Workmen board-up axed school with pupils still inside

WORKMEN began boarding-up an axed city primary school while the children were still being taught inside.

Parents, unions and staff have hit out at the council's decision to begin work on Lismore Primary in Bingham before it closed for Christmas.

Community leaders said they were outraged at the "insensitivity" of boarding up parts of the school while children were in class. Unhappy members of staff alerted Unison to the situation.

Both Lismore and Bonnington Primary in Leith closed their doors yesterday after the decision to close them was made by councillors last month.

Agnes Petkevicius, branch secretary for Unison, has been working with staff at Lismore and Bonnington since the closure was confirmed and said the situation was handled much more sensitively at Bonnington.

She said: "Staff were packing up around the children and then people were up there boarding the school up while the children were still there. At Bonnington, nothing will be done until the children and staff are away.

"It's very insensitive. It's upsetting enough that the school is having to close, but doing this while the children and staff are in school is not giving assurances that they (education bosses] are trying to make the transition smoother.

"One school has a very sensitive and sensible approach to children and staff, and the other I just don't understand."

Gail Ross, secretary of the Lismore Parents Action Group, said is was "disgusting" that workmen had been sent to board up the school before it had even closed.

She also said items had been getting packed up by staff members in front of children.

She said: "It's upsetting enough for them without this happening right under their noses.

"I don't know why they couldn't have waited until the school shut before they started boarding windows and packing things up.

"We've also had the headmistress from Brunstane at the school. Because our pupils are going to be in the catchment area for Brunstane now, she's had first dibs on all the equipment she wants.

"She was pointing out everything she wanted in front of the children and stickers were put on the things.

"I'm not saying that's her fault, it's just insensitive."

A council spokeswoman said: "It is important to secure closed buildings as quickly as possible to avoid any vandalism and damage.

"We do this to avoid future upset from neighbours. It was not our intention to cause any concern to the school community."

A third school, Westburn Primary in Wester Hailes, will close next summer.