Over capacity schools in Falkirk could face greater challenges ahead

The Scottish Government's route map out of lockdown says children could start to return to classrooms across Falkirk district in August.

The plan to reopen the country’s schools is part of phase three of the plan, but the government has warned even when pupils do start to return, things will be far from normal, with a ‘blended learning’ approach of teaching at home and school and public health measures including physical distancing being enforced.

And in some of the region’s schools physical distancing could prove to be even more of a challenge for teachers and students with school rolls over capacity.

Data sourced from the Scottish Government’s School Estates 2019 report – which is the latest available, and contains the figures for the 2018-2019 academic year – shows that out of Falkirk’s 58 primary and secondary schools, six were over capacity that year.

They were Kinnaird, Beancross, Denny, Maddiston, Westquarter and Ladeside primary schools.

None of Falkirk district’s high schools were over capacity during that academic year.

And the figures show Kinnaird Primary was the most overcrowded in Scotland for 2018-2019, while Beancross and Denny also made it into the top ten most over capacity in the country.

Nationally just five per cent of schools are overcrowded, but in Falkirk it was double that with ten per cent.

According to the figures, Kinnaird had 184 pupils – 42 per cent - more than capacity enrolled in September 2018, while Beancross had an additional 69 children (20 per cent) and Denny had 53 more than its capacity (19 per cent).

These three schools, along with Maddiston Primary, which had 63 (15 per cent) more pupils than capacity, were all using temporary modular classrooms to accommodate pupils.

And in the years following these figures, Kinnaird and Madiston primaries have since had their own stand alone nursery buildings completed.

At Westquarter and Ladeside primaries there were 15 pupils (four per cent) and four children (one per cent) more than capacity respectively.

Last week Falkirk Council said local children may only spend one day a week in the classroom when they return to school in August.

Physical distancing measures will make a return to the normal classroom setting impossible, and a blended learning approach – teaching at home and in school - will be needed “possibly for many months”.

Robert Naylor, director of children’s services told councillors the department is looking at ways in which they can have children in school safely.

They have been looking at the spacing that would be needed in classrooms and in the playground, as well as how pupils might enter and exit the school and individual classrooms, and issues such as toileting and handwashing.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said the C-19 Education Recovery Group (ERG) is considering all practical options on the reopening of schools.

The spokesperson said: “This includes consideration of any continuing need for physical distancing measures in settings to ensure safety, and the implications of that for school capacity.”

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