Edinburgh primary school to stay closed after 'hole' found in playground

Pupils and teaching staff from Brunstane Primary School will be relocated to other local schools after a decision was taken to close the building as a precaution ahead of the start of the new term on August 16.

The local authority said ongoing investigations relating to planned energy retrofit works at the school had revealed issues with the ground conditions, including a “small hole” in an area of the playground next to the main school building. It said the site of the school contains historic coal mine workings.

The council is working with the Coal Authority to establish the exact cause and extent of the issue. The nursery is also affected, with plans in place for children to attend Moffat Early Years Campus.

Magdalene Community Centre is also on the site and alternative venues are being considered for the community groups who use that building.

Councillor Joan Griffiths, the authority’s education convener, said: “This is highly unusual, but I know parents, carers and the local community will fully understand why we had to take this decision to close the school as a precaution, which hasn’t been taken lightly.

“The expert advice we have received from independent engineers is that the site should remain closed until further investigative work has identified the exact nature of the problem.

"We’ll be working closely with the Coal Authority to establish what has caused this and what the next steps are so we can reopen the site.”