A Perthshire school taking children with additional support needs from all over Scotland is set to close today.
The news that the New School at Butterstone, an independent residential facility for youngsters with a wide range of specialist educational needs and disabilities, would shut was only announced by email four days ago.
Around 25 pupils have been pulled out of their specialist education in Butterstone near Dunkeld and will have to be found new support.
All this came during Special Education Week, Autism, and ADHD Awareness month when this sector’s battles to thrive outside mainstream schooling are nationally highlighted.
Sir Andrew Cubie, chair of the school board, blamed financial pressure for the closure.
He added: “In an attempt to avoid closure, the board of governors investigated all options to guarantee the future of the school. Despite exhaustive efforts, however, none of the options proved viable and we have had to make the very difficult decision to close the school.
“Our overriding priority now is to work closely with parents, the Care Inspectorate, Education Scotland, the Regulator of Independent Schools and all relevant local authorities, particularly Perth and Kinross Council to secure suitable placements for pupils at the New School.”
Parents have expressed anger and bewilderment that the headteacher, Bill Colley, has been suspended by the board of governors and was not in position for over a week without them being informed.
A temporary head teacher was put in place for the final week, provided by Witherslack, a large school company that had been in talks to take over the school, but at the last minute had pulled out.
Jane Carmichael from Aberfeldy, whose eleven-year-old son Dylan was at Butterstone’s, said she found it extraordinary that even New School parents were not told the head Mr Colley had gone: “No-one at the school had told any of the parents. We were kept totally in the dark and were not told anything. This is awful.”
The school had an inspection from the Care Inspectorate, which demanded various remedial action was taken by December 1.
Parents learnt on Saturday last week of the improvement notice issued by the Care Inspectorate. The Care Inspectorate demanded the school address “serious failings” in its child protection procedures.
It also gave the school until Wednesday to take steps to ensure children using the service “must be kept safe from inappropriate behaviour and by members of staff”.
The school wrote on November 15 to say an action plan had been drawn up to address the areas requiring improvement.
The letter, signed by Sir Andrew Cubie, sought to assure parents: “As a school we are confident that by addressing these areas quickly, we will be able to demonstrate to the Care Inspectorate that significant progress has already been made to modify and improve the areas of weakness that they have highlighted.”
Mrs Carmichael, told the PA she strongly felt the school had been “chaotic and lacking leadership” of late.
After six months on placement to Butterstone’s, Jane and her husband removed their son in October and kept him at home due to concerns he was not happy.
