Island school is cold and leaking, say parents

An island school where children and staff are sitting in jackets in cold classrooms needs urgent replacement, say parents.

Castlebay Community School in Barra was opened by the then Prince and Princess of Wales on a royal visit to the Hebrides in 1985.

In 2010, local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar identified the school as a high priority for improvement but has been unable to secure the necessary funding.

At the school buckets are being used to catch leaks, there are holes in ceilings and some classrooms have poor heating.

The comhairle and local SNP MSP Alasdair Allan are due to meet with Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth next week to discuss the situation.

Castlebay Community School provides education for three- to 18-year-olds and has about 250 children.

Marion MacNeil, chairwoman of the parent council and a former pupil, said the heating faults over the last two weeks had come during low temperatures.

She told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland: "When you are sending your children to school you are sending them to learn.

"When you are working in an extremely cold environment it affects your focus, your ability to concentrate.

"Naturally, it affects your academic performance."

Ms MacNeil was among the first pupils to attend Castlebay Community School and remembers the royal visit.

She said there were issues with some of the buildings soon after it opened.

Ms MacNeil said: "I remember not long after it opened leaks coming in.

"The head teacher would get pupils to dry wet tiles with hair dryers."

Ms MacNeil said the school had started to deteriorate badly a few years before the comhairle identified it as a priority, and she said it was the only school in the Western Isles categorised as being in a "poor condition".

She said: "We have waited long enough for a new school building.

"Renovating it will simply not do."

The comhairle said it was investigating issues with the heating.

It added that it was committed to providing improved educational facilities serving Barra and neighbouring Vatersay.

The comhairle said it had been working with the Scottish government on plans for an education, health and leisure campus, but added the project had been facing challenges.

A spokesman said: "While delays have continued in the Scottish government’s appraisal process for this project the facilities at Castlebay School have deteriorated."

He said it was hoped the meeting with Ms Gilruth would allow a school-building project to proceed.

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “Ministers understand the frustrations at the delays and the education secretary will meet with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar next week to discuss the project."

Local MSP Mr Allan said there was no doubt a new school was needed as soon as possible.