Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
New primary plan out to consultation
St Kevin’s could move to a new standalone school
A public consultation is due to get underway today on the relocation of St Kevin’s Primary to a new-build site in Bargeddie.
North Lanarkshire Council is proposing to construct a new standalone school to accommodate its increasing pupil roll – while its existing joint campus space will then be occupied in full by current neighbours Bargeddie Primary, which will retain the transferred nursery class.
The proposal results from “significant levels” of current and future housebuilding in Bargeddie, which means St Kevin’s is already over its current 135 capacity and is having to use a shared space at the 11-year-old Langmuir Road campus as an additional classroom.
With the rolls of both schools projected to continue rising over the next decade, education officials now propose to build a new 242-capacity school for St Kevin’s on the site of the former Drumpark School, with future provision for an additional two-class extension.
Councillors on the education committee were being asked to approve the start of the consultation, due to run until January 15, as the Advertiser went to press yesterday afternoon.
They were told: “Significant levels of housebuilding are underway in Bargeddie [and this] is expected to continue; it is clear that there will not be sufficient capacity at the existing joint campus to accommodate the anticipated increase in pupil numbers.
“It has no area for growth and as a result an additional primary school is required. It is anticipated that Bargeddie Primary pupil population will increase at the same rate as St Kevin’s.
“Relocating St Kevin’s and handing over the whole space at the current location to Bargeddie Primary will provide sufficient capacity at both schools for the anticipated growth in pupil population.”
Consultation documents add: “If this proposal was not to go ahead, there would be significant challenges with accommodating all projected pupils as housebuilding in the area progresses.”
“Building a new primary school in the area will ensure adequate levels of learning and teaching spaces in the catchment area [and] is the only solution to mitigate the increase in pupil population as a result of new housing.
“There are few local amenities in the area – a further facility which can be used as a community facility outwith the school day would be a welcome addition in the area and the proposed location at the east end of Bargeddie would provide facilities at this end of the community.”
A public meeting on the proposals is due to be held at the joint campus on December 11 – including the realignment of the 42-pupil nursery to Bargeddie Primary School, meaning that it would stay at the existing Langmuir Road site.
Consultation papers note: “It is not prudent to move the nursery to the new build; to do so would create excess nursery capacity in the area and increase costs. It is proposed to retain the nursery at the existing campus and transfer management to Bargeddie Primary.
“The nursery is currently associated with St Kevin’s and staff have established relationships with [ its] management and staff; however, the co- location of both schools [means] staff will be familiar with the management and staff of Bargeddie Primary [and] it is envisaged that the familiar surroundings of the existing facility, along with the existing nursery workforce remaining, will reduce any significant impact on pupils.”
The document adds: “St Kevin’s and Bargeddie primaries have excellent joint working [and] it is recognised that both school communities learn and play together.
“Moving either school to a new location will inevitably have an impact on this; however, the schools will be approximately one kilometre apart [and] as such, there is scope for both schools to retain a close working relationship.”