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  • Report by Director, Education

    The report issued by the Director of Education, Donald Mackay, can be viewed in text format below, or downloaded in various formats here.



    CABINET
    THURSDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2004
    ITEM NO

    MIDLOTHIAN SCHOOLS STRATEGIC ASSET MANAGEMENT
    PRIMARY AND NURSERY
    Report by Director, Education


    1. BACKGROUND

    Following local government reorganisation in 1996, Midlothian Council inherited an education estate in need of improvement and renovation. From the beginning, the Council has strived, within its capital funding, to bring modest improvements to its school estate. This has taken the form of replacing temporary accommodation and the building of nursery and special needs classrooms. The Council has recently completed one new primary school, St Andrew’s in Gorebridge.

    Whilst this strategy has improved our schools, the growing maintenance backlog is not being addressed. Nor is our goal of providing schools with the quality learning environment that our pupils and staff deserve. Our community facilities, whilst continuing to deliver a service to their local areas, do not meet the expectations necessary to attract more adults and young people into lifelong learning.

    The success of the Dalkeith Schools Community Campus Public Private Partnership (PPP) has focused our strategy on improving the whole of our education estate and bringing it up to the standard that has been specified for the new campus schools. To bring equality to the Council’s schools, much will need to be done to achieve the high standards that have been set for the campus.

    Unlike many other Scottish Councils Midlothian is expected to see a substantial rise in population of around 12% over the next few years. This will bring new housing developments into the area and the Council is working with the housing developers to take forward a strategy for developer contributions to provide new schools and extend others.

    Currently there exists the opportunity to secure long-term revenue support from the
    Scottish Executive for a second PPP project. This will enable the Council to commence implementation of the improvement strategy for the whole school estate, earlier than would otherwise be possible by using traditional funding.

    Following the award of feasibility funding from the Scottish Executive in 2001, Midlothian Council commissioned a strategic review of its school estate. The aim of the study was to establish a long-term strategy for the provision and management of school accommodation, to ensure a systematic and co-ordinated approach to asset management, improve local decision making, prioritise investment and co-ordinate standards applied to the existing school estate and for schools to be provided through developer contributions.

    Using the above funding the Council has carried out a rigorous review of its school accommodation, which highlights that the majority of the school estate is functionally and economically obsolete and so significant improvement to the school estate is a pre-requisite to supporting the delivery of education, now and in the future.

    The analysis identified that over 65% of the Council’s school estate pre-dates the 1970s and that over 25% of the school estate was built prior to 1950. Combined with poor quality buildings, built in the 1970s and 1980s, a maintenance timebomb has been inherited that has started to impact on the delivery of education and, in the absence of significant well planned investment, will be a drain on scarce resources. In essence a large number of Midlothian schools are no longer fit for purpose and are expensive to run.

    A Schools Property Strategy has been developed in order to guide the scope of the work required to improve the school estate. This strategy aims to move the estate towards a two stream model of primary schools, with integrated nursery and community accommodation, in order to improve the space utilisation and achieve more efficient, modern primary school provision. The secondary school sector will be based on the current complement of 6 secondary schools, two of which have already been replaced via the Dalkeith Schools Community Campus PPP. It is proposed that a further 3 will be refurbished and remodelled and one rebuilt. This current paper refers only to aspects of primary, nursery and community provision.


    2 WORK TO DATE

    The Midlothian Schools Strategic Asset Management Plan has been developed by an internal project team which comprised representatives from Education, Finance, Legal and Property and was project managed by the Council’s Strategic Services Division. The internal project team was augmented by representatives of Headteachers, individual school Headteachers and external consultants.

