A state school which revealed plans to charge pupils for exam revision sessions in the Easter holidays has been slated by parents and teaching unions.
Students studying for National 5 and Higher exams at Dyce Academy, near Aberdeen, have been told they will have to pay £5 per morning or afternoon extra study group session in the Easter break.
The levy has been condemned by parents and teaching unions, who warned that charging for classes could “risk deepening the poverty-related attainment gap”.
The school has previously hosted exam classes during the holidays free of charge for pupils, with teachers paid for the extra time out of the school’s budget.
In a letter to parents, headteacher Lesley Adam wrote: “To ensure that appropriate resources are provided, we would ask that a contribution of £5 per session is provided in advance of the classes.”
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Under the new rules, for pupils doing a full quota of National 5 exams, the cost could reach a total of £30.
More than a dozen classes are on offer over the two-week holiday period.
Parents have complained to the school, fearing that the charges may mean some pupils will be unable to afford the classes.
One parent, wo did not wish to be named, said: “If you have a child doing six N5s – that’s £30. If you have two children, the cost goes up even further.
“Some parents just can’t afford it.”
The EIS, Scotland’s largest teaching union, said: “While the EIS cannot comment in relation to an individual school, we would not welcome any introduction of charges for supported study classes which have previously been offered free to pupils.
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“Such an approach would run the risk of deepening the poverty-related attainment gap by imposing charges which will be beyond the means of some parents.”
Chairwoman of the National Parent Forum of Scotland, Joanna Murphy, said: “Parents do not need to be on the poverty line to struggle to pay extra costs like this.”
Aberdeen City Council declined to comment.
