Angus Council has responded to complaints that study leave for secondary pupils heading into their crucial exam period has been cancelled.
Claims that study leave has been stopped in Angus have been the subject of letters and phone calls to The Courier.
The issue has also been raised at parents’ nights at schools.
One parent said: “It is the right of the local education authority to withdraw this privilege citing you would hope some solid reasoning such as statistics which point to no appreciable difference home study makes to exam results.
“Angus Council however have given no such reason.
“Instead, they claim that crime rate such as antisocial behaviour, loitering with intent, and petty thefts increase when their pupils stay off school.
“I think it such a shame that these education chiefs, closeted in their ivory towers, are so splendidly isolated that they hold their own pupils in such disdain.”
A spokesman for Angus Council said arrangements for S5 and S6 pupils are for a period of study leave from Monday May 9 to Friday May 20.
He said: “Young people in S5 with exams outside this period will be given the day before and the day of the examination as study leave.
“There are now no formal examinations for courses at National 2, 3 and 4.
“These are assessed internally by teaching staff, with the marking subject to external moderation by the SQA.
“Some courses at National 5 also have no formal external examination.
“S4 pupils who have two or more external examinations will be excused attending school the day before any examination to allow for final preparations (except where the examination falls on a Monday) and the day of the examination itself.
“School staff will, of course, be available to any young people who are on study leave and have questions, or require other assistance.
“Schools will also provide study areas in addition to structured revision time.
“Young people in S4 with no external exams are expected to continue attending school where a range of learning opportunities will be in place.
“The allocation of leave arrangements is reviewed annually and we value the input of parents to this process in addition to the support they give their children during their exams.
“Anyone with questions regards these arrangement should contact their child’s school.”