A local MSP has demanded action at a Dundee school rated “unsatisfactory” and “weak” in a scathing inspection report.
The findings at Baldragon Academy have reportedly led to significant stress among staff while families are demanding answers.
Michael Marra, a Labour MSP for North East Scotland, says the reports — accidentally published prematurely online — raise a host of concerns.
Issues highlighted include pupils regularly turning up late for lessons or playing truant.
Meanwhile many of those who do turn up seem disengaged and “lack enthusiasm and motivation for learning.”
School must get ‘back on track’
When opened in 2018, the school was described as an example of how the council was “investing in the future of our young people”.
Mr Marra said: “The children of Baldragon deserve better than this, they deserve an education that gives them the tools for success.
“Those running our schools need to cut out the self-defeating blunders and poor policy choices, get the school back on track and deliver the education our schools need.
“Teachers, pupils and parents at Baldragon have been left with more questions than answers as this highly critical review of the school has been thrown into doubt.”
The Education Scotland reports, totalling 50 pages, suggest the school is falling further and further behind comparable schools in the country.
Inspectors say attainment must be improved “immediately”, particularly in S4, S5 and S6.
Reports raise ‘more questions than answers’
Mr Marra added: “The report published, seemingly by accident, and then quickly withdrawn will have caused a great deal of worry for everyone at the school.
“If close to a final draft, the report itself presents a challenge for the school, Dundee City Council and the Scottish Government.
“Longstanding issues surrounding attainment and the learning environment have been made worse by the effects of the pandemic and years of brutal cuts – most recently amplified by the Scottish Government’s decision to slash attainment funding in Dundee by around 80%.
“Numerous crises have taken a difficult situation at Baldragon and made it critical with no real solutions on the table.”
Dundee City Council has so far declined to comment specifically on the findings or what it plans to do to improve matters.
In response to the criticism from Mr Marra, the local authority issued the same statement issued on Wednesday.
A spokesperson said: “This inspection report has not yet been published and we are in discussions with Education Scotland over the process.”
Education Scotland apologised for publishing the reports “in error” and said it is investigating how it happened.
It has not commented on whether the reports are drafts or the final versions.
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