School Closures

[whalsa]

It is the closure of the salmon farm which has been the important thing. Perhaps a proper investigation of why this failed might throw some real light on the situation in Skerries, rather than obsessing with the school. Forcing secondary bairns to stay on the island for their education will not save the community.

No argument there re the salmon farm. The secondary school is already closed Staney Dale. The school in question is the primary school. In my opinion the closing of which would amount to the SIC abandoning the community. In areas where depopulation is an issue closing primary schools will only accelerate the problem. 

 

Skerries people may disagree but I believe closing the secondary school MAY have been the right decision but closing the primary school certainly would not be. 

[Skerriesinthewilderness]

The Salmon farm was an Organic farm, and profitable, but just lacked the working capital that so many small businesses need.

( by the way I believe the Salmon industry as a whole is going the wrong way, it should be going down the Organic route, and the TOXIC stuff that is produced worldwide)

 

Skerries Secondary children despite the waffle and lies told by Hayfield House, the children of Skerries Secondary School when they had a Headteacher in place, they had all the important subjects i e Maths, English, R.E, Physics, Chemistry, Music,French, Spanish, Competitive Physical Education,In fact the swimming records in Shetland Times reported 152 full  lengths by most of the pupils speaks volumes on fitness levels.This was a complete school, and was closed on false savings figures, and someone who should ask Helen Budge to deny that they did not save money in closing the Secondary School, and prove it. We know Dr Wills cant come and look us in the eye. He talks a good game, but does not deliver the proof.

 

Helen Budge I believe you are surrounded by liars, or you are inept, and in on the scam of closing the Skerries Secondary School.

 

Facts are those children's attendance dropped dramatically going to Anderson High, plus the biggest problem in education is poor parents, and these parents have had to leave the Island to get work, this is a hard working community that has had a social injustice decision made against them, at the cost of family life, and a poorer education.

 

Resign you parasites in Hayfield House, do Shetland a favour and go get a proper job.

[shetlander]

The rolls of some rural schools are half to a third of what they were 30 odd years ago which to me questions the claim that they are essential to help retain/attract young families. How far can the Council be expected to provide a very expensive model of education provision when some areas are losing folk anyway? I don't think Skerries or any of the remote isles should lose their primary schools by the way (nor does the Council as far as I know) but I do think there's scope for closures elsewhere.

[wotsit]

I think other local primaries have drop in roll including Sandwick primary that has lost quite a lot of children.

[Skerriesinthewilderness]

The Law is the Law, The Law states children must be educated.

 

Skerries Secondary was an excellent place to learn. The children have ended up with an inferior education in closing a Secondary School, that was sharing the costs with the primary school, we the tax payer have ended up paying more, as the Headteacher with her supporting staff, was teaching both Primary and Secondary. 

 

Nothing was saved iin closing the secondary, and I want to know why Hayfield House can get away with this social injustice?

 

The children have ended up with lower attendance, less physical exercise, and less subjects, and less time with family.

 

At the same time increasing the costs to the taxpayer, as we now pay for the boarding, travel, carers, and then the disruption to the children's weekends.

 

Bottom line a good school was closed, and it cost us more money, and Hayfield House lied  to the general public.

 

Get me the accounts, and it will show, costs have increased.

[Skerriesinthewilderness]

Just like to remind the SIC that you have wasted alot of money, time, and family life with closing and attemting to close viable schools.

 

Reminding SIC that you saved nothing in closing Skerries Secondary School

Shame on you Dr Wills for the incorrect info  you told. I will never trust a word you ever say.

[trowie246]

The financial situation is massively complex.  Despite years of looking at various facts and figures to do with school costs I am none the wiser really, probably because they are compiled by the SIC and they can make things look any way they want.  The nearest we got was with the school comparison report - comparing the 3 island authorities.  Even then Hayfield house had the audacity to try and say Shetland was massively expensive in the covering letter/report but when you started pulling apart the figures and comparing like for like, it became apparent that Shetland's secondary costs are no more expensive than Orkney or the Western Isles.

 

Any Councillor who wants to get to the bottom of the financial situation would have their work cut out for them but that is what needs to happen to get to the truth.  From what I've seen Shetland's primary and secondary education is no more expensive than the other island groups.  At one time Shetland had a massively inflated Quality Improvement budget (Hayfield house officers) but I'm not sure if that is still the case because some Quality Improvement officers have gone.  The other cost which in the past has been huge is the Additional Supports Needs budget but no one wants to go there, at least to any great extent.

[Skerriesinthewilderness]

“incompetent, useless and less than honest

It said: "...it was clear that there was no willingness to support any school closure proposals at that time, and officer time was being wasted on carrying out pointless work......could not agree more with the latest article....

 

Without naming names with the cooperation of pupils, parents, members of staff, volunteers,and the headteacher Skerries Secondary School was run with one teacher doing both Primary and Secondary, Hayfield House was aware of this new workable arrangement, but they carried on the story of this magical saving of £73000,  

 

Secondary Headteacher left and was replaced by Primary Headteacher......Nothing like the £73000 saved, 

 

This is not difficult maths, 

 

Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?