Mr Stone has been championing the campaign launched earlier this month for a new school on the grounds that the building has so many defects that it is "not fit for 21st-century education".

The MSP raised the issue in the Scottish Parliament and is awaiting a reply from First Minister Alex Salmond. Mr Stone, who described the state of Wick High as the worst in his Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency, questioned schools and skills minister Maureen Watt in parliament as to when the school had last been inspected.

Mrs Watt replied that HMIE had not inspected the school recently, or made any recommendations concerning its infrastructure, and she added that decisions on the priority of building works at individual schools were the responsibility of the local authority – in this case the Highland Council.

Armed with this statement Mr Stone has now penned a letter to the inspectorate asking when "a full and detailed inspection" will be carried out. He has further pressed it to expedite matters as a matter of priority if no date has been set.

The MSP refers to "the deplorable state" of Wick High and his letter continues: "In spite of the best endeavours of the pupils and staff, the fact is they are working in conditions that are way below anything we should expect in this day and age."

Mr Stone argues that Wick High's plight merits some flexibility in the inspection process, reflecting the school's poor condition.

He added: "The minister's second point sits disturbingly with the Highland Council's chairman of education's (Wick councillor Bill Fernie) recent public comment that the Highland Council simply does not have the financial resources to tackle the Wick High School problem."

The MSP added: "While the Scottish Government and the Highland Council might argue to and fro, a speedy and thorough inspection of the school by HMIE would provide official Government recognition of the very poor state of the school – and thereby assist my constituents in achieving a properly-funded long-term solution to the problem."

The school's parent council launched its campaign following a PowerPoint presentation on the state of the school, described as "falling to pieces", "a depressing dump" and in "an appalling state of neglect and disrepair".

The parent council set up an online petition appealing for support from former pupils and other individuals and the number of signatures topped the 330 mark this week.

The parent council also issued an invitation to First Minister Mr Salmond to come north and see the sad state of the school at first hand – water leaks, peeling paintwork, inadequate changing and toilet facilities, chunks of cladding falling off buildings, poor decorative state and a lack of social areas.

The swimming pool needed so much attention that it was described as "almost unusable" and "dangerous". It was closed earlier this month.

Professor Iain Baikie, who chairs the parent council, is on record as saying that every part of the school is a disgrace and was regarded by the pupils as a dump.

He called for a new environment for the children and staff and added: "A new Wick High School could be a beacon of science, engineering and technology and could provide a hub of energy and talent to renew our county in the post-Dounreay era which is coming soon."

An open evening is to be held at the school on April 22 to give the parents and guardians of the 800 pupils an opportunity to see for themselves the extent to which the school has deteriorated.

n.donaldson@nosn.co.uk

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