First-year pupils at Fraserburgh Academy have been instructed to study from home due to significant staffing shortages affecting the Aberdeenshire secondary school. According to BBC News, the decision follows a combination of seasonal illness and ongoing understaffing challenges. The school expects S1 students to return to normal classes on Friday.
This story was first reported by BBC News.
A statement issued to parents and posted on the school's social media confirmed that pupils were directed to use Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams for home learning on Thursday. Aberdeenshire Council acknowledged that annual staff turnover had occurred alongside seasonal illness, but stated it had appointed additional staff and was awaiting completion of pre-employment checks before they could begin work.
The staffing pressures at Fraserburgh Academy form part of a broader pattern of difficulties at the school. Earlier this year, staff reported experiencing "total mayhem" due to escalating levels of pupil violence and disruption. According to Aberdeen Live, council figures recorded 31 physical attacks on teachers at the academy since 2023, comprising 12 incidents in 2023, eight in 2024, five in 2025, and six through July 2026.
What concerns have parents raised?
The Fraserburgh Academy parent council expressed alarm at the decision to send S1 pupils home, describing it as "particularly concerning" given the critical stage of their education. The council noted that parents had been raising concerns about staffing pressures and their educational impact "for a considerable time", and said there was "understandable frustration" that disruption was occurring once again.
What do union representatives say?
Simon Watson of the union Unison characterised the situation as "a very worrying development", cautioning that it could indicate wider systemic problems within the school. A UNISON survey found that three-quarters of support staff faced violence or aggression at least weekly, and a third had been personally attacked in the previous year. The survey also revealed that more than a quarter of staff no longer reported incidents, with 54 staff members signing a letter requesting a meeting with the council's education director.
Unison had previously stated that confidence in the school's arrangements for managing pupil behaviour had "collapsed" following the earlier reports of violence and disruption.
What is the council's response?
Aberdeenshire Council stated it was committed to ensuring employees had a safe working environment. The council confirmed that new staff had been recently appointed at the school, though their start dates remained dependent on the completion of pre-employment checks.
What vacancies remain?
The council has advertised a permanent Teacher of Art & Design post at Fraserburgh Academy, with applications due by 9 November 2026. A permanent Teacher of Geography vacancy is also listed with an application deadline of 18 November 2026.
