Ghostrider Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 In all honesty, the majority of people who have spoken to me about the SCY school are in favour of it being closed. I think I've spoken to a total of two people who are against it. I'm not necessarily against Scalloway Secondary closing, but I am very against it being closed right now. What the SIC are very guilty of in what they're doing right now, IMHO , is a badly conceived and highly irresponsible knee jerk reaction. They need to be seen to be doing something, and the "something" they have chosen amounts to nothing else than a re-arranging of the chairs. a) Scalloway secondary is a reasonably new building, of adequate size, and with a good track record. Scalloway's catchment area has seen a steady rise in population in recent years, and by all accounts it may well continue for the forseeable future, with the major developments at Herrislea and Utnabrakem which are on the wish list. By all accounts there is plenty of space, should the school require to expand in the future. The AHS is in need of significant refurbishment, to the point that scrapping it is the current preferred option. The proposed site for a replacement is cramped for what has to go on it, if it has to increase in size to accomodate the Scalloway catchment area secondary roll, its going to open up the question, can the proposed site accomodate what need to go on it. Regardless either way, future expansion will not be an option. The SIC need to have a long term plan, not this piece-meal weidling of hatchets. Lerwick is going to continue to grow, and so is Scalloway, for at least the forseeable future, if their intent is to have one "super" High School serving the central mainland, it can't go at Clickimin as within a few years of opening, it'll be too small, and there's no place to extend it to. As long as Scalloway was in the picture, Clickimin was probably okay to cope with the expected increase in the Lerwick area pupil numbers for the foreseeable future, add the Scalloway roll to that, and I don't buy the site isn't already too small before the first fael is delled on it. Its a oft repeated fact of life, that regardless how big you build your house, you'll always wish you had more room for something someplace. With that in mind, if one central mainland secondary is what the new AHS is to be, that it must go on an out of town green field site, where the grounds can be initially set out large enough to allow for an at least 50%, preferably 100% building ground area expansion during its lifetime. I would suggest someplace between the Brig o' Fitch and the Hollanders Knowe as a site. Space there's aplenty, its central between Lerwick and Scalloway, and Lerwick will meet Scalloway, and itself via Gulberwick someplace there before this century is done, if both continue to expand as quickly as they have in the last 30 years. The current AHS was "out of town" when it was built, the old Central School was "in the suburbs" when it went up, so was Bells Brae, so was Sound. Look where they are now. Lerwick is already at the Observatory, literally yards from Guberwick at the top of Shurton, once the current construction is completed at Hoofields it can only start going down Dale, and/or over the top to meet with Shurton there, the latter has already been mooted as a plan. Scalloway is quite manfully climbing the Scord, there are already non-residential developments in the Black Gaet area, in 50 years or so, if expansion continues at current rates any school built between the Brig 'o Fitch and the Hollanders Knowe will be in the centre of Shetland's coast to coast town. The only thing that will be a bone of contention will be whether its called Lerway, or Scallowick! It would also be reasonably central by road, should if at some future time it was deemed "necessary" that Aith and/or Sandwick, or both secondaries also had to be amalgamated with the AHS. One hand doesn't seem to know what the other is doing in that Town Hall, at the same time as they're forging ahead with a replacement for the AHS "as is" on a site that can "just" cope, they're closing another school and expecting to squeeze those pupils in to the replacement too. Were it not for Wills and his bullheaded nitpicking, construction on an AHS replacement would have been well underway by now, which would have been considerably worse, as it would have required a fast (and most probably botched) redesign while being built, to accomodate the extra. Considering how relentlessly he's flogged dead horses for over a year, its difficult to find the goodwill to thank him for anything, but he has probably saved some headaches and expense in the long run there, as at least the pupil numbers for the AHS will go in on the design board, and not in a hasty moving of walls and quick add ons to a half built building. The whole thing as it stands is half cocked, surely you figure out and decide where you're trying to go, and get there, before you unload what you're still using. Of course, they maybe have (but I doubt it) and just aren't telling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAStewart Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 In all honesty, the majority of people who have spoken to me about the SCY school are in favour of it being closed. I think I've spoken to a total of two people who are against it. I'm not necessarily against Scalloway Secondary closing, but I am very against it being closed right now. What the SIC are very guilty of in what they're doing right now, IMHO , is a badly conceived and highly irresponsible knee jerk reaction. They need to be seen to be doing something, and the "something" they have chosen amounts to nothing else than a re-arranging of the chairs.I'm not so sure it's a knee-jerk decision, given that it's been discussed since at least the last full council 03-07; it's been on the cards for a while. They're in a tough place are our councillors and far be it from me to not criticise them, but they really have a very, very difficult task ahead, because no-one goes into public service to cut said services. I often wonder how would much of the councils loudest critics would cope with the abuse they give out. No-one likes to be criticised - can you really imagine a slew of derogatory letters week in, week out in the media about how awful you're doing? Sometimes one just has to do one's job. This whole school thing just strikes me as Peter Malcolmson & Quarff round 2. He was hated for wanting to close Quarff primary school, and now no-one would go back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lapse Rate Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 and now no-one would go back. Sweeping generalisation there I think JA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagon Wheel Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 The Quarff school was closed but most of the employees are still employed (same hours, different schools), and the building is still used. How much has been saved there 8 years later? