Frequently Asked Questions – Buckie High School

The cost of constructing a new swimming pool can vary significantly depending on several factors, including ground conditions, construction standards, and the overall size and specification of the facility. However, according to Scottish Swimming’s Future of Swimming Facilities report (November 2023), the estimated cost for a standalone swimming pool (excluding additional sports and leisure features) is approximately £9 million.

At present, Moray Council’s 10-year capital plan does not include any allocation for a new swimming pool. Therefore, any new pool development would need to be fully funded through external sources, such as national grants or partnership funding.

Moray Council is currently carrying out further investigations into the condition and sustainability of the wider leisure estate. The outcomes of these assessments will inform future decisions about the size, function, and delivery model of leisure services, which will be presented to Elected Members in due course.

In the meantime, all existing leisure facilities will continue to operate as they currently do. Over the coming months, the council plans to establish leisure user groups at all sites to actively engage with users and gather feedback on future service priorities.

Moray Council is currently facing challenges in maintaining the existing size of its leisure estate within the available budget. Discussions are ongoing between officers and Elected Members to explore options for creating a more sustainable leisure model for the future.

Should a new school be built in Buckie, further assessment would be required to determine the future of Buckie Swimming Pool. It is important to note that the pool is currently rated as Condition C (poor), indicating that there are defects and inefficiencies affecting its functionality. These factors will be carefully considered as part of any future planning.

Staff and pupils were consulted through surveys and focus groups as part of the design plans for the future Buckie High School while awaiting the Scottish Government decision on the Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) phase 3 bid. Further consultation exercises will continue to take place during future project development work to ensure staff and pupil concerns and suggestions are considered as part of the overall design process.

The cost estimates are based on a combination of benchmarking against previous builds within Moray and across Scotland, market testing figures and applying estimated inflationary uplifts as detailed by construction industry forecasts (e.g. Building Cost Information Service)

Consideration is given to capacity requirements and overall condition and suitability ratings of schools across the Learning Estate when investment decisions are made to progress new school projects. Other secondary school projects in Moray have been achieved with support from Scottish Government funding streams such as the Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) and Schools for the Future. Additionally, projects have been funded through Design, Build, Finance and Maintain (DBFM) and Public Private Partnership (PPP) funding models. LEIP 3 funding was sought for both the Forres Academy and Buckie High School projects; however, the bid was only successful for the Forres Academy project.

A “D” condition rating would support the case for significant investment, including refurbishment or rebuild, depending on funding and strategic priorities. Both internal and external funding options will be explored with investment decisions awaiting clarity from the Scottish Government’s future funding strategies. Moray Council is committed to progressing the future Buckie High School project as a priority.

Moray Council has and will continue to consider all external funding opportunities for the Buckie High School project. This included a bid submitted for the Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) Phase 3 funding, which was unsuccessful. It is these Scottish Government funding initiatives that have made previous major school projects in Moray affordable and are required in the future. Efforts to secure external support from Scottish Government will be made for the future Buckie High School project when further funding opportunities become available.

The Scottish Government’s past and current school estate improvement funding – including the current Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP), which supports the Future Forres Academy and Elgin High School extension – offers up to 50% funding for both major refurbishments and new builds (hybrid combination). The Scottish Government funding model is based on a 50:50 “like for like” basis to support the delivery of the enabling infrastructure required to deliver the agreed LEIP outcomes on building condition (over 25 years), energy efficiency (over 25 years), digital enabled learning, economic growth and embodied carbon.

Financial contributions from all developers are related to whether the working school capacity is exceeded as a result of a residential development. Currently educational contributions for secondary schools in Moray are triggered when the capacity is planned to exceed 100% and reaches a capacity of 90%. This is based on the Strategic Planning conditions set out in the Council’s Supplementary Guidance on Developer Contributions. Developer building agreements are continually under review to ensure they align with the required obligations within the Council’s Supplementary Guidance. Currently there are no requirements for developer agreements for Buckie High School as the capacity stipulations are not evidenced within the current school roll forecasts.

