Outgoing Kinlochbervie High School head teacher urges Highland Council to 'recognise the value of schools in small communities' after battle to retain languages teacher
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Highland Council must recognise the value of schools in small communities, the outgoing head teacher of Kinlochbervie High School has said.
Graeme Smart made the plea after revealing the remote school, which has only 30 pupils on its roll, had had to battle to retain its modern languages teacher for the 2023/24 year.
Highland Council uses a formula based on the school roll to calculate staffing levels for individual schools.
This meant that the staffing level for Kinlochbervie for 2023/24 was 7.58 full-time equivalent staff, including the head teacher – effectively leaving six and a half teacher to deliver a full curriculum.
Speaking at his last prize-giving last Wednesday after 13 years at the school, Mr Smart said: “Even with the incredibly supportive and flexible staff we are lucky to have, that is simply impossible and we were left facing the prospect of losing modern languages from our already stretched curriculum next session.”
He said the school and parent council had put up stiff opposition resulting in “concessions”.
“I am delighted to report that Sr Sisdeli will remain next year to continue teaching Spanish to all our pupils from p2 up,” continued Mr Smart. “Massive thanks are due to the parent council and particularly to Yvonne MacRae for all her emails, letters and phone calls to anyone who would listen and even some who wouldn’t.”
However, he added: “This is an annual argument which is unlikely to go away without significant change in the way Highland Council staff small schools.
“There has to be a recognition of the value of schools in small communities. If the area is to be truly sustainable, there must be a recognition that no matter how small we are, our pupils deserve and are entitled to as good a quality and breadth of education as they would get anywhere else. That might be expensive, but our young people are worth it.”
Kinlochbervie High School is part of North West Sutherland Schools, which also includes its feeder primary schools at Kinlochbervie, Durness and Scourie.
Mr Smart said: “There is a review planned for the next year of 3-18 schools in general and I would strongly urge our parents, pupils and staff to get involved in that review.
“Three-18 works for us. I know there may be some who don’t agree but our ability to share budgets across all the schools and to plan spending for the benefit of all pupils is something which would not happen without us being one.”
In his address, Mr Smart showed that despite the remoteness of the secondary, pupils did not miss out on outings and excursions.
“A pupil at Kinlochberve High School could potentially have spent the equivalent of three full weeks away from home this year,” he said. “They could and many have, attended five Scotland games, been to three theatre visits and countless days out to careers events, army sessions and other workshops and events.
“I know from conversations with colleagues in other schools that we are incredibly fortunate to be able to offer this variety to our young people and this is all down to the willingness of our staff to go way beyond what we can reasonably expect.”
Highland Council has appointed John Naples-Campbell as acting head teacher at Kinlochbervie High School.
TROPHY WINNERS
Junior Girls Athletic Champion – Katy Forsyth
Junior Boys Athletic Champion – Reuben Breckenridge
Senior Girls Athletic Champion – Keira Czerwik-Hampshire
Senior Boys Athletic Champion – Andrew Dorrian
The Loch Duart Ltd Trophy Ltd (for overall attainment in S4) – Harvey MacDonald
The KLM Quaich (for overall attainment in S5) – Jaimie McKenzie
The Neilson Barr Trophy (for endeavour )– Reuben Breckenridge, Brianna Morrison & Holly Paterson
The MacSween Cup (for Improvement) – Lachlan Price-Davies
The Marina Lockery Memorial Shield (for positive achievement and willingness to take the opportunities presented by the school – Rebecca Corbett
The Macleod Cup for Technologies – Andrew Dorrian
The Reay Forest Shield (for the most positive contribution to the life of the school) – Harvey MacDonald
CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT
S1 Katy Forsyth; Jemima Mounfield; Holly Paterson; Lachlan Price-Davies
S2 Reuben Breckenridge; Jack Gordon; Ruby McCaul
S3 Ashleigh Campbell; Rona Macleod; Grace McCaul; Brandon McKenzie
S4 Luke Czerwik-Hamshire; Andrew Dorrian; Harvey MacDonald
S5 Jaimie McKenzie
S6 Amy McCaul; Millie Munro
CERTIFICATE OF ENDEAVOUR
S1 Katy Forsyth; Jemima Mounfield; Luca Munro; Holly Paterson; Lachlan Price-Davies
S2 Reuben Breckenridge; Ruby McCaul; Brianna Morrison
S3 Ashleigh Campbell; Science; Grace McCaul; Brandon McKenzie
S4 Luke Czerwik-Hampshire; Andrew Dorrian; Harvey MacDonald
S5 Keira Czerwik-Hampshire
S6 Amy McCaul; Millie Munro; Steven Rhee
IMPROVEMENT COMMENDATIONS
S1 Kyle Campbell; Jemima Mounfield; Luca Munro
S2 Reuben Breckenridge; Jack Gordon; Ruby McCaul; Brianna Morrison
S3 Jayden Abbott; Ashleigh Campbell; Rona Macleod; Grace McCaul; Brandon McKenzie
S4 Andrew Dorrian; Georgina Barnes; Luke Czerwik-Hampshire; Shane Paterson
S5 Keira Czerwik-Hampshire; Jaimie McKenzie
S6 Rebecca Corbett; Steven Rhee
