I am pleased to say that our Phase 1 plan has now been approved by Health and Safety.

What this Phase 1 plan means is that we will have all pupils in the building but there will be no practical science, woodwork or home economics.

We of course recognise that this cannot last longer than a few weeks for our senior phase pupils and so we are now moving onto looking to our Phase 2 plan for after October to facilitate these practical subjects.

We have been able to fit all pupils in by using our large areas of the assembly hall, gym halls and library as well as maximising the period occupancy of all lower floor class areas.

You will appreciate we need to test this out and as a result we will be staggering our pupils back over next week.

Due to some areas of the lower floor impacted by closure there will be some unfamiliar routes for pupils to follow.

We need to ensure, for safety reasons that we can fully explain all of this to our pupils and allow familiarisation with how the building will look and function.

Timetables will need to be re-shared with pupils as locations will have changed and all this will be communicated to them fully once they are back with us.

We will share, before they return, through our normal communication means, the location they need to go to when they arrive.

The plan for next week (w/c Monday 18th September) is as follows:

Monday – Closure to pupils with remote learning via Teams.

Tuesday – Open to ASN provision pupils (ASN parents will be phoned on Monday by ASN staff) plus all S4/5/6 only. Remote learning for S1/2/3.

Wednesday – Open to ASN provision pupils, S1/2/3 plus Senior College pupils only. Remote learning for S4/5/6 (not at college).

Thursday – Open to all pupils.

Friday – Open to all pupils.

We are hopeful all of this will function as planned however at any point, if there is any change to this, we will communicate this as quickly as possible.

We appreciate this will be difficult for our pupils and please be assured they will be fully supported on their return.

Some further information will be shared to you and to our pupils on Monday around some finer details.

Once again, we fully appreciate your understanding and support over this challenging time.

Have an enjoyable weekend.

Kind regards,

Jan Sinclair

Head Teacher