Staff at the High School of Dundee are being consulted about possible redundancies, while fees are to increase by 12% as the school faces cost pressures.
The school is currently reviewing its staffing as it grapples with rising energy costs, inflation and increased wages for its teachers.
Rector Lise Hudson confirmed staff were asked about moving to part-time working, or voluntary redundancy. She said three teachers have applied for voluntary redundancy.
Ms Hudson said: “Like all businesses, we have had to respond and make strategic plans to allow us to operate as efficiently as we can.
“We have been looking at ways that we can save energy and making sure we are using our accommodation in the most efficient way we can.
“Again, in common with all businesses, as part of our strategic planning the school has to review its staffing levels to ensure we are resourced in the right way.
“As a result, we asked our staff for notes of interest in moving to part-time working, shared working and voluntary redundancy.“
She said the school is in the process of “exploring the extent to which any further redundancies will be required”.
Ms Hudson said it was essential for the school, which has about 1,000 pupils, to review its practices to ensure it delivers an “exceptional learning experience”.
She added: “We are continuing to prioritise the wellbeing of all our staff and ensure that we model the self-advocacy, community support and kindness that we seek to instil in our young people.”
High School of Dundee fees to rise
Meanwhile, parents were informed of the fees rise on Wednesday.
A letter seen by The Courier from Kay Pratt, chair of the school’s board, said the fee rises were due to economic pressures.
She said fees were frozen in 2020/21 and 2021/22, but increased by 5% for the current academic year.
The fees for pupils starting school will increase from £10,098 to £11,310.
Senior pupils’ fees will jump from £14,331 a year to £16,050.
Ms Pratt said the rise had partly been brought on by the recent teachers’ pay deal.
“The recent national pay settlement between the government and unions has agreed a substantial increase in teachers’ salaries, and we must take account of that in order to retain and attract the very best staff.
“In addition, huge increases in energy and infrastructure costs, and other rises across the board, have put an unprecedented strain on the school’s budget.”
Ms Pratt said the school board had worked hard to cap the increases at 12%.
The school also denies it is in a financial crisis. It said action is being taken now to safeguard the school’s long-term future.
News of the fees increasing comes just months after the High School of Dundee put the former Post Office building up for sale.
The school had intended to transform the building, which sits on the corner of Meadowside, Euclid Crescent and Constitution Road.
It planned to invest £16 million into creating a Centre for Performing and Visual Arts to benefit the whole city.
After five years of fundraising, in December 2020 the private school said the plans had been shelved. It said it was looking to future-proof its entire campus.
The building was put on the market for offers over £500,000.
‘These are not knee-jerk reactions’
Ms Hudson said staff and parents are being kept updated with any changes.
She said: “These are not decisions that we will be taking lightly. They are not knee-jerk reactions.
“I want to emphasise that these efficiencies will not impact on the quality or breadth of learning experience that we offer our pupils.”
Accounts for school show it made more money than it spent in each of the past four years.
The most recent accounts, published on the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator website, show the school’s income of £13m for the year to July 31 2021. Its expenditure over the same period was £12.5m.
For the year previous, to July 31 2020, its income was £12.9m compared to expenditure of £12.8m.
Its next accounts, for the year to July 2022, are due to be submitted by the end of April.
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