Where will my child be going to school now?

Following the decision to temporarily close the school, we identified other schools that have the capacity to accommodate groups of Maddiston Primary School pupils.

Although there are other Primary Schools within the Braes Cluster, these schools did not have available space.

What happens if my child has additional support needs – will they still get the same support?

Current staff will be deployed across the host schools and every school will have a member of the School Leadership Team in the building. Work is currently underway to identify the classes and individuals where support will be prioritised. All children will have their own class teachers, and appropriate support staff, who know the children well and will continue to plan for progression in their learning.

Will my child be with their friends and usual teachers in the temporary school?

All classes from Maddiston Primary School will remain in their current class groupings and will have the same class teacher/s that they are familiar with and who know them well. Where there are opportunities that would be beneficial for them to meet pupils from the host school then this will be facilitated. The Maddiston Primary School senior leadership team will spend their time working across the host settings and will continue to be available for staff, pupils and families. Whilst classes from across Maddiston Primary School will not all be in the same setting, work has taken place to minimise the number of different schools the children will be hosted in. Support staff will be allocated across the host schools and those children who require particular support will be planned for.

What happens if my child has siblings at the school, will they be placed together?

Classes have been allocated to different host schools in order to keep similar ages and stages together. This will allow for shared opportunities and effective use of resources. We understand this may result in siblings being in different schools. However, by providing transport for all children, families will not be required to attend different schools at the start and end of the day.

Will my child's education be affected moving to a different school?

All required resources are being moved to ensure the children have access to everything they need to continue to engage in their learning. All staff are working hard to ensure there is minimum impact on the children’s learning.

How will the learning experience be maintained during this disruption?

When the children are in their temporary schools, they will all have an allocated classroom or learning space with all relevant resources to support their learning. The schools will work together to timetable shared learning spaces to ensure the children can engage in all areas of the curriculum across the school week. Once the children have settled in to their new classrooms, their planned learning will continue as normal.

Will class sizes increase in the temporary schools?

Class sizes will remain the same during the relocation to different schools. Children will remain in their current class group with their current teachers.

Will school lunches and free school meals still be provided at the new schools?

The normal arrangements will be in place for children ordering and eating school lunches. For those pupils who are entitled to free school meals, this will continue. Any information regarding dietary requirements will be passed to the catering staff in each school. Specific arrangements for children attending Braes High School will be communicated directly to those families. All children will be provided with a free school meal for the first week in their new school to ensure any new arrangements are communicated to families.

How can we help our children adjust to these changes?

The staff who are working with your child will support the transition and will ensure that the children’s health and wellbeing is a focus during their time in school. The school will ensure that communication is ongoing and that you are notified of the details you require to prepare your child for attending their temporary school.

My child is being relocated to a school which is far away. What if something happens during the day and I am unable to drive?

All children in all classes will have transport provided for them to and from school. Schools will deal, as normal, with any issues that arise during the course of a day taking account of the change in circumstances and location.

Why was the school open before but it is now closed?

After Storm Eowyn caused damage to the school, investigations were carried out and safety measures put in place to ensure the school could still be used safely, addressing the risks and hazards that were known to us at that time.

As the investigations continued, parts of the building's structure were exposed, revealing further issues with the stonework. We had no knowledge or evidence of these wider issues prior to Tuesday 18 February.

At all times during the investigation safety measures were put in place to ensure the safety of pupils, staff and visitors. When the wider issues were uncovered, the decision was made to close the school as the best way to ensure pupil safety while the necessary building work is carried out.

What exactly is wrong with the school building?

There are concerns over the external fabric of the building including stonework and masonry facades identified following detailed intrusive investigations after the storm damage. Given the scale of the required repairs, we are advised this will take until at least August 2025 to complete.

Why was the decision made to close the school so suddenly?

The extent of safety measures now required (fencing, removal of outdoor spaces, construction traffic, etc) to enable the repair work to be carried out are significant and cannot be carried out without major impact to the operation of the school. In terms of ensuring the safety of pupils, staff and visitors the appropriate course of action was to close the school until remedial works are progressed.

Why were parents not informed of the decision to close the school until late on Tuesday 18 February afternoon?

Parents were informed as soon as was practically possible following a meeting between the Education Senior Leadership Team, colleagues in Place Services, and Chartered Structural Engineers.All parents and carers were issued with a text message and a letter via Groupcall.

What assurances can you give that the school will be safe when it reopens?

We are being advised by Chartered Structural Engineers and a contractor will shortly be appointed to oversee the project.

How will parents be kept informed about the repairs and plans for pupils?

Regular communication will be sent from the Council and the school to ensure everyone is kept up to date with progress and to ensure you continue to feel involved in your child’s school and learning. Parents can continue to contact Maddiston Primary School’s school office (lines are being diverted) for daily communication.

How can parents raise concerns or ask further questions?

We will continue to issue communications and update this page regularly. If you have questions about arrangements for your own child, the normal procedures should continue and contact should be made directly with the school.

• Education Scotland Inspection Reports