Schools could merge as one

Two schools already share same campus

TWO schools in the north of Glasgow could merge if councillors give the go ahead with parents to come up with a new asked name.

The £22 million new Sighthill Campus opened in 2019 and saw St Stephen and St Kevin’s primaries move on to the same site.

Although the schools have the same head teacher, they have remained separate, with St Kevin’s being a specialist school for children with additional support needs.

Now the City Administration Committee will be asked to approve plans to go ahead with a consultation into making the two schools into one.

Councillor Chris Cunningham, city convener for education, skills and early years, said: “St Stephen’s Primary and St Kevin’s Primary moved to the new state of the art Sighthill Campus a couple of years ago.

“St Kevin’s Primary School meets the needs of children with additional support needs.

“Children from both schools have many opportunities to learn and play together.

“The headteacher who leads both schools has been working with parents of both schools since they moved into their new school building in November 2019 to gather views on whether it would be best for both schools to merge.”

The two schools share a senior management team with one head teacher and two depute head teachers.

Children from both primaries already share resources and learn together while last August, following a consultation, the schools changed clothing rules to all wear the same uniform.

A recent survey of parents saw 122 responses with 96% of those saying they would like the schools to merge.

Council bosses said St Kevin’s parents have been given reassurances that their children’s individual needs will still be met, should the merger go ahead.

If the consultation, which will open on November 1 and run until January, is successful then the school would open as one in August next year.

Cunningham added: “This has included reassurance to St Kevin’s parents that if the proposal to merge is agreed, their child’s individual additional support needs will continue to be met in exactly the same way as just now, and where beneficial, alongside their mainstream peers.

“Both schools already adopt a very inclusive ethos with families of both schools deciding to wear the same uniform to help foster and nurture a close school community, learning and playing together under the one roof.

“This is a lovely story that supports Glasgow’s vision for inclusion.

“The school communities will also have the opportunity, if the merger is agreed, to consult on a new name for the school.”

Both schools already adopt an inclusive ethos