Summary

  • School safety closures affect 7.000 pupils

  • Campaigners call for more action on cold homes

  • Downturn in Scottish economy 'intensifying'

  • Woman's body discovered by fishing boat off Arbroath

  1. Scotland Live will be back from 08:00 tomorrowpublished at 19:01 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    Nichola Rutherford
    BBC Scotland

    It's been a busy day on the Live page - thanks for joining us. 

    Follow the latest on the Edinburgh school closures on the BBC Scotland news website

  2. Edinburgh school closures: a summary of the latest situationpublished at 19:00 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    Seventeen schools in Edinburgh remain closed tonight amid safety fears. 

    The City of Edinburgh Council has said that urgent work will be required on "several" of those buildings. 

    It has pledged to return all primary and secondary pupils to the classroom by next Monday at the latest. 

    Work at an Edinburgh school

    It says "significant work" has been undertaken that S4, S5 and S6 pupils can return to school quickly to ensure they are "fully supported in readiness for their exams". 

    Councils across the country are carrying out safety checks on school buildings in the wake of the wake of the Edinburgh situation. 

    Find the full story here. 

  3. Seventeen schools in Edinburgh are closed - which ones are they?published at 18:53 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    Graphic

    There are 88 primary schools, 23 high schools and 12 special schools in Edinburgh. However, 10 primaries, five secondaries and two special needs schools did not re-open after the Easter break. They included:

    • Braidburn School
    • Broomhouse Primary
    • Castleview Primary
    • Craigour Park Primary
    • Craigmount High
    • Craigroyston Primary
    • Drummond Community High
    • Firrhill High
    • Forthview Primary
    • Gracemount High
    • Oxgangs Primary School
    • Pirniehill Primary
    • Rowanfield
    • Royal High
    • St David's Primary
    • St Joseph's Primary
    • St Peter's Primary  
  4. West Lothian's school estate is 'structurally sound and in good condition'published at 18:49 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    In a statement a spokesman for West Lothian Council said all the schools in the region were constructed to industry standards. 

    West Lothian CouncilImage source, West Lothian Council

    He added:“All schools are continually assessed, maintained and upgraded where necessary and this approach will continue.

    “Following the incident at Oxgangs Primary School, Edinburgh in January this year appropriate steps were taken as a precautionary measure to assess the school estate in West Lothian.

    “All schools in West Lothian remain open and there are no plans to close any schools in West Lothian.”

  5. Some pupils could be back in classrooms by Wednesday, Edinburgh Council confirmspublished at 18:40 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    Here are the main points from the latest update, external from the City of Edinburgh Council: 

    • All primary and secondary pupils will be back in school by Monday next week
    • In some cases alternative arrangements could be in place by Wednesday
    • "Significant work" has been undertaken to ensure that 2,000 S4, S5 and S6 pupils will be accommodated in high schools in Edinburgh
    • S4, S5 and S6 pupils from Firrhill, Drummond and Royal High Schools will be able to return to their own schools on Wednesday. 
    • An update for S4, S5 and S6 pupils at Gracemount and Craigmount High schools will be made tomorrow once arrangements are finalised.
    • Work continues to identify alternative arrangements for all S1 to S3 pupils.
    • Edinburgh University, the Scottish Parliament, community groups, venues and private sector companies have offered help with accommodating pupils
    • Structural surveys will continue this week

  6. BREAKING:Urgent work will be required on several of the Edinburgh schools closed due to safety fears.published at 18:31 British Summer Time 11 April 2016
    Breaking

    The city council confirmed that the 10 primaries affected will remain closed for the rest of the week.

    Contingency plans are being put in place for the five high schools and pupils will be phased back to the classroom from Wednesday onwards.

    All the schools in question were constructed under the same public private partnership contract.

    Full story here.

  7. BREAKING: Some pupils may be unable to return to school in Edinburgh until next Mondaypublished at 18:21 British Summer Time 11 April 2016
    Breaking

    In a statement on its website, external, the City of Edinburgh Council said it had drawn up contingency plans to ensure all primary and special school pupils will be back in schools by Monday of next week.

    In some cases the alternative arrangements could be in place by Wednesday - subject to the council getting access to the closed schools while the surveys are ongoing. 

    S4, S5, and S6 pupils from Firrhill, Drummond and Royal High Schools will be able to return to their own schools on Wednesday

    An update for S4, S5 and S6 pupils at Gracemount and Craigmount High schools will be made tomorrow once arrangements are finalised.  

  8. Advice for working parents affected by Edinburgh schools closurepublished at 18:08 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    BBC Radio Scotland

    Donald McKinnon, director of legal services at Law at Work, said: "It's a very difficult situation for employees who have children off school - but it's also a headache for employers, I think."

    He said employees have the right to take unpaid time off work for unexpected emergencies, such as a breakdown in childcare - but many will be able to reach an amicable agreement with their employer. 

    If that is not the case, Mr McKinnon said: "The first thing an employee should do is look at their contract and check to see whether or not a situation like this is covered. 

    "If they are still unsure, then there are plenty of sources of advice for them - whether that's a local solicitor, perhaps the Citizens Advice Bureau, external or Acas, external."

  9. Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale 'will not apologise' for use of PFI schemespublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    The SNP had called for the Labour party to apologise for its use of PFI schemes while it was in power at Holyrood. 

    Ms Dugdale said Labour had needed to rebuild hundreds of schools across Scotland when it was in power at Holyrood because they had been "left in rack and ruin by the Tories" before the Scottish Parliament was created. 