    Additionally Midlothian Council appointed a team of consultants, led by the Turner and Townsend Group as overall project managers and comprising of PricewaterhouseCooper (financial), Turner and Townsend (cost management) and Cooper Cromar (architects) to undertake the study, which included a review of the following aspects of the school estate:

    • The educational context; aims, objectives and strategies
    • Demographic projections; anticipated demand
    • The existing school estate;
      • Whether it is fit for purpose
      • Building condition
      • Accommodation suitability
      • Location
    • Key areas for change in the estate
    • The preferred solutions for change
    • The cost of change
    • Implementation of the preferred solutions for change
    3 FUNDING

    Midlothian Council is committed to the use of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) procurement method, as demonstrated by the Dalkeith Schools Community Campus PPP Project, which is now completed. The award of further revenue support by the Scottish Executive for a second PPP project would permit the Council to bring a further significant proportion of Midlothian’s primary and nursery school accommodation up to a required standard. Additionally it is proposed that refurbishments of schools be carried out by borrowing and the use of developer contributions.

    4.1 THE PROPOSALS

    As indicated above, it is proposed that the Council move towards, where appropriate, providing two stream primary schools of approximately 14 classes for 7 primary stages with nursery provision, integration of pupils with additional support needs and community use facilities.

    The provision of two stream primary schools will allow the Education Division to maximise the social, curricular and management benefits associated with schools, each with approximately 14 classes.

    The social benefits:

  • A wide range of opportunities for social interaction for groups of pupils within each of the seven primary stages.
  • The integration of nursery provision to the primary school provides social interaction from the first stages of formal education and will assist with the transition from nursery to primary education.
  • The integration of pupils with additional support needs can also provide increased opportunities for social interaction and is supportive of both National and Midlothian policy and practice in relation to the promotion of social inclusion.
  • The curricular benefits:

  • A better range of opportunities for pupils to work together in groups within each primary stage and classes.
  • Access to school building facilities and resources that support the technological, research, library, music, art, drama and PE sections of the curriculum.
  • Better use of visiting specialist teachers as they can maximise the use of their teaching time across a range of classes within a smaller number of schools.
  • The management benefits:

  • School management teams – Headteacher, Depute Headteacher, Principal Teacher – maximising their management time across a range of classes in one school.
  • Greater opportunities for team working as all schools of a two stream size would have a management team.
  • Effective use of administrative support staff and janitorial services for extended periods of time.
  • 4.2 GOREBRIDGE area:
    4.2.1 Stobhill Primary School is situated on the eastern side of the community of Gorebridge adjacent to an area of public sector housing. The school buildings, built in 1960, are single storey on a split level with flat and pitched roofs with felt coverings. The condition of the roof, windows, brickwork and playground surfaces are poor. It is therefore proposed that Stobhill Primary be replaced with a new build school procured under PPP funding with an estimated time of completion of 2006.
    4.2.2 Gorebridge Primary School is situated behind the Council library and leisure centre. The school was built pre 1900 with a later addition in 1965 and was originally designed as a junior secondary school. The buildings are separated by a connecting corridor area and are poorly laid out. The general condition of the school is poor and roofs, windows, playground surfaces and structural renderings are in need of repair. It is proposed to replace Gorebridge Primary School with a new building procured under PPP funding with an approximate completion time of 2006.
    4.2.3

    Borthwick Primary School is situated on the edge of the small community of Borthwick, which is approximately two miles south east of Gorebridge. The school was built in 1870 and is a stone structure with slate covered pitched roofs which need renewed. The school has been refurbished internally in recent years but continues to have a restricted layout and lacks space for a number of curricular areas including physical education, music and learning support. The school office, staff facilities and Headteacher’s facilities are constrained. The school has two classrooms and a small general purpose area which is also used for dining. The school has no PE facilities. There is no community use of Borthwick Primary School. All catchment area pupils are transported to the school.

    The current roll of Borthwick PS is 31 with a capacity factor of 62%. It is proposed that Borthwick Primary School be closed and that pupils be relocated to Stobhill Primary School for August 2004.

    Stobhill PS currently has a roll of 118 with a capacity factor of 56%. The school has a planning capacity of 189 pupils and a theoretical capacity of 210. The school therefore has spare capacity to accommodate Borthwick PS.

