Save Scalloway School

[Guest Anonymous]

What you have to ask then is what has gone so wrong with our education system that a school and its facilities that was perfectly adequate for a 1000+ pupils is suddenly not fit for 800+?

Are we expecting too much?

[Ghostrider]

^^ AHS congestion has always been a problem though, not perhaps necessarily classroom congestion, but congestion everywhere else. Its a design fault, that generations have put up with, and can hardly be used as an exuse to build a new school when its been onging for at least 30+ years.

 

There were no social areas per se unless for 5th and 6th years, corridors and small hallways doubled up as social space for most of the school. They were far too small for the purpose in any circumstance, but the log jam that kicked in at the ends of intervals once folk tried to start using them as corridors, while there still were some using them as social areas, and those who had been and were attempting to leave them in all directions to get to their next class, was unbelievable.

 

The stairwells in the newly constructed (at that time) A, B & C Blocks were even on the small side, they were okay if one class was heading up or down them en masse, but get two or more classes en masse heading in opposite directions at the same time and you had back-ups on landings and squeeze outs on stairs. Ideally had the stairs been constructed at least 50% wider divided in to "Up" and "Down" lanes, they have been fine. The canteen was a nightmare then as well, it was pitifully small, and despite several sittings, the length of time to queue, then try and find somwhere to sit, coupled with the last bell rotation more ofhen than not had no choice of menu, they had to take what was left. Many of us found it better to head for the street, buy a bag of chips or a burger roll, and have a fag in peace.

 

I do believe a new AHS needs to be built, but not on the grounds of congestion, as thats always been an inherent issue. I *think* there was somewhere circa 980 pupils when I was there in '78, and not all the classrooms were needed to be in use for them. (The original AHS building was awaiting refurbishment and only the minimum use was made of rooms in it, and the 1964 extension classrooms were only coming back in to use piecemeal as that area was refurbished). It needs a new build elsewhere as the current site has extremely poor access, and the buildings are extensions built on to extensions, some of which are nearly 50 years old, others almost 35 years old. I would have significant doubts if prefab sections hurriedly constructed 35 years ago to in places 3+ storeys high really have much of a safe productive life left in them.

[Guest Anonymous]

A one way system on the stairs would of made sense when I was there and still does today.

[shetlander]

At my JHS there was no 5th and 6th year. There was a very limited number of o'grades that could be sat at the end of 4th year, woodwork/metalwork, technical, home economics? Don't know if there was anything else. The vast majority of pupils went to AHS for 3rd year. I think this system worked extremely well, don't know how it would fit in now with curriculum for excellence and hub schools. I would think it would be much cheaper than the present situation.

 

I attended one of the smaller Junior Highs and at that time, pupils from Yell, Unst, Whalsay and Aith were given the choice to transfer to the AHS at the end of S2. That practice stopped in the early 90s if I mind rightly, the argument being that there were specialist teachers in those schools already teaching S1 and S2 as well as what were often very small S3 and S4 classes. That being so, it made better use of resources to keep everyone together until the end of S4, saving on additional teaching and boarding costs at the AHS.

 

The possibility of only Brae and the AHS offering classes beyond S3 was discussed fairly early on in the Blueprint consultation process but was ruled out on the basis that those from rural Junior Highs intending to leave at 16 would have to transfer (and in some cases board through the week) for one year only. The schools which stand to lose some of their own full time specialist teachers and the staff who may have to travel between schools may disagree, but I think the 'hub' model that was eventually decided on makes the best use of limited resources whilst ensuring that pupils across all schools will have equitable access to all subjects which isn't the case at the moment.

 

Admittedly, I've never seen the cost of keeping a pupil in the hostel quoted anywhere before, but I'm surprised that the possibility of sending S5 and S6 pupils from parts of Yell and Whalsay to Brae hasn't at least been discussed, particularly as the courses on offer there will (as I understand it) soon be the same as at the AHS. It may be too far from the likes of Cullivoe but when school buses already run from or near Toft and Laxo to Brae on a daily basis, the additional transport costs getting bairns there would presumably (?) be minimal compared to boarding at the AHS through the week.

[crofter]

Sadly too late for Scalloway, but Mike Russell wants a year-long moratorium on the closure of rural schools.

 

“I am asking councils not to close any rural schools for the next year because I do not believe the legislation has worked in exactly the way we intended. A lot of the things I am seeing are not true to the spirit of the Act and I don’t want that to go on because there will be a conflict for the next year. There are a lot of unhappy communities out there.â€

[Njugle]

That's just downright offensive after the anxiety he's been party to putting communities and staff through in Shetland, particularly in the Scalloway catchment area. Unbelievable.

 

And given the ruthless necessity portrayed for making the savings through closing schools, where are these savings now to be found? Totally unbelievable.

[crofter]

Shetland Times report here:

 

http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2011/06/01/government-wants-rural-school-closures-halted-for-a-year

[KTL]

The decision to close schools is initiated by council officials and put in place by councillors. The responsobility for that decision rests with the councillors themselves.

The call in process is an avenue parents and communities can use to challenge a council decision, but it doesn't change who made the decision in the first place.

[trowie246]

I might be wrong but I think it is the councillors who ask for the reviews of education which is carried out by the officers. They make their recommendations which can be supported or rejected by the councillors. We have had 3 reviews of education since my daughter started school 7 years ago. They end up with the same recommendations - closure of schools. The second review was thrown out by the newly elected councillors before it could get properly underway.

 

I hope this moratorium at least gives rural areas breathing space. Three reviews of education in 7 years has been extremely stressful and means that education in Shetland as a whole has suffered because of it.

[Carlos]

Until, October/November is it? When the Education budget has to find the same (much larger) % cuts as all the others this time?

[trowie246]

I have it on good authority that head teachers do make suggestions at the head teachers meetings for ways of saving money and nothing ever happens. It is my belief that schools service knows fine well that there will be very little money saved by closing small primary schools, I think they just want fewer schools in Shetland because it will make life a helluva lot easier for them.