There is no indication that the condition of the building is having a negative impact on academic performance at Buckie High School. The school is maintained within available budgets, and any issues that arise are addressed promptly. Buckie High School continues to deliver strong academic outcomes. In the 2023/24 academic year, S4 pupils performed above the Moray average across all key indicators and compared well with national averages. S5 results followed a similar pattern, with the exception of the "5 or more Highers" measure, where the school was below the national average but in line with the Moray average. S6 performance was above the Moray average across all measures, although slightly below the national average. Staff and pupils continue to work hard and achieve strong outcomes. The school has a dedicated team of teachers and support staff who uphold high standards of teaching and learning, and pupils remain engaged and motivated.

Pupil attendance at Buckie High School is the highest among all secondary schools in Moray, sitting at 87.8%, which is above the national average of 87.7%. Unlike other secondary schools, Buckie High has a fully staffed English and Maths department and absence rates for staff are favourable compared to other secondary schools. The school has a positive and welcoming, rights respecting ethos where there is mutually respectful relationships between young people and staff where the CARES values are lived as evidenced during a recent quality assurance visit. Staff feel valued and empowered to lead learning and teaching, and they are committed at all levels within the school community to support young people’s wellbeing, learning and achievements.

Equity across Moray schools is supported through consistent standards and fair resource allocation. While there have been some unavoidable delays in progressing the Buckie High School project, the council remains committed to ensuring all pupils have access to quality learning environments and equal opportunities. At Buckie High School specifically, equity is reflected in pupils’ access to the full curriculum and support tailored to individual learning needs. The school demonstrates a strong commitment to inclusive education and positive outcomes for all learners, helping to ensure that no child is disadvantaged by their circumstances.

Asbestos within older school buildings is a known issue – and is monitored and managed in accordance with statutory requirements. For normal building use any asbestos risk is assessed As Low As Reasonably Practical and not a health risk to pupils or staff. Buckie High School has a comprehensive Asbestos Register in place and annual inspections are undertaken to confirm the accuracy of the information and the continued efficacy of the risk assessment. The Register ensures that the relevant information is available for any building works that are required. Any day to day works order instructed through the Council Property Helpdesk puts a responsibility on the contractor to review and sign the asbestos register on site to ensure they are not carrying out works on an asbestos containing material. Any significant building works would first require a ‘Refurbishment or Demolition’ (R&D) survey to identify in detail any asbestos-containing materials and recommend how this should be managed.

Fire Safety Risk Assessments are completed and reviewed regularly in line with the Fire Scotland Act 2005 and the Fire (Safety) Scotland Regulation 2006. An action plan is in place, with regular reviews supported by the Health and Safety Manager. All medium to low priority actions are already in place. There are no substantial issues that compromise fire safety at Buckie High School.

A full Electrical Installation Condition (EIC) inspection and testing were completed on 30 June 2021, with the next inspection due in 2026. All faults were rectified in October 2021, and the electrical components of the building were classified as being in Good Condition. To ensure electrical appliance safety, Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is conducted annually. All electrical assessments are up to date and there are no significant issues or safety concerns with electrical systems.

Any reported hazard is treated as a priority by our Property Services team. Immediate risks are addressed swiftly to ensure the safety of staff and pupils. If any specific unresolved issues remain, the school should continue reporting them through the appropriate channels to ensure timely intervention. All electrical assessments are up to date and there are no significant issues or safety concerns with electrical safety.

A CCTV system is in operation around the entire school to address anti-social behaviour. Anti-climb paint has also been applied to deter pupils from accessing roof areas. The school continues to monitor and report any incidents to ensure pupil safety.

ICT infrastructure for secondary schools, including Buckie High School, is provided through the Scottish Wide Area Network (SWAN) programme — a national contract currently transitioning from SWAN 1 (Capita) to SWAN 2 (BT). During this transition, as is typical with large contracts, there was a pause on development work by the outgoing provider. This coincided with an issue involving a network link outside the Council’s direct control, which caused a delay in resolving some ICT challenges. 

This issue has now been resolved, and the capacity of the affected link has been increased, resulting in noticeable improvements in network performance, including faster log-ins. To further enhance network efficiency, caching servers have been installed in each secondary school. 

While the SWAN 2 implementation continues, other planned ICT improvements are also progressing. These include addressing residual issues in some schools, such as work on Smoothwall (internet filtering) and email exchange/profile scripting.

