The parent-led group that has been campaigning for Fife Council to press ahead with plans for a new single-site Madras College at Pipeland in St Andrews has set up a website highlighting the “deplorable” conditions at the school.
Parent Voice has launched the online campaign to highlight conditions in the existing Kilrymont and South Street buildings, which it says are detrimental to the education of young people.
Gallery: Campaigners’ photos of ‘deplorable’ conditions at Madras College
Fife Council’s planning application in principle for a new Madras at Pipeland is passing through the planning process. A decision will be made by the council’s north-east Fife area committee and full Fife Council within months.
If approved, a final decision will be made by Scottish ministers as the proposed site is on greenbelt and prime agricultural land and, therefore, deemed to be a departure from the local development plan.
However, with a split in the town for and against Pipeland, concerns have been expressed that any future legal challenge could further delay the provision of a new school, ultimately prolonging the poor conditions for pupils.
Parent Voice spokeswoman Wendy Donald said: “As Fife Council’s plans for the new Madras at Pipeland reach the critical stages of being reviewed by councillors, Parent Voice has initiated a campaign to draw the public’s attention to the deplorable conditions that the children of north-east Fife have to endure at the current Kilrymont and South Street sites.
“Photographs of some of the dreadful conditions that our children and the teaching staff have to endure every day have been posted on Parent Voice’s Facebook page. These are by no means the worst of the conditions and would not be tolerated in any other field of employment.
“Conditions such as these are well known to be detrimental to the education of young people, must make the task of teaching so much more difficult and have been heavily criticised by HMI of schools on several occasions.
“We know, from the new schools in Dunfermline and Glenrothes, that these conditions can be completely overturned and, with the further details of the new Madras at Pipeland recently being issued by Fife Council, Parent Voice is urging parents and all other supporters to ensure that local councillors get right behind the plans.”
Fife Council’s executive spokesperson for education, children, young people and families, Councillor Bryan Poole, said: “With regard to the education of young people, all the evidence points to the quality of leadership and teaching in schools as the key factors. Madras College has an excellent headteacher and he issupported by a dedicated team of teachers; as a results the educational opportunities at Madras for the pupils are more than comparable with anywhere in Scotland.
“That said, the achievements of the pupils and staff at Madras is in spite of, not because of, the physical environment in which they are working. It is undoubtedly the case that both buildings South Street and Kilrymont are nowhere close to currently accepted standards. Fife Council is very clear that is the case and so too is Education Scotland, as set out in inspection reports.
“Fife Council is 100% committed to replacing the current Madras buildings a £40 million budget has been allocated for said replacement. As has been extensively reported, the education service has lodged an outline planning application for Pipeland for a new Madras College and I’m sure we all supporters and objectors want that process to progress and, thereafter, conclude as quickly as possible.”