School pupils in the Orkney island of Eday are missing out on art, music, and PE lessons because of a lack of flights.
Orkney Council’s Education, Leisure, and Housing (ELH) committee heard that an inspection by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIe) found Eday Primary and Nursery facing a challenging situation.
There is only one scheduled weekly return flight to the island. Over the last two school terms 17 of these return flights out of 24 have been cancelled, the committee were told by council officers.
The situation doesn’t appear to be getting better with only one return flight due to take place this month.
Teachers offering specialist art, music, or PE lessons have to travel to the island. Further teaching staff are also needed to support the island’s teachers.
However, the lack of flights leaves them with the option of the ferry to and from Eday – which would mean a 13-hour working day.
Unsurprisingly, this is limits the number of the county’s teachers willing to make the trip.
17 out of 24 weekly flights to Eday cancelled over last two school terms
According to the HMIe REPORT, this is stopping Eday’s teachers being able to cover the full remit of their jobs. It is even affecting their health and wellbeing.
The committee were told today that the problem with the flights is down to the limited number of available firefighters on the island. As they aren’t always available, the airfield can’t always be operated when hoped.
Council officers say they are having discussions about how to ease the situation.
The initial inspection of Eday Primary and Nursery was carried out in September 2019. A report was published the following December.
However, HMIe inspectors weren’t able to do their normal follow-up inspection until 29 March this year, due to the pandemic.
Councillor Melissa Thomson, who lives in Eday, is not on the education committee but was invited to speak.
She said: “There have been huge improvements at the school. You might know that it has been a very unsettled school for a few years partly because of the turnover of staff.
“We’re on an even keel and the acting head teacher is doing really well.
Viability of school being hampered
“I am genuinely concerned though, that if we can’t start providing the support that is required, we’re not going to have it so settled for the next report that comes back in.
“There’s only been three planes since March which really is not helping the school. I don’t know if this is the remit of ELH, but I feel it needs to be looked into.
“The viability of the school is hampered by the fact that we can’t provide the support that school clearly needs.”
Councillor Steven Clackson pointed out that having only one flight a week does not provide much employment for a ground crew.
Council convener Graham Bevan said the local authority should use the “immense resources” at its disposal to help.
He said: “We can’t necessarily alter the problems with flight attendants etc. What we need is a contingency and to be prepared to spend money to make that contingency work.
Praise for school
“We have immense resources in this authority, particularly in the water. We have many boats that could get people out to Eday in half the time that the service boats could.
Mr Bevan urged the committee to “put its weight” behind allowing officers to look into contingencies.
In spite of this difficult situation, the HMIe inspection showed many positives at Eday Primary and Nursery.
In particular, it pointed to the work of the acting headteacher for supporting pupils and teachers during the pandemic. However, due to the pressures on staff, the headteacher hasn’t been given the non-contact time and management time she’s due.
Speaking after the meeting, education committee chair Gwenda Shearer said:
“We commend the work of the acting headteacher, the school staff, pupils and parents in achieving this inspection result.
“This school community experienced significant challenges through Covid. Like others they have risen to those challenges.
“Key strengths identified were the warm and welcoming environment, the children’s interest in their learning – and the support given to families by the school during lockdown.
“Areas for improvement have also been highlighted. We’ll now work with the school to address these – including the additional issues that were identified around transport by the education service.”
A further follow-up inspection at Eday School is to take place within the year.
Conversation