    4.2.4

    Temple Primary School is situated on the main street of the village of Temple two miles south west of Gorebridge. The main school building was built in 1880 and has stone walls and a pitched slated roof. A timber framed extension was erected in 1920. The school is in need of refurbishment with particular needs identified for the renewal of windows, doors, heating system and roof repairs.

    The school has a restricted layout and lacks space for a number of curricular areas such as physical education, music and learning support. The school office, staff facilities and Headteacher’s facilities are constrained. The school has two classrooms and a general purpose area which is also used for dining. There is no community use of facilities at Temple Primary School.

    The current roll of Temple PS is 38 with a capacity factor of 76%. It is proposed to relocate pupils attending Temple Primary School to Stobhill Primary School for August 2004.

    Stobhill PS currently has a roll of 118 with a capacity factor of 56%. The school has a planning capacity of 189 pupils and a theoretical capacity of 210. The school therefore has spare capacity to accommodate Temple PS.

    4.3 DALKEITH area
    4.3.1 Woodburn Primary School is located on the north-eastern outskirts of Dalkeith between an area of mainly public sector housing and the Thornybank Industrial Estate. The main building was built around 1958 and is of brick construction with flat roofs covered in felt and asphalt. Two timber temporary unit classrooms were added in the late 1970s. The school has functioned for a number of years with another double temporary unit classroom remote from the school. These are now surplus to requirements. The school is in poor condition and an extensive refurbishment of roof, windows, services and the interior is required. It is proposed that Woodburn Primary be refurbished using traditional funding means and that Thornybank Nursery School, which is sited in the grounds of Woodburn Primary School, be integrated into the school as part of the refurbishment and extension.
    4.3.2

    Thornybank Nursery is located next to Woodburn Primary School and was built in 1975. The building is timber framed with a pitched felt roof.

    The nursery, which accommodates 60 children morning and afternoon, had a minor refurbishment 6 years ago. The heating and hot water system is in need of replacement and the outside play surfaces are in need of renewal. The present nursery accommodation would limit the expansion of a wraparound- care service.

    The proposal would be to relocate the nursery as a new extension on a refurbished Woodburn Primary School, funding coming from the Capital Programme.

    4.3.3

    Pathhead Primary School is situated at the south end of the village. The original building was erected in 1903 and extended in 1960 by the addition of two toilet blocks. Midlothian Council added a nursery class in 1999 and combined the nursery provision for Pathhead, Cousland, Cranston and Temple into one nursery class. The school roll has risen in recent years and the 4-classroom school is at capacity. The school lacks PE and other facilities and has serious restrictions in accommodation. The school building itself is in need of refurbishment with the replacement of windows and doors. The site is restricted and the play area very limited.

    The opportunities for expansion are limited unless further ground is bought. It is therefore proposed that Pathhead PS be replaced with a new build school procured under PPP funding with an approximate completion time of 2006.

    4.3.4

    Cranston Primary School is situated on the outskirts of the village of Edgehead, two miles south east of Dalkeith. The school is on a small site with limited play area. The school buildings were erected in the early 1900s and have been added to with a free standing classroom extension.

    This prefabricated building is isolated from the main building and presents security problems. The school is limited in size with 3 classrooms and a small hall. The buildings in common with the rest of the estate require refurbishment and the internal layout is restricted for the ancillary accommodation required by the curriculum, ie library, tutorial rooms, IT spaces etc. The Headteacher has no dedicated office accommodation or meeting room. Cranston PS currently has 57 pupils and capacity factor of 76%. Cranston is used by the WRI, the local guides and infrequently for other purposes. It is proposed that pupils attending Cranston Primary School should be relocated to Pathhead Primary School for August 2004 and additional temporary accommodation be provided at the school.

    4.3.5

    Cousland Primary School is situated in the village of Cousland approximately four miles east of Dalkeith. The school, which was built in the late 1960s, is on a small site with a playground in need of renewal. The roofs are flat and felt covered and are in need of renewal. External windows and doors are in need of replacements in the near future. The internal aspects of the school require refurbishment and as the layout is split level the buildings are not Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant. Cousland PS currently has a roll of 37 with a capacity factor of 76%. Cousland has no community use of its facilities.