    She added: "I am not going to apologise for rebuilding hundreds of schools across Scotland. There are questions of course about what is happening around the quality of the building that has taken place, and yes we should examine those questions. 

    Kezia DugdaleImage source, SNS

    "But right now the most important things are making sure that these buildings are safe, and that those students faced with exams have alternative, appropriate accommodation to help them continue with their studies." 

  10. Postpublished at 17:49 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  11. Watch: Edinburgh parent - Schools 'need sorted'published at 17:41 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    The parent of an Edinburgh pupil, who is due to sit exams, says the situation needs to be "sorted as soon as possible". 

    Media caption,

    Amanda McLeod

    Amanda McLeod, whose daughter is due to sit Higher and National 5s says the focus should be on ensuring all pupils can sit their exams in their own schools.   

  12. BBC Scotland's education correspondent Jamie McIvor explains the private funding modelpublished at 17:35 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    Jamie McIvor
    BBC Scotland education correspondent

    It's fairly complicated in financial terms but in basic terms with these 17 schools in Edinburgh, the schools were built by a specially created group - the Edinburgh Schools Partnership - and are run by them. 

    The council is not actually part of the partnership. The main parties involved at the start were Miller Construction and Amey. 

    In effect the council is a tenant in the building, though actual running of the school itself is done by the council. 

    Private finance schemes were always controversial. Some questioned whether they really were the best value for money. Others had questions about public sector buildings being managed in this way. The EIS union is making these points. 

    Supporters argue they were the best value for money for the tax-payer and in some cases allowed the project to go ahead when it might not have been affordable. 

  13. Inspections are being carried out at all the Edinburgh PPP schoolspublished at 17:29 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    Media caption,

    Edinburgh schools remain closed

  14. Fears Edinburgh school closures will affect exam performancepublished at 17:25 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    Jamie McIvor
    BBC Scotland education correspondent

    The exams start in about three weeks time. Courses still have to be completed in some cases. If the school closures continue the loss of time with teachers could for some students at least be the difference between passing and failing, or getting the grade needed for university.

    The chief executive for Edinburgh City Council is very confident that exams wouldn't be affected by the closures with contingency plans and alternative arrangements being put in place. 

  15. A day of limbo for parents and students over closure of Edinburgh schoolspublished at 17:20 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    Jamie McIvor
    BBC Scotland education correspondent

    It has been a day of limbo and indeed some students while we wait for news of the alternative arrangements. It is 10 primary schools, five secondaries and two schools for children with additional support needs closed.

    There should be an update from Edinburgh City Council this evening. Their priority they say is the secondary schools because it is so close to exam season. We may get an announcement tomorrow about the temporary arrangements for them. 

    One possibility is the that some of the school buildings may be partially re-opened. 

  16. Nicola Sturgeon leads calls for a full inquiry into the closure of 17 schools amid safety concernspublished at 17:09 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    Ms Sturgeon's SNP has also called for Labour to apologise for "signing up to extortionate PFI contracts" that had delivered "substandard buildings".

    Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said her party had needed to rebuild schools because of the state the Conservatives had left them in before devolution.

    Repairs to school in Edinburgh

    The Liberal Democrats have also called for an inquiry to take place.

    And the Conservatives accused the SNP of ignoring its suggestions on how such situations could be avoided.

    Full story here

  17. Edinburgh parents to be given update at tea-timepublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    Emails, detailing the latest news on the 17 schools closed due to safety fears, are expected to be sent to parents after 18:00.  

    More than 7,000 primary and secondary pupils in the capital were forced to stay at home on Monday while investigations of buildings was undertaken.

    It is unclear when the schools will re-open. 

  18. Highland Council has 'no cause for concern' over the safety of school buidingspublished at 16:45 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    In a statement the council said it would consult with its PPP partners over the 14 schools built in the region during two phases. 

    It added: "The concerns in Edinburgh relate to an aspect of the construction of PPP schools. 

    "Given the inspections of Highland’s PPP properties at the time of these builds, and the ongoing monitoring, the council is confident that there are no concerns."

    Highland Council building in InvernessImage source, Google

    The statement went on: "However, we will arrange meetings with the providers, to agree an appropriate programme of new inspections from this week. 

    "We will also review the new builds currently being led by the council."

    The council added that it was confident that the construction inspection regime on the PPP school works was sound.

  19. Falkirk Council asks for 'immediate assurances' on the safety of schoolspublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    A spokesman for the council said that nine of its schools were built under PFI or NPDO (non-profit distributing organisation) by Gateway and Class98 (Seperian). 

    He added:“We have asked for immediate assurances from the companies involved in the running and construction of the schools that the schools are safe and structurally sound. 

    "We have also asked for a complete guarantee on these assurances and that they carried out their responsibilities correctly.

    “This work will be carried out at no financial cost to Falkirk Council."

    Falkirk CouncilImage source, Falkirk Council

    All of the council's schools are expected to open as normal on Monday 18 April.

  20. All Edinburgh schools affected by closures were built under the same public private partnership contractpublished at 16:22 British Summer Time 11 April 2016

    Aberdeen City Council is carrying out precautionary safety checks on 10 PPF schools. Inverclyde is inspecting five facilities.

    Glasgow city council say their PPP contractor has reassured the authority that nothing has been found which would make the council feel it should be closing schools. 

    Fife, Moray and Aberdeenshire say they're not affected by the issues.