Parents fear for the safety of students at the derelict school in Milngavie

Parents have raised concerns about the safety of a dilapidated school in East Dunbartonshire after a teacher narrowly avoided being hit when a ‘repaired’ part of the ceiling fell.

The 150-year-old Milngavie Primary School has had problems with black mold, mushrooms and water leaking through the roof.

East Dunbartonshire Council agreed to the school being fully renovated in 2021, but the project was shelved this summer due to rising costs.

The council said its officers were carrying out daily checks of the building and committed to further improvements until a renovation can be funded.

But the school’s parent council says the building needs a new roof, windows and permanent repairs.

Parents say it is fortunate that there were no students in the classroom when the ceiling fell and that the safety of children and teachers is at risk every day.

Karen Reid, head of Milngavie Primary Parent Council, said the school was not a healthy learning environment for local children.

She urged the municipality to take immediate action to make the building waterproof and windproof.

Ms Reid said the teacher who was almost hit by a piece of falling wood was “shaken”.

The wood had been nailed to the ceiling above the teacher’s desk as a temporary repair.

Mrs Reid said: “The teacher was very shocked by the incident and it was quite upsetting for the parents.

‘She could have been seriously injured.

“Luckily the children were in music lessons and not in class. I think they would be very nervous if they saw something like that.

“We worry a lot about these kinds of makeshift patches — and some others are about four or five times the size of this patch.”

Ms Reid said the incident coincided with parents’ week and many parents were questioning the pace of repairs.

She said: ‘Many parents went into their children’s classrooms and saw cracks, repairs and damp – and that’s just not very reassuring.

“The optimism that the repairs were coming has disappeared and we are now really worried about the children in the building.

“We need the council to realize the urgency of the situation, especially when parts of the ceiling are falling.”

Julie, who has lived in the city for 17 years, said the wooden square fell into her son’s classroom.

She told BBC Scotland News she was angry when she heard it had been nailed to the ceiling as a temporary repair.

“It’s just a coincidence that it fell when the children weren’t there,” she said.

‘It’s really disturbing to think about the possible consequences of what could have happened, and it’s just luck that the teacher was missed.

“There could have been a child standing at her desk when she fell.”

“This just goes to show what can happen if these things are not done properly. We want these repairs to be done properly and within the timeframe.”

Calum, who has two boys at school and another in nursery, says Milngavie Primary School cannot continue to function in its current state of neglect.

“Years have passed and basic things are not being done,” he said.

“Someone has to take responsibility for the safety and well-being of the children while they are at their place of education.

“It is an intolerable situation and there is a real concern that something very important could happen to a staff member or a child. There is a real concern that something needs to be done urgently.”

Leigh has two children at school and says she’s worried her son’s asthma could be worsened by the damp and mold.

“We moved here for work in 2021 and thought it was a nice place with good schools,” she told BBC Scotland News.

‘The renovation was underway at the time, but now it has fallen apart and there is growing concern for the children’s health.

“The repairs are nothing – it’s water coming in, the roof is leaking. It concerns the condition of the toilets and the playground. It is an unpleasant environment for the children to go into.

“I’m quite concerned that it’s just rhetoric and nonsense and it’s going to take another year, two years – and nothing substantial will happen.”

A recent review of schools in Scotland found that 8.3% of schools were in poor or poor condition – equivalent to 204 schools.

The number of students in schools in poor condition has increased for the third year in a row: from 1,736 in 2023 to 4,292 this year.

And 51,905 students are taught in buildings with a poor state of maintenance.

Alan Bauer, assets and facilities director at East Dunbartonshire Council, said: “A piece of MDF, fitted to the ceiling as part of a historic repair, fell from the ceiling of a classroom at Milngavie Primary School.

“Thankfully no one was injured and a full check of the ceiling was carried out to ensure the classroom is safe for use.

“This incident is not related to proposed works to address the current isolated water intrusion, which was recently reported to the council.”

Mr Bauer said the health and safety of staff and students is the council’s “highest priority”.

He confirmed officers were carrying out daily checks of the school building and carrying out maintenance repairs, with further work planned for the October holidays. The possibilities for roof replacement are also being investigated.