    It is proposed that Cousland PS be closed and pupils relocated to Woodburn PS for August 2004. On completion of a new primary school at the Dalkeith Schools Community Campus the Cousland catchment area should be rezoned to this school.

    4.4 MAYFIELD area:
    4.4.1 Langlaw Primary School is situated on the northern end of the community of Mayfield in an area of public housing. The main building was erected in the 1950s and is brick built with a steel frame. The roofs are flat with a pitch over the hall and asphalt and felt coverings. The school is in poor condition and requires replacement. Both Langlaw and Bryans Primary schools are currently running under capacity and it is proposed to merge the two schools in a new build school provided under the PPP procurement method on either the Langlaw or Bryans site with an approximate completion time of 2006.
    4.4.2 Bryans Primary School is situated on the north east end of Mayfield on the edge of public sector housing. The main building was built in 1955 and is a single storey with two storey sections. The school is brick framed with aluminium curtain walling and mainly flat roofs with asphalt and felt coverings. The school is in poor condition and requires replacement. Both Bryans and Langlaw Primary schools are currently running under capacity and it is proposed to merge the two schools in a new build school provided under the PPP procurement method on either the Bryans or Langlaw site with an approximate completion time of 2006.

    4.5 BONNYRIGG. LASSWADE AND LOANHEAD areas
    4.5.1 Bonnyrigg Primary School is located on the north side of the town in an area of predominantly public sector housing. The building, constructed in the mid 1970s, is split level single storey with pitched concrete tiles and flat felted roofs. The school is in need of an extensive refurbishment both externally and internally. The services are requiring major maintenance including the electrical services. The proposal would be to refurbish the school and build an extension to re-house Cockpen Nursery School. This will be carried out through the Council’s Capital Programme.
    4.5.2 Cockpen Nursery School is located on the south-eastern outskirts of the community of Bonnyrigg. The school, built in 1873, is of stone construction with a slate covered pitched roof. The school was never designed to accommodate a nursery and is therefore restricted both in space, storage and outside play area. The services to the school, both heating and electrical, need replaced. The external windows and doors require replacement and whilst the nursery has had a minor refurbishment, it is not ideal. The proposal would be to relocate the nursery as a new extension on a refurbished Bonnyrigg Primary School, funding coming from the Capital Programme.
    4.5.3 Loanhead Primary School is situated on a small site close to the town centre. The main school building was built in 1931 and an extension added in 1976. The older stone building has a pitched slate roof and the extension a flat felt roof. The school buildings are in need of extensive repairs in particular the windows and doors are in need of replacement and the flat felt roof needs repaired. The school is on two floors and is not Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant and is limited as to what improvements could be made. There is no sports/gym hall and pupils must walk across to the adjoining community building for such activities. It is proposed that the school would be rebuilt under PPP funding with an approximate completion time of 2006 on an extended site to take in the community facilities and the old Town Hall. The school would be constructed to include a joint campus with St Margaret’s Primary School and would share community and sports facilities.
    4.5.4 St Margaret’s Primary School is located to the north centre of the community close to an industrial estate. The school was built in 1964 of brick construction with a flat felt roof. The school building requires replacement of all windows and doors and heavy investment is needed in electrical services including rewiring and upgrading of switchgear, emergency lighting and fire alarms. The school is restricted in size and would need to be capped at 4 classes if the school roll rose. The close proximity of the industrial estate has caused concerns. It is proposed to rebuild this school under PPP funding with an approximate completion time of 2006 to give more flexible accommodation for future growth and locate it on a joint campus with Loanhead Primary School to give it the benefits of a larger school.

