Funds agreed for new rural school Delight at investment in Callander primary project
Callander looks to be a step closer to having a new school after a funding commitment from the Scottish Government this week.
The town’s primary school is among 25 new schools and campuses across Scotland to be constructed or refurbished in an £800m investment in learning facilities.
Scottish Education Secretary John Swinney revealed that Scottish Government funding, alongside local authority contributions to Phase 2 of the Learning Estate Investment Programme, will enable almost £800 million of investment across 18 local authorities.
The exact sum for Callander is yet to be announced and plans are said to be at an early stage, however the inclusion of Callander appears to stem from an initial bid for funding made by Stirling Council.
The need for a new school to replace the current building has been discussed for a number of years, with a site next to Mclaren High School likely to be earmarked for any new build.
In 2018 the school building was given one of the lowest suitability ratings of any school building in the Stirling Council area.
Under new assessment criteria, 25 per cent of schools were said to be in a good condition (A rating), and 68 per cent were deemed satisfactory (B) although said to still have “significant defects”, with 18 establishments classed as “low B”.
However, Callander was one of only a handful rated as C, with Allan’s Primary in Stirling the only one with a D-rating.
The suitability ratings are partly based on assessments carried out by headteachers.
In 2018 parent power at the school led to urgent repairs being carried out on the building and sparked discussions on having it replaced. The parent council’s AGM that year saw much of the discussion centred around the state of the building, with members saying securing a new facility would be an ongoing focus.
Security and toilet facilities at the school were upgraded but council leader Scott Farmer said last year that a new educational facility in Callander was “under serious consideration”.
Local Tory councillor Martin Earl said: “I am delighted that funding has been secured. The project to build a new primary school has been talked about for some years and the agreement to fund from Scottish Government will finally allow it to proceed.
“A new site that can provide a purpose-built, modern facility is desperately needed to ensure the best possible learning environment for pupils and staff. The existing building is old, expensive to maintain and has many limitations. I look forward to seeing the proposals for the new school as soon as possible.”
Local SNP councillor Evelyn Tweed also welcomed the funding announcement.
“The plans will be of great benefit to young people in the local area,” she said, “and I am delighted the Scottish Government is providing investment to the project.
“I would like to thank the parent council and teachers who worked very hard to make this happen.
“Not only will the project improve education in the area, but it will be welcome good news to the construction industry which has had some tough times throughout the pandemic. The work will support jobs and provide stability for the sector.
“I am very much looking forward to seeing the finished school as the Scottish Government has a fantastic track record in providing state-of-theart facilities that are modern, lowcarbon and ready for the digital age.”
Education Secretary John Swinney said: “I am determined that our pupils have access to high-quality, up-to-date facilities that parents, staff and children can be proud of.
“This next phase builds on our commitment and proven track record in replacing schools in the poorest condition so that more children or young people can be educated in high quality buildings and ensure equity of provision.
“Scotland’s construction industry has worked incredibly hard to deal with the many challenges presented by the COVID pandemic.’’