Prior to the start of public meetings on the future of schools in the Western Isles, the Chairman of Education and Children’s Services has outlined the background behind the need for the consultation process. 

Morag Munro, Chairman of the Education and Children’s Services Committee, said:
“The Comhairle has a statutory duty to provide a range of services to residents of the Western Isles.  Resources therefore have to be allocated to each service in a way which will provide the most effective delivery.

There are a number of factors presenting major challenges to the Comhairle at this time.  In particular, the total number of school pupils in the region, regrettably, has declined each year for the last 30 years from 6300 in 1977 to 3880 in 2007.  The funding allocated to the Comhairle declines in proportion with the result that expenditure on education now exceeds Grant Aid by some £7 million.  This is achieved at the expense of other services as an ever increasing proportion of the Comhairle’s resources has to be spent on Education to operate a much larger number of schools than should be required for the rolls which now exist. In addition, there are many old and deteriorating school buildings which are increasingly not suitable for the education of our children. The Comhairle is therefore faced with the prospect of having to review the situation with a view to redressing the balance to resource appropriately all its services, as well as reprioritising the resources allocated to education in particular.

In addition to the pressures created by declining pupil numbers and the consequent reduction in available finance, the way education is delivered, particularly in the Secondary Sector, is set to change radically.  The proposed new 3-18 curriculum – ‘A Curriculum for Excellence’ is scheduled for implementation from August 2009.  This is the biggest overhaul of the Scottish schools curriculum since the introduction of the comprehensive system some 35 years ago and the Department of Education has now issued an information booklet to parents to explain the proposals.

As far as secondary education is concerned ‘ACfE’ will replace the existing S1-2 course in schools with a much more flexible S1-3 provision which will give pupils much greater choice.  This will be very difficult to provide in S1-2 schools as currently constituted and certainly could not be provided without substantially increased expenditure on staffing and accommodation.

We live in a rapidly changing world and our children deserve the best start that we can give them. The aim of the Comhairle is to provide the best possible education for all pupils in the Western Isles in buildings which can deliver the educational requirements of the 21st century’ and, taking all the prevailing factors into account, the Comhairle has decided to conduct a full review of its entire schools estate with a view to achieving this aim. It is essential that the children of the Western Isles have access to the same opportunities as their counterparts elsewhere if they are to be properly prepared for their future”.

With respect to secondary provision the Comhairle in December decided that, following statutory consultation processes, decisions on the future of S1/2 schools be taken as follows:  Bayble and Daliburgh – February 2008; Paible and Sgoil nan Loch – April 2008;  Back, Shawbost and Lionel – June 2008.  The first consultation meetings are being held as follows: 16th January – Bayble, 17th January – Daliburgh.

A report on the entire primary estate and the potential for rationalisation which exists will also be presented to the June series of Committee meetings.

Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Tel: 01851 709389 (Work)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk