ALLOA ACADEMY’S parent council has hit out at the proposed relocation of St Mungo’s RC PS to their school, citing overcrowding and lack of space for pupils.

Since 2018, St Mungo’s RC PS has been located within Alloa Academy, due to issues with damp in their old building.

Clackmannanshire Council has put forward the possibility of permanently relocating the school to the Alloa campus and has launched a consultation to allow members of the public to provide feedback on the proposals.

Alloa Academy Parent Council has spoken with both parents and pupils regarding the move and, after accumulating responses, members have slammed the move, arguing that it simply cannot work.

Maureen McMaster, chairperson for the parent council, said: “As a community, Alloa Academy has done its very best to be supportive since the St Mungo’s building crisis arose five years ago.

“However, we haven’t been able to pinpoint any benefits from the co-location to either school or their pupils.

“Indeed, many academy pupils report negative experiences arising from the compromises they have been asked to make.”

The parent council has written a letter to Colin Bruce, chief education officer for Clackmannanshire Council, outlining their views on the matter.

Within the letter, they stress the issues that have arisen since the temporary relocation started and how these impact senior students in Alloa Academy.

The letter explains that pupils in the school have lost indoor space, which in turn has led to overcrowding on the second floor.

The parent council has also stressed that pupils who suffer from sensory issues are finding it difficult as there is restricted space and pinch points due to the increased number of pupils.

Issues surrounding pupils being spoken to in a negative manner by St Mungo’s staff have also been reported, creating friction between the two schools.

Maureen added: “We all want to ensure the best learning environment for all pupils but we can’t see how this can be achieved in the space available, indeed it limits the opportunities for Alloa Academy.

“This was only ever meant to be a temporary solution and it would be completely unfair to expect current and future Alloa Academy pupils to compromise on their school.”

The parent council also asked a number of questions to Clacks Council, asking for answers regarding how both schools would cope with increased intake of pupils due to new housing developments in the areas.

They also expressed fears that the additional support needs department would fall victim to a loss of space, hindering efforts to provide the very best for pupils in need of alternative teaching.

As reported by the Advertiser, St Mungo’s RC Parent Council also responded negatively to the proposals, explaining that they felt the building required “significant structural changes” to preserve the identity of the school.

Clacks Council has now launched the consultation for the proposals, with members of the public urged to leave feedback. This can be found here.

The Alloa Academy Parent Council is also keen to hear from interested parties and can be reached by emailing alloaacademyparentcouncil@gmail.com.