    4.6 PENICUIK area:
    4.6.1 Ladywood Primary School is located on the northern side of the town of Penicuik between an area of public housing and Eastfield Industrial Estate. The school was built in the 1970s and is rendered masonry with a mainly concrete tile roof. The heating system is in critical condition and the boilers have had to be replaced. The roof is presenting considerable problems and the school has had considerable water penetration. The windows and doors are showing signs of deterioration and need replacing. The school roll has dropped in recent years and by combining the school with the nearby Eastfield Primary School better value and better facilities could be achieved. It is therefore proposed to build a new combined Eastfield/Ladywood Primary School using PPP funding with a completion time of 2006.
    4.6.2

    Eastfield Primary School is located just north of the town centre in an area of public housing. The school was built in 1956 in two blocks with the main school building a 3 storey block. Both blocks have flat felt covered roofs. The school requires extensive maintenance including replacement of windows and doors, re-roofing and internal refurbishment. The school is not Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant and would present difficulties in making it so with a 3 storey block.

    It is proposed to build a new Eastfield/Ladywood 2 stream primary school on the site of one of the schools using PPP funding with an approximate completion time of 2006.

    4.6.3 Strathesk Nursery School is located on a corner site of Eastfield Primary School and was built in 1976. The building is timber framed with a pitched slate roof. The nursery accommodates 60 children morning and afternoon and had a minor refurbishment 6 years ago. The external timber cladding is showing signs of deterioration and requires renewing. The windows and doors require replacing and the heating and water system need replaced. The outside play surfaces are also in need of renewal. The present nursery accommodation would limit the expansion of a wrap-around-care service. The proposal would be to relocate the nursery as part of the new Eastfield/Ladywood Primary School.
    4.6.4 Cuiken Primary School is located in an area of private sector housing in the west of Penicuik. The school was built in 1958 and is constructed in single and 2 storey blocks with felt roofs. The school is in need of general refurbishment with the replacement of windows and doors, and upgrades to services. The proposal would be to carry out this work through the Council’s Capital Programme. An extension would be built to accommodate Cuikenburn Nursery School within the new premises. The school can accommodate the 16 pupils who currently attend Howgate Primary School.
    4.6.5

    Howgate Primary School is located in the centre of the village of Howgate. The premises occupy a very small site with limited play area. The original building was erected in 1910 with an extension added in later years with a flat roof. The school has 2 classrooms and a current roll of 16 pupils. There are no PE facilities and limited space to meet new curricular demands. The building needs replacement of the windows and doors and repair to the external walls of the extension. The roof also is in need of repair and rot treatment to the roof joists is required. Like all the small schools there are limited opportunities to provide facilities for music, IT and physical education due to space restrictions. It is proposed to close the school and relocate pupils to Cuiken Primary School for August 2004. Howgate PS currently has a roll of 16 and a capacity factor of 32%. There is no community use of facilities at Howgate PS.

    Cuiken PS has a roll of 294 with a capacity factor of 70%. The school has a planning capacity of 378 and a theoretical capacity of 420. The school therefore has the capacity to accommodate Howgate PS.

    4.6.6

    Cuikenburn Nursery School is located on a small site adjacent to Queensway Leisure Centre near the centre of Penicuik. The nursery school was built in 1979 and is a single storey timber framed structure with a pitched concrete tiled roof. The external windows and doors to the premises are showing signs of wear and will need replacement. The external tarmac areas need resurfacing and work needs to be carried out on some aspects of the electrical installations. The present accommodation would limit the expansion of the wrap-around-care service.

    The proposal would be to relocate the nursery as a new extension on a refurbished Cuiken PS, funding coming from the Capital Programme.

    5 DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS

    In addition to schools identified earlier in this report, it should be noted that further new schools and extensions will also be built across Midlothian using developer contributions as set out in the Midlothian and Shawfair Local Plans. This is where housebuilders creating developments within Midlothian will pay for the necessary extensions to schools or for new schools as required as part of planning consent. The exception to receiving cash contributions will be Bonnyrigg where the school will be provided to the Council on a turnkey basis by the developer.