Drinking water is available via three drinking fountains—one in the staff room and two for pupil use (common room and PE corridor). Jugs of drinking water are also provided in the canteen for pupils, as the original fountain was removed due to adjacent toilets being taken offline due to vandalism. The Technical Block has never had a direct mains water feed; rather the non-drinking water is supplied from a storage tank.

Forres Academy was selected as the priority project due to the urgent need for improvements and a condition assessment ‘D’ rating following a comprehensive condition survey undertaken in accordance with Scottish Government Core Condition Guidance in October 2021. Both Buckie High School and Forres Academy were submitted as a Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) phase 3 project, however Buckie High School was not successful in the LEIP funding bid process.

All significant school projects are encouraged (both locally and nationally) to consider refurbishment/reuse over new build as it meets environmental and sustainable commitments. A major refurbishment approach would deliver the same state of the art learning facilities. 

The initial Future Forres Academy design options included an option for refurbishment of the current buildings but due to the location (increased flood risk and mitigation requirements) and issues of asbestos and reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), this option was discounted due to excessive cost and expected planning challenges.

The initial Future Buckie High School design options also included a major refurbishment together with a new build option and the planned next stage of options development will consider the relative advantages and disadvantages of each – and will also consider a combination of new build and refurbishment to deliver a fit for purpose modern secondary school.

Buckie High School was submitted as a Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) phase 3 project together with Forres Academy; however, at the direction of Scottish Government bid assessor, Moray was advised to prioritise the projects. Following the decision in November 2022 by the Education, Children’s and Leisure Services Committee (ECLS) to select Forres Academy as the Moray ‘priority’ LEIP Phase 3 project, work continued to develop the strategic design options for Buckie High School while awaiting the Scottish Government decision on LEIP funding. The project plans have been paused since that decision due to affordability pressures while further funding opportunities both internally and externally are explored.

The future of Buckie High School is being considered independently of primary school closures, although broader educational strategies may influence decisions.

Buckie High School, like a number of schools across the region, faces ongoing challenges with the condition of its buildings. Issues such as roof leaks and general wear and tear have been reported and repairs addressed within the scope of our existing maintenance budgets. However, these repairs have not always resolved deeper, systemic issues, but ongoing investigations continue into an affordable design solution to deliver a long-term sustainable future for Buckie High School.

Storm Arwen caused significant damage to buildings across Scotland, including Buckie High School. A number of roof tiles, slates, and ridges were damaged and detached from the building. These damaged areas were repaired, and there have been no further issues with falling debris. Some of the school building roofs are graded (Bad) Condition D, and the need for improvement is acknowledged. There have been some minor water ingress issues over recent years, but these have been addressed on a case-by-case basis. With age the flat roof Glass Roof Plastic (GRP) covering is prone to cracking due to weather or if someone stands on roof fixings. There have been some minor water ingress issues during wet weather over recent years. These were quickly reported and repaired, and this will continue to be the case until a longer-term sustainable solution for the flat roofs is determined.

There was a pool leak in June 2024. This was remedied at the time, and there have been no further issues. A 2022 report recommended renewing the boiler plant due to its age, the pool plant remains functional but there was no recommendation to replace the entire pool due to leaks. It is acknowledged that the Buckie pool and gym building, as with other adjacent school buildings, is graded Condition C (Poor) and requires works.

Heaters in the H block are the original components are no longer supported by the manufacturer; however, they are still operational. Replacement parts such as fan motors, thermostats, and filters are available from alternative suppliers. The heating system continues to function and ensures rooms maintain the required temperature. Any issues are quickly rectified. Any future building improvements would need to address heating and power.

The deterioration of the school is due to a combination of factors including the overall age of the buildings, components nearing life expectancy, budget constraints and prioritisation of other projects. Any repairs and maintenance issues are addressed as and when they arise and a level of preventative maintenance of the school takes place within the budget constraints.

The current repair and maintenance plan includes both immediate repairs and long-term solutions to prevent further deterioration. Significant long-term investment depends on future Scottish Government funding clarity.

The condition of the school is being closely monitored, and measures are being taken to address any repairs and maintenance issues as they arise. There have been no issues of mould being reported in the school; however, if any future reports of mould were to be raised, these would be prioritised for repair to ensure the health and safety of pupils and staff in the school.

Replacement of all skylights is not considered a priority building issue. Panels are replaced if damaged.