Emergency measures to continue beyond Christmas for Peebles High School pupils

Plans to ensure the continued face-to-face teaching of pupils after the festive period have been finalised, along with arrangements for the upcoming prelim exams.

Since the fire, for which two boys have been charged, temporary arrangements have been in place, with all pupils receiving face-to-face teaching in alternative venues in Peebles and Galashiels.

When pupils return on Monday, January 6, the current interim teaching and transport arrangements will remain in place, with S1-S3 pupils accommodated within Peebles. The S4-S6 year groups will be taught in Galashiels from January 6-9 until prelim exam leave starts on Friday, January 10.

The council has also confirmed that all prelim exams for Peebles pupils will take place within Peebles High School’s new games hall complex, which was unaffected by the fire, from Monday, January 13 to Friday, January 31.

This includes all those exams which were scheduled to take place prior to the Christmas break and which were postponed following the fire.

Drop-in curricular and pastoral support will be made available in Peebles High School throughout the exam leave period for S4-S6, which runs until Friday, January 31. There will also be study spaces available at West Linton Primary School and St Ronan’s Primary School in Innerleithen for any students in S4-S6 for the duration of the study leave.

As of Friday, January 10, transport arrangements will return to normal.

The council is working towards all pupils returning to the Peebles High School site as soon as possible, with works on site continuing over the Christmas break.

Council chief executive Tracey Logan said: “Although work has started on the Peebles High School site, there remains a significant amount of progress required before we can safely accommodate pupils back within the high school for full time education.

“This includes repairing and reinstating essential services and putting in place temporary toilets and additional teaching space.

“As a result, we have decided to keep the current temporary arrangements in place after the Christmas break as we work to finalise plans for getting all pupils back in to Peebles High School.

“This an absolute priority for us and a significant number of staff from right across the Council are working towards that aim. Teams will be working throughout the holidays and we will continue to keep pupils, parents and staff updated and confirm post-January arrangements as soon as possible.”

Contingency plans have been put in place for winter weather, should this occur when the temporary arrangements are in place, and should these need to be activated, the council will communicate with parents through normal channels, including the council website, social media channels, Radio Borders and Groupcall.