I would like to update you on the progress of repairs at Balfron High School and give you more details about the temporary on-campus provision which will allow our all of our pupils (new S2-6) to return to Balfron on June 6th.

A final repair programme has been drawn up to bring the school back into full operation. Work has already started on key parts of the building. We will be able to use more areas of the school as repairs progress. The first set of extra classrooms (social subjects) will become available for pupils returning on June 6th.

The repair programme will continue into the summer holidays to ensure that Balfron is fully operational for the start of the new school year in August. This work has been drawn up in consultation with the School Leadership Team to ensure that educational needs are prioritised. It has been agreed that no repairs will be carried out during school hours.

In the meantime, we have arranged for 12 temporary classrooms to be delivered to the campus this coming weekend (May 21-22) and then fitted out in time for the S1-S3s returning to Balfron on June 6th. The classrooms – which house up to 30 pupils – will give us the space we need to continue to deliver the best learning  experiences possible for our young people until the end of term.

This new Learning Village will be sited in the car park area. An alternative arrangement for car parking is being organised from Monday. Please continue to avoid the campus at pick-up and drop-off times.

The classrooms themselves will be kitted out with desks, IT, Wi-Fi, whiteboard and printers. Pupils and staff will be familiarised with a safe movement protocol and updated fire evacuation procedures. To maximise the resources available to us, the curriculum will be delivered in areas of the main building that are fit to use and the new accommodation.

The SQA exams continue to run well, as does the temporary off-site provision. We have been delighted at the warmth of the welcome and level of support from St Modan’s, Wallace and Stirling High Schools for Balfron pupils and staff. It has been a wonderful example of team working with our many partners and we are enormously grateful. We are also very appreciative of the many messages of support from parents, carers and members of the community.

Our priority now is to ensure that our plans allow us to bring our school back together as soon as possible.

In the meantime study sessions have been organised as follows:
 N5 and Higher Physics revision: All day drop-in Friday 20th May
 N5 History support will be available on Friday morning (also 20th May) prior to the exam in A3
 German (all levels): Monday 23rd May
 Spanish (all levels): Monday 23rd May
 Higher Business revision: Tuesday 24th May at 3:30pm
 N5 and Higher Modern Studies revision: All day Thursday 26th May
 N5 and Higher PE: Tuesday 31st May

As always, I would like to thank you for your support and patience,
Elaine Bannatyne