Safety fears at Scottish schools following new figures

The safety of schools across Scotland is being called into questions as new figures reveal at least one incident a week is being recorded.

In 2016 and 2017, 143 were reported across the country according to the stats obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the Scottish Conservatives.

Three schools in Ayrshire are listed in the findings.

A ceiling collapsed in a stairwell at Cumnock Academy in August 2017. Ceiling tiles also fell of at St Joseph's Academy in Kilmarnock in December 2017.

At Greenwood Academy in Irvine, a pupil was injured after a bit of scaffolding, which had been leaning against a wall, blew over in October last year. A pupil was also injured when a metal border fell from a door at a North Ayrshire school in June last year.

Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary Liz Smith said:

“Each one of these incidents represents a risky situation that children or staff have been put in while at school.

“Children and staff must be safe at school, and the fabric of the school buildings must be maintained properly.

“Including building reports in school inspections is an obvious way to ensure that school buildings are fit for purpose and prevent any more avoidable accidents.

“It is extremely fortunate that more children or staff haven’t been hurt."

We have contacted both East and North Ayrshire Councils for a response.