Culloden Academy school roll pressures spark fears of falling attainment as councillors voice concerns about the impact on attainment of one of Inverness' most overcrowded schools
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Parents and local councillors are demanding answers after it emerged plans for an extension to one of Inverness's most overcrowded schools have been delayed until 2023 – a year later than previously planned.
Culloden Academy is currently 15 per cent above capacity, with 1059 pupils.
Current projections suggest it could be over-subscribed by at least 36 per cent by August 2023.
Council officials are said to have advised parents that portacabins will be used to ease the pressure and have so far given no reason for the delay in progressing the planned extension despite £7.5 million having already been budgeted for the work.
Inverness South councillor Ken Gowans believes accommodation pressures at the school are having a visible impact on pupil attainment.
“Pupils and staff have been significantly disadvantaged by the chronic overcrowding," he said.
"Currently at 160 over capacity that number is comfortably expected to reach over 200 by August, at which point the school will not be able to cope.
“Currently, children are already sitting on the floor to eat lunch.
"Staff have been coping amazingly well but it is unfair to ask them to deliver high quality education in such a challenging environment.
“There is evidence to demonstrate that attainment is slipping compared to other similar schools in Scotland
"The overcrowding has been a concern since 2014 and I have consistently raised this in numerous council meetings.
“£7.5 million has been allocated to build a new extension yet this has slipped down this administration’s priorities. The earliest any extension has any possibility of being completed is 2023 – and that is questionable.
“In the meantime, administration councillors have announced that portacabins will be brought in as an emergency measure.
"Parents, pupils and staff could and should expect more.”
Culloden and Ardersier councillor Glynis Campbell Sinclair said: “I attended that most recent parent council meeting at Culloden Academy.
"Parents and staff are rightly anxious about the burden of the expanding school role, with no respite in sight.
“Both myself and my SNP colleague Ken Gowans are calling on the administration of Highland Council to finally commit funds to build an extension to the academy.
“This extension was promised years ago, the funds are in balances, and we need the works to begin at the earliest. The proposal to supply demountable buildings is nothing more than a sticking plaster.”
Parent Morven Reid, who has two children at Culloden Academy, said worries were being stoked by a lack of information.
"I am not here to slate the council, I am just saying what are your plans, what is your budget, and is this the right choice," she said.
"Maybe there should be more parental involvement.”
Another parent who did not want to be named said: "This is another case where pupils are suffering because of decisions by the council to allow more and more housing to be built before making sure the infrastructure in local areas can cope.
"You can't just cram kids in and expect everything to be fine – and portacabins aren't the answer either. They are not proper accommodation for pupils to be learning in.
"The council have known about the overcrowding problem for so long, I can't believe they have just allowed it to drift like this."
A spokeswoman for Highland Council said an update on the project will be given at a full council meeting later this month.