    The precise timing of contributions received and expenditure incurred is difficult to predict and will be influenced by the speed of new housing development. It is expected that new primary schools will be required at the following venues in the future:

  • Dalkeith Schools Community Campus: 2 stream primary school with nursery provision.
  • Hopefield, Bonnyrigg: single stream primary school with nursery provision.
  • Gorebridge area: single stream primary school with nursery provision plus a 3 class extension.
  • Shawfair development: two 2 stream primary schools with nursery provision plus a 5 class denominational primary school.
  • Danderhall Primary School: 5 class extension plus nursery provision
  • Mayfield/Easthouses area: single stream primary school with nursery provision
  • Penicuik: 2 or 4 class extension to Mauricewood Primary School
  • St Matthew’s Primary School and Rosewell Primary School: consideration is being given to providing new primary schools within the current Capital Programme. Developer Contributions will meet part of the cost.
  • It should be noted that developer contributions are excluded from any PPP programme.

    6 FINANCIAL POSITION
      OBC
    8 New &
    6 Renew
    Nov ’03
    5 New
    Current
    7 New
      £ £ £
    Capital Value 65,000,000 35,000,000 38,500,000
    Unitary Charge 9,268,000 4,641,000 4,452,000
    LPF Grant -5,785,000 -3,054,000 -3,292,000
    Transferred budgets -1,649,000 -727,000 -769,000
    Amalgamation Savings -805,000 -498,000 -622,000
    Schools Fund - -119,000 -
    Affordability Gap (Year One) 1,029,000 244,000 -231,000
    Capital Receipts Applied - - 700,000

    The above Table shows the changes the project has gone through. The original Outline Business Case was submitted in December 2002 with an affordability gap of over £1 million in the first year. The Executive responded in March 2003 with a letter which capped our capital spending at £43 million. When the financial model was produced for this size of project, the affordability gap had fallen to £723,000. In discussions with the Executive on how to fill this gap, they advised reducing the project still further to £35 million and five new build schools. This has reduced the affordability gap to £244,000 in the first year. Further revisions have taken place internally which has boosted the capital spend to £38.5 million and 7 new build schools. This option is cost neutral over the 30 year period. The 7 new build schools included in the Table are as set out in Section 4 above.

    To explain some of the features of the Table:-

  • The unitary charge is the amount the council will have to pay each year for the30 years of the project.
  • The Level Playing Field (LPF) grant is the value of the grant the government will pay to us each year. It is so named because it is supposed to be equivalent to the support for loan charges that would be available on council borrowing. However, in response to demand and to make limited finance stretch further it has been reduced by the Executive from 100% to 80% (see below).
  • The budgets transferred refers to the value of the budgets for cleaning, janitorial services, materials etc which the contractor will pay for under a PPP.
  • The amalgamation savings reflect the savings in staff and other items which are generated by the amalgamation of schools and the economies of scale this produces.
  • The Schools Fund is an option to bank £2 million of government grant over the next two years and pay out a stream of income to the contractor from it over the next 30 years, assessed at £119,000 per annum.
  • In terms of the outstanding funding gap, negotiations to seek a dispensation from the Local Government Finance Division of the Executive to use capital receipts have been successful. Before the concession, it had been intended to use the Schools Fund to help bridge the affordability gap but this is no longer necessary.

    The Council will now be able to apply £4m of capital receipts as a one off up front payment to the contractor which will make the project affordable. It should be noted that this figure excludes the £3m of receipts from the school amalgamation.

    7 TIMESCALES

    A number of options are available to the Council to take forward the development of its schools estate. Clearly in relation to any PPP programme the Council will have to grant formal approval for its officers to negotiate a financial package with the Scottish Executive. Formal approval is also required to commence public consultation on school closures and subsequent relocations.

    The Council’s programme for developing its schools estate falls into four parts:

    1. School closures and mergers.
    2. Those new build schools which can be provided under a PPP2 programme.
    3. Refurbishment and redevelopment of schools funded from borrowing.
    4. New schools built using developer contributions.

