Month: February 2019

INFORMATION – what are BA PC saying.. what are the officials saying!!!

Presentation from BA Parent Council Evening.   (CLICK HERE)

This is the presentation that the Parent Council Sub committee presented to parents on Thursday 31st Jan at school.

Please do email chairperson@breadalbaneparents.com for questions or/and to be added to our mailing list..

Key points

According to the Schools Consultation (Scotland) Act 2010, Perth Kinross Council (PKC) SHOULD have consulted Breadalbane Academy school community…. they did NOT

 

4 of the 5 options that PKC presented Pitlochry High School on the 1st of October 2018 impact Breadalbane Academy (and ALL schools in Highland Perthshire)

1.Improve condition rating of school
2.Improve condition rating of school and include S5 and S6 at PHS to increase occupancy level – ALL councillors have publicly supported this option
3.Improve condition rating of school and extend catchment area to increase occupancy level
4.S4 pupils move to BA and review use of PHS building
5.Close PHS (Secondary) and pupils move to BA

 

The potential negative impact upon Breadalbane Academy 

•Lower pupil numbers at BA (as they stay on at PHS for S5 & S6)
•Reduce funding for teaching staff. – lose teachers
Reduction in depth and range of subjects on offer in senior phase
•Option 2 creates two small secondary schools in Highland Perthshire
National recruitment challenge
Narrower curriculum

What are WE saying?? 

“Its about the education for ALL Highland Perthshire children!!”

“what are the educational benefits for Pitlochry High School , BA and ALL Highland Perthshire Children… in ALL the options? SHOW US”

“PKC must give us ,BA school and wider community including ALL feeder schools and their communities, a FULL consultation

“the option to extend PHS has cross party backing”

“PKC have a flawed process”

“why didn’t PKC consult us? 2 years since PKC commenced the Estates Review!”

Breadalbane Academy offer a broad curriculum (see slide of all options currently available)… we don’t want to reduce our curriculum (and the choices available) to core”!!)

 

 


??????WHAT are the OFFICIALS saying??????

.. apparently there is disparity between what was said by the councillors (and heard by all those who attended) and what the councillors actually really meant to say…..so we invite ALL councillors to comment on what they said , or didn’t say.. in the meeting..

 

PKC – “we did not need to consult BA Parent Council and the school community

Independent Councillor .. I had to get up early to travel to school and did longer hours than my parents…. BA PC “how can a wide curriculum be offered to both PHS and BA pupils”…. “pupils could travel between schools for certain subjects”…. BA PC “so pupils still have to travel! perhaps adding to the regularity of travel.. more pupils travelling???? ” …… “have tried to stop the estates review process” …

Conservative Councillor was asked “will you now confirm that you will support Breadalbane Academy and protect us from losing subjects”… he sat down.. no answer… (he has been previously asked to stop the process and said he couldn’t)… BA PC know he can..

SNP Councillor/ Leading his group in the Life Long Learning Committee** – “it is political” and both PHS and BA could “maintain a core curriculum” , “great presentation” but PHS extension “would not damage Breadalbane Academy”!!!!  based on “anecdotal evidence” ****

*****(definition of “anecdotal evidence” taken from Collins Dictionary  “Anecdotal evidence is based on individual accounts, rather than on reliable research or statistics, and so may not be valid.”

** “The Lifelong Learning Committee comprises elected members of Perth & Kinross Council….” , including (conservative) John Duff and (independent) Xander McDade.. who PKC will present their chosen ONE option to in May and the Life Long Learning Committee will vote on the ONE option…

John Swinney (The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills) I “support your (BA PC) efforts and request that PKC consults with parents of BA”… “endorse your (BA PC) request that the process be paused while your views are sought”

SNP councillorI have felt the whole consultation process around the school estate review has been disfuntional. Indeed the whole of Highland Perthshire should have been consulted about how education is delivered locally.