A state school has come under fire after drawing up plans to charge pupils for extra exam revision.
Pupils studying for National 5 and Higher exams at Dyce Academy, near Aberdeen, were told they would have to pay £5 for a group study session during the Easter holidays.
The charges were condemned by parents and teaching unions who warned charging for classes could risk widening the attainment gap between rich and poor.
Read more: Rich-poor school attainment gap widens
The school has previously hosted exam classes during the holidays free of charge with teachers paid for the extra time out of the school's budget.
Headteacher Lesley Adam sent a letter to parents explaining that the cost would cover resources.
She said: "To ensure appropriate resources are provided, we would ask that a contribution of £5 per session is provided in advance of the classes."
More than a dozen classes are on offer over the two-week holiday with pupils taking up to six National 5 qualifications potentially being charged a total of £30.
Parents have complained to the school, fearing the charges may mean some pupils will be unable to afford the classes and rule them out from taking part.
One parent said: "If you have a child doing six National 5 qualifications that would be £30. If you have two children, the cost goes up even further. Some parents just can't afford it."
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A spokesman for the Educational Institute of Scotland teaching union said: "We would not welcome any introduction of charges for supported study classes which have previously been offered free to pupils.
"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."
Joanna Murphy, chairwoman of the National Parent Forum of Scotland, added: "We have never heard of this happening before.
"The cost of extra study sessions is usually met by the local authority or out of the school budget.
"Parents do not need to be on the poverty line to struggle to pay extra costs like this."
Aberdeen City Council declined to comment.
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