Furious parents of pupils at fire-ravaged Braeview Academy have hit out at education bosses over their handling of school provision in the aftermath of the blaze.
School leaders insisted last week education is “not suffering” after announcing pupils will continue being transported to and from Craigie High and Baldragon Academy for lessons until a permanent solution can be found.
However, concerned parents have spoken out about issues affecting the arrangement, including absent teachers, lessons pared back to 25-minute sessions, missing subjects, and children too afraid to walk the halls alone for fear of being attacked.
Michelle Phillips, who has three daughters at Braeview, has demanded answers over reports of staff failing to turn up or arriving late to classes.
She said: “They say that education isn’t being affected but clearly it is if teachers aren’t even showing up for lessons.
“We were assured our children wouldn’t be put in classrooms with Baldragon teachers but they are having to be there to supervise when Braeview teachers can’t get there in time, essentially to babysit.
“The school told us that the priority is the older pupils but my worry is that our children in the younger groups will be left behind next year with everything they’re missing.
“One of my daughters wants to study computing at university and has had no French or computing classes at all and there’s now only three English lessons a week instead of five, sometimes without a teacher.”
Ms Phillips said there was growing concern from a number of parents over a series of violent incidents reportedly involving pupils.
She said: “I’ve heard stories of children being refused access to buses and there are videos of fights between Baldragon and Braeview pupils. Children are even having to be escorted to the toilets.”
Another parent, who asked not to be named, said her children had become “very upset and anxious” after being told they would be returning to the current set-up following the October break.
“Children are going without lunches and being pushed around,” she said.
“At times they are sitting in classes with no teachers or getting a teacher that doesn’t cover that subject. My children have said very clearly that they don’t want to go back.”
One woman claimed appropriate provisions had not been put in place for her daughter with additional support needs, while others said their children had begged not to return.
Two said they were considering whether to contact Dundee City Council to see if their child could be permanently placed at a different school.
A spokeswoman for the authority said: “To date, the feedback we have received directly from pupils, parents and carers has been positive.
“Efforts are continuing across council service departments to ensure that pupils and staff can return to the school site as soon as possible.
“A meeting to update parents on progress to return to the Braeview Academy site will be held after the October holiday. Staff will be present and any individual concerns can be raised after the meeting.”