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glipper Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 JAStewart...I know one thing thats not Scalloway people your asked.... You want to go to Scalloway and ask the people what they think im sure you will get a different view on whether they want it closed or not you will get a different respose there but you as a comunity councilor for Lerwick probably couldnt care less about ripping the heart out off Scalloway .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 Haven't read all of the posts and don't know if it is permissible under Scottish law but (And I appreciate it would take organising, fund-raising, etc.) - the parents take over the school and opt out of Local Authority control, getting funding direct from the Scottish Parliament? I know schools have done similar in England - just a thought as to whether or not it was possible here. Edit: Scrap that - it appears that in Scotland independent schools are funded by fees or fees with charitable donations (ahem) and get no funding from the Government. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAStewart Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 JAStewart...I know one thing thats not Scalloway people your asked.... I never said I *asked* anyone. You want to go to Scalloway and ask the people what they think im sure you will get a different view on whether they want it closed or not you will get a different respose thereWell of course, I would expect nothing less. The two people who have said they were against it were Burra residents. but you as a comunity councilor for Lerwick probably couldnt care less about ripping the heart out off Scalloway ..Assumptions! Everyone loves them. But you're horribly, horribly wrong. You do realise that I grew up in Burra, have relatives in both Burra (granny, uncle, etc) and Scalloway (auntie cousins) - including at least 3 who attend SCY and will be impacted by the closure. Think before you post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagon Wheel Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 On tonights public platform on Radio Shetland Councillor Angus was asked the question "What will the benefits be for bairns transferring to the AHS from SJHS next year?"His reply was that it was all set out in the consultation report but I have still not found any benifits, even though the HMIe have asked for this. He also said about more courses at the AHS this is true but last year they both offered the same number of standard grades subjects although the AHS offered some of these at lower levels also, hence more courses.He also said the HMIe report said the AHS offered a better curriculum and a better learning environment, I have reread the report and can find no mention off this.Councillors shouldn't be allowed to spread these untruths on public radio to try and make their decisions sound better. These decision should be made on actual truths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Far Haaf Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 I don't have kids at the Scalloway Junior High School, so I'm talking purely from an outsiders point of view.I can see the arguments for keeping it open very clearly, and I sympathise with parents who have children there. As a parent I'm damned if I'd want one of my children to attend the AHS, and I'd go as far as to say that if the AHS was the only option, I would rather relocate to Manchester or Birmingham.However, does the Scalloway JHS really need to shut in view of the financial report today:http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2010/12/09/need-for-council-savings-vanish-as-scale-of-underspending-becomes-clear The paltry sum which will be saved by shutting the school is 'banger' all, compared to the spending spree that the councillors will go on now that they think they are rich. Mind you, if the money they save by shutting the school could pay for all the councillors to go on a scubba diving holiday in Sharm El-Sheikh, where the sharks have got a taste for human flesh, it just might be worthwhile... Oops, forgot, councillors aren't human. The sharks would most likely find them to be disgusting and tasteless as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted December 10, 2010 Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 JAStewart...I know one thing thats not Scalloway people your asked.... You want to go to Scalloway and ask the people what they think im sure you will get a different view on whether they want it closed or not you will get a different respose there but you as a comunity councilor for Lerwick probably couldnt care less about ripping the heart out off Scalloway ..JAStewart has already answered the above comment by telling us of his connections to the Scalloway area which started me thinking about what the Lerwick Community Council might say about the proposal. Seems to me that they could well be considering the issue of space for 120 extra pupils at the existing AHS alongside the extra traffic that the closure would generate within Lerwick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsyScy Posted December 10, 2010 Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 ^^ But will also give them the excuse of greater overcrowding at the present AHS which in turn results in greater backing for Lerwick to have a new school built where this is whole farce is leading. ( Along with Scalloway school pupils paying for mistakes already made rather than savings in the future ) I wondered what sum the council have paid out to the Irish contractors that they had to send home to settle the unfulfilled contract??? Correct me if I'm wrong but I cant remember this ever being made public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Herra man Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Fetlar has an electric bus. Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Para Handy Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Its not over yet http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2011/01/12/scottish-government-calls-in-decision-to-close-scalloway-junior-high-school-secondary-department Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Once more Shetland demonstrates its insistence on a Rolls Royce answer to a Ford question. Yes everyone would love to have good schools on their doorstep, but the fact of the matter is there's an economic recession and you are not immune to that. Sadly, refusing to accept the need for savings seems to be part of the islands' collective character these days. Going a little bit farther to school won't kill anyone, and it doesn't mean the children won't still get a better education that most of the British Isles. Previous generations had to go to the AHS if they wanted to go on to further education - and as one of that generation I certainly didn't feel disadvantaged as a result. Thinking that children will suffer from going to a bigger school does them a disservice - they will be perfectly all right, and they might just develop a bit more self-reliance and responsibility along the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme_Storey Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 What is the current state-of-play with the Scottish Parliament's decision on this? All seems to have gone very quiet? Just wondering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now