Pupils taken out of school over concrete concerns

A number of parents have withdrawn their children from a south of Scotland school because they are concerned about potentially dangerous concrete in the building.

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found in 40 schools across the country last year - some closed while others chose to monitor the situation or carry out further investigations.

About 15 pupils at Gatehouse Primary - which has a roll of 81 - have now been taken out of class and parents have set up their own "teaching hub" in a nearby community centre.

This is despite safety reassurances from Dumfries and Galloway Council.

The council said the school had more than 300 Raac panels and work had already been carried out on 30 which had been identified as critical and high risk.

It said it planned to replace all panels over the next three years but said there was no need to provide temporary classrooms as mitigation work had been completed.

It added that the school had the capacity to move pupils within the building when the panel removal project took place.

Some parents whose children are still attending the school said they have been satisfied with the reassurances.

However, Kris Dickie said he was unwilling to send his daughter Liv back into the school without further investigations being carried out.

"There is not enough information from the council regarding the Raac panels and there is too much risk involved," he said.

"The structural engineer's report clearly states that it needs further investigation so we can have a better understanding of the state that these panels are in.

"They need to take the roof off or access into the roof space a lot more to get a lot more answers."

Mr Dickie said parents had been trying to teach children that had been kept out of school "as best they can".

He said: "They've also cancelled their sports day on Friday, saying that if the kids are not in school, they won't be allowed to go to the sports day which is just shocking behaviour."

Mr Dickie said he remained unhappy with sending his child to the school despite assurances from the council.

"I just don't understand why anybody would put their child in that position with so many unknowns," he said.

He said they wanted more answers from the council and some kind of temporary accommodation until a more detailed inspection was carried out.

Rebecca Vasey is chairwoman of the Parent Teacher Association and has taken her daughter Isabella out of the school.

She said she did not believe it was safe after reading the structural engineer's report.

"It is really concerning for me that these Raac panels are six metres long over the children's heads in the classroom," she said.

"I am not prepared to risk my daughter's life for that."

Gary McVitie has two children - Ryan and Freya - at the school.

"I made the decision to take my children out of the school because it is unsafe," he said.

"All the roof has not been looked at, we don't know what's up there."

The majority of pupils remain at the school and the local authority has said it is confident the children are not at any risk.

Louise Redden has a child in primary three who is still attending the school and said it was a difficult situation.

"It is dangerous and you don't want your kids to be put at risk," she said.

"Do you trust what they are saying or do you not? Do you put them into the school or do you not?

"It is a hard decision - some people can't take their kids out of school, don't have the option to, it is difficult."

Tika MacTaggart has her son at the nursery and he will be heading to the school soon but she said she had been reassured.

"I was panicking at first but now that I have heard what has been said at the meetings and the councillors have been questioned, everything has been put to them," she said.

"I think everything has been smoothed out and people aren't panicking now I think it is all under control, I don't think we have to worry."

Steven Pickthall - who also has a child in the nursery - said he was "not at all" concerned about the situation.

Dumfries and Galloway Council said it had been made aware by the teaching union the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) about the parental action in taking children out of school.

"Our priority and commitment is to provide a positive, safe educational experience and it is one we take seriously," it said.

"We are confident this is being and can be achieved within Gatehouse Primary School and have explained this rationale to parents and carers of learners who are enrolled at the school."

A statement from Clancy Consulting, which inspected the building, said remedial work had been carried out following correct procedure and according to safety guidelines.

It said a further inspection was planned to determine if the roof could be reduced from medium to low risk in due course while planning had also started to fully replace the roof.