Closure fears for South Ayrshire schools

Jun 19 2009

SCHOOLS across South Ayrshire look set for the biggest shake-up in their history.

Some could close, while plans are being made to merge others.

Brand new school buildings are also being considered for some communities.

And council chiefs insist that it’s vital to drag the education system into the 21st century.

Catholic primary schools in Ayr, Prestwick, Maybole and Mossblown could be merged with secondary Queen Margaret Academy under the new Planning for Improvement report.

While in Maybole it’s been suggested that Gardenrose and Cairn Primaries merge with Carrick Academy to create a similar campus for five to 18 year olds.

The report concludes that an urgent review of the future of Ayr Academy is also necessary.

And it reveals that the council wants to begin the formal consultation process to close Whitletts Primary.

The future is also uncertain for Sacred Heart Primary and Invergarven School in Girvan.

Both schools have been declared unfit for purpose and a review of how they can be incorporated into the wider community will be carried out.

However, many villages could see massive investment in their schools.

New buildings are being considered for Kirkmichael and Dailly primaries.

While refurbishments are on the cards for Straiton, Pinwherry and Maidens.

And negotiations will get underway with the health board to secure the former Seafield Hospital site as a new home for Ayr Grammar.

Most of the work to move the plan forward will get underway immediately.

Over this year alone the council plan to spend more than £9 million on school buildings.

And over the following five years it is proposed that they invest up to a further £114.5 million in primaries and secondaries.

The council’s education spokesman Councillor Hywel Davis revealed: “Most of these schools were built pretty shoddily 50 years ago or more.

“We are one of the leading educational authorities in Scotland and we need buildings of the first order to maintain that.

“Being a good educational authority brings people to live in this area.

“This report is a tremendous piece of work. It’s going to be a blueprint for what happens in South Ayrshire in the next 10 to 15 years.”

Sandy Fowler from the EIS union insists that they will give all proposals a fair hearing.

He said: “This is a huge financial challenge but the potential closure of four schools is of some concern to us, not only for staff reasons.

“The union is not automatically opposed to school closures if there is considerable education justification for that.”

And head of school management, Brian McInroy, promised that there will be plenty of discussion before changes are made.

He said: “Many of the recommendations will require further debate.

“The financial implications are significant.

“Nothing has been ruled in or out yet, the consultation process is ongoing until 2012.

“The financial implications are significant and the council will need to consider how any shortfall in funding can be met.”