Region’s schools in decent shape
The vast majority of schools in North Lanarkshire are in either good or satisfactory condition.
That’s according to a report by National Statistics Publications for Scotland on the shape of school estates up to April 2019.
Schools across the country were graded in one of four conditions: good; satisfactory; poor or bad.
There are 156 schools across the local authority area: 120 primaries; 23 secondaries and 13 specifically for children with additional support needs.
North Lanarkshire has more shared campuses than any other local authority in Scotland and just one less than the country’s two largest councils in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The make-up of shared campuses in the local authority area consists of 22 primary schools, three high schools and five additional support needs schools,
Around 90 per cent of pupils in Scotland are taught in schools classed as being in a good or satisfactory condition according to the new statistics.
And almost nine out of 10 schools (88.3 percent) in Scotland were reported as being in good or satisfactory condition. That was up by 27 per cent from two years earlier. A total of 94 North Lanarkshire primaries were in either good or satisfactory condition; 32 and 62 respectively.
As far as primary schools are concerned Wishaw Academy, St Ignatius, Orchard Primary, St Patrick’s, New Stevenston, Cambusnethan, Calderbridge and Alexander Peden in Harthill were all in the good condition category.
The only local authorities to have more primary schools in good condition were Glasgow with 33 and South Lanarkshire where all but one of its 125 primary schools was in good condition.
North Lanarkshire primary schools accounted for 26 of those in poor condition but none were in a bad state.
As for its 23 secondary schools, North Lanarkshire had an even split of 11 schools each in good or satisfactory condition and just one in poor condition.
St Aidan’s High and Our Lady’s High were both scored satisfactory, as did Braidhurst, Brannock and Dalziel high schools, with Clyde Valley, Coltness, and Taylor High all in the top condition category.
The 13 schools for pupils with additional support needs were in a more varied condition. One was in bad condition, four in poor condition, with five satisfactory and three in good condition.
Firpark School’s secondary in Motherwell was reported to be in poor condition but its primary school, located in a new building, is in good condition.
Councillor Frank McNally, the council’s convener of education and families, said: “We are hugely ambitious to improve the entire school estate and have a commitment to replace all schools not rebuilt since 1996.
“Schools represent the biggest investment in infrastructure across North Lanarkshire and are at the heart of our towns and communities. Our vision is to develop new multi-purpose town and community hubs, places for the whole community to benefit from.
“Since 2006, North Lanarkshire Council has invested well over half a billion pounds creating new schools and nurseries along with new community facilities including new libraries, sports facilities and culture venues.”
The Scottish Government’s education secretary John Swinney welcomed the progress made over the last decade to modernise schools.
He said: “These statistics show the tremendous progress we are making in building modern, high quality and fit-for-purpose schools that make a real difference for pupils and teachers. Nine out of 10 pupils, more than ever before, are now being taught in good or satisfactory buildings.
“When complete in early 2021, the Schools for the Future Programme will have delivered 117 top quality school projects for more than 60,000 pupils, which does not include the local authorities’ own school improvement programmes.
“And our new £1 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme aims to benefit around 50,000 pupils.”