Aviemore Primary School reopens for children of key workers
Highland Council has confirmed that a school in Badenoch and Strathspey has now been reopened for the children of key workers with the first pupils attending today.
It comes after concerns about the lack of local education and care provision including from local MSP and Scottish Finance Secretary Kate Forbes.
Aviemore Primary School is now being used for the youngsters of healthcare workers and other essential staff during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Before the Easter school holidays started, the nearest available school was Millburn Academy in Inverness – a round trip of more than 80 miles in some cases for key worker parents.
That had led to criticisms of extra pressures being put on those on the frontline against coronavirus.
A Highland Council spokesman confirmed earlier today: "We opened the childcare hub at Aviemore Primary yesterday."
In a later update, the spokesman said: "We had no-one turn up yesterday, we have two children in today.
"We have space for at least 16 and can increase this if needed but do not intend to do so until we are able to get the places filled that we have staffed for.
"Phone and email messages have been left with parents who applied and asked for them to get back to us to confirm their requirements.
"As has been the case with all of our hubs, applications for childcare were put in prior to the stricter rules coming into place and many people have been able to put in place alternative childcare arrangements as their partners and other family members are now at home.
"This is a good thing, as home is the best and safest place to be, for children as well as adults.
"As the Government has made clear, the use of childcare hubs should be the choice of last resort.
"In some cases, we also have parents who don’t need the childcare yet but are asking the council to keep their places available for when they do, and we are trying to support this whilst being responsive to those who need childcare urgently."
The hub is for children aged six to 14 to support local key workers who have no other sources of child care.
The move to improve provision was welcomed last week by Ms Forbes (SNP) who believes it will help reduce the burden on some local key workers.
