Failings which led to a 13-year-old girl being brutally attacked in a north-east secondary school have been questioned by the region’s MSPs.
On Tuesday, a 12-year-old girl was able to walk into Fraserburgh Academy and make her way to the games hall where she was filmed punching, slapping and kicking another youth in a two-minute attack that was filmed by her friends.
The youngster has since been charged by police but it is understood that she is not a pupil of the academy.
Footage shows “disgusting” assault on teenager in north-east school
It is thought she was skipping classes from a primary school within the port at the time of the incident.
Now questions have been asked of Aberdeenshire Council about the future of the school and what safety measures will be reviewed across the region to prevent a similar attack occurring elsewhere.
Conservative MSP Peter Chapman said: “This was a shocking incident which does raise questions about security in and around schools in Aberdeenshire.
“I think most people would question how someone who is not a pupil at the school was apparently able to get into the building without being challenged.
“There is always a balance to be struck, but we must ensure the safety and security of school children.
“I would expect that Aberdeenshire Council will be reviewing its procedures at local schools in light of this.”
Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald added schools needed to be able to account for all of the pupils within their care.
“What strikes me is that this was a school pupil from another school,” he said.
“The fact that a 12-year-old has walked into a school unchallenged is, frankly, not that surprising but the fact that she was missing from school – and no one has made a fuss about that – is.
“There are questions to answer.
“I don’t think any of us would want to see ID checks at the gates of secondary schools, but I do think that if someone is playing truant it should be taken seriously.
“For the kids own education as well as security, it is important they are at school and if they are absent something is done about it – it isn’t just allowed to go on.”
Yesterday, Aberdeenshire Council said it would not be commenting on the situation while a police investigation was in progress.
