West Harris questions council’s school roll figures 4/11/10
After a tense and emotional Education Committee meeting on Tuesday, supporters of Shelibost School are questioning where the Education Department has sourced and based estimates for Sir E Scott School intake in 2012.
The information is pivotal in assessing the capacity of Sir E Scott, the receiving school, should Shelibost and Scalpay close.
Local parents have collated pupil numbers from croileagan and primary schools giving a total of 64 for 2012 rising to 67 in 2013, significantly higher than the figure quoted of 49 pupils by the Director at the committee meeting.
Based on current information (formal allocation next month) there will be 6 or 7 children allocated to the new houses at Bunabhainneadar. This then brings total roll to 74 just one short of the capacity of the school as set out in the consultation document.
Based on West Harris Trust proposals targeting young couples and families to move to the area, the roll by 2013 will be well above the projected capacity rendering any perceived Educational benefit irrelevant.
Local parents were left bemused by the Directors’ information presented and felt it had distorted the argument for other councillors in the chamber prior to the vote.
One parent attending the meeting commented “some excellent support was shown by some of our councillors and we appreciated the thrust of the debate that West Harris has a unique standing in this situation as a community estate with the school at the heart of its regeneration plans.”