    The above development routes can either be progressed individually or simultaneously. It is therefore suggested that the Council progress its PPP and borrowing in parallel and utilises developer contributions to build additional schools when new housing is approved and timescales agreed. Given there is approval for the above, the Council must decide timescales for progressing its PPP and refurbishment programmes.

    It is proposed that closures of some schools proceed for August 2004 and that the mergers of Ladywood/Eastfield and Bryans/Langlaw are scheduled for 2006. The closure of some nursery schools would be fixed to tie in with the completion of the relevant replacement or refurbished primary school.

    8 CONSULTATION

    Section 6 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1981 amended the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 by addition sections 22A and 22D. Regulations were issued following the above amendment (1981 No 1558 The Education (Publication and Consultation etc) (Scotland) Regulations 1981).

    In terms of the above the Council must consult on any closure etc programme and have regard to any representations made. With regard to those schools which are over 80% full (or over five miles from the nearest school), closure etc requires the consent of Scottish Ministers. For Roman Catholic schools reference to the Archdiocese is required.

    Consultation may be in writing and/or by public meeting. The normal process is that both methods are used. The minimum period for consultation is 28 days. This is the period used for a single closure etc.

    Requirements:

  • Letters to parents of every pupil with a statement outlining the proposal
  • Letter to parents of pupils not yet enrolled but who might attend mentioned schools.
  • Letters to appropriate School Boards.
  • Letter to Archdiocese for Roman Catholic schools.
  • Advert in local press.
  • Public meetings (with two weeks notice) advertised by letter and in the local press. Attendance by officials and elected members is expected at such meetings.
  • Information on the proposals should also be made available in Midlothian House, public libraries, website and schools affected by the proposals.
  • 9 RECOMMENDATIONS

    It is recommended that Cabinet agrees:

    1. that Stobhill Primary School be replaced by a new building procured under a Public Private Partnership
    2. that Gorebridge Primary School be replaced by a new building procured under a Public Private Partnership;
    3. that Borthwick Primary School be closed with pupils relocated to Stobhill Primary School for August 2004;
    4. that Temple Primary School be closed with pupils relocated to Stobhill Primary School for August 2004;
    5. that Woodburn Primary School be refurbished using Capital funds;
    6. that Thornybank Nursery School be relocated to a refurbished Woodburn Primary School;
    7. that Bryans and Langlaw Primary Schools be merged and located in a new building procured under Public Private Partnership;
    8. that Bonnyrigg Primary School be refurbished using Capital funds;
    9. that Cockpen Nursery School be relocated to a refurbished Bonnyrigg Primary School;
    10. that Loanhead Primary School be replaced by a new building procured under a Public Private Partnership on a shared campus with St Margaret’s Primary School;
    11. that St Margaret’s Primary School be replaced by a new building on a shared campus with Loanhead Primary School procured under a Public Private Partnership;
    12. that Eastfield and Ladywood Primary Schools be merged and replaced by a new building, procured under a Public Private Partnership;
    13. that Strathesk Nursery School be relocated to the merged Eastfield/Ladywood Primary School;
    14. that Cuiken Primary School be refurbished using Capital funding;
    15. that Cuikenburn Nursery School be relocated to a refurbished Cuiken Primary School.
    16. that Howgate Primary School be closed with pupils being relocated to Cuiken Primary School for August 2004;
    17. that Pathhead Primary School be replaced by a new building procured through a Public Private Partnership;
    18. that Cranston Primary School be closed and pupils relocated to Pathhead Primary School for August 2004;
    19. that Cousland Primary School be closed and pupils relocated to Woodburn Primary School for August 2004 and then included in the new catchment area for a Primary School scheduled to be built at the Dalkeith Schools Community Campus;
    20. that in respect to (i) to (xix) above that consultation is put in place in accordance with appropriate statutory legislation.

    DONALD S MACKAY
    Director, Education

    23 February 2004

    Last Updated : 30 March 2005