Head says Our Lady's '˜fully functioning'

Danny McNulty said:“The school is fully functioning as normal with pupils attending lessons as planned.

“I understand that all pupils have been released from hospital and most of the ones who were on the bus have returned to school today.

“This incident has demonstrated what a strong community we have here at Our Lady’s in Cumbernauld.

“Once again I’d like to thank pupils for their maturity and compassion they demonstrated yesterday and for the support they provided to one another.

“I’d like to thank my staff for their professionalism and to the emergency services for everything they did to support our pupils yesterday.”

I understand that 22 pupils were taken to hospital yesterday as a precaution.

SPT manage all the council’s contracts for school transport.

The major incident at the Ravenswood School occured at 8.45am when the bus overturned and crashed down an embankment. There were reported to be 40 pupils on board at the time.

A fleet of 29 ambulance service units rushed to the scene and were joined by police and the fire service

One girl was taken by ambulance to Wishaw General while 14 were taken to Monklands Hospital and 11 to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

The swift action of the emergency services has been praised by Deputy First Minister and Education Secretary John Swinney.

Meanwhile his Scottish Nationalist colleague, MSP Jamie Hepburn is welcoming the fact that the accident failed to develop into a full blown tragedy.

He said: “This was a horrible incident and will have been hugely traumatic for the students who were on the bus and their families. The outcome could have ended up being much worse, and thankfully no one was severely injured or worse, although at least one pupil has reportedly suffered a broken leg.

“When incidents like this happen, mercifully rare as they are, the community in Cumbernauld always rallies round – and that was the case here. Our sincere thanks are due to the paramedics who attended and of course to the leadership provided by Mr McNulty, the head teacher at Our Lady’s.

“In due course it will be incumbent on the Council to properly investigate this incident and see what happened, and learn any lessons to ensure that the chance of any such accidents happening again are greatly reduced.”