'˜No support' from parents over Edinburgh schools merger plans

The force of local resistance to proposals for a mass merger of schools in Edinburgh reached a crescendo as a packed public meeting saw a turn-out of more than 250 people.

The community delivered a clear message in opposition to the controversial plans for the amalgamation of Currie High and Wester Hailes Education Centre, with an impact on Woodlands Primary and Balerno High.

Edinburgh Pentlands MSP Gordon MacDonald, who attended the Save Our Schools meeting on Tuesday night, tweeted: “The message from the 250 [in the] audience to the council was all four schools; Balerno, Currie, Woodlands and the WHEC should be retained.”

The plans, unveiled at the end of last year as part of the council’s ongoing schools review, were met with a swift backlash amid fears over the potential impact on both communities.

Parents and pupils protest outside Currie High School. Picture: Ian Georgeson

Council representatives have arranged a series of public meetings and workshops as part of the informal consultation.

Councillor Ian Perry, education convener, said: “As councillors, it’s important we listen first hand to the wide range of views being put forward and [Tuesday] night allowed another section of the population to discuss the review with us.

“The council has already held ten workshops in schools with more planned, and additional meetings have been set up with more community councils.

“Hearing the views from all members of the community and any different ideas they would like us to consider is a key part of this informal consultation process, which we have extended until March 29.”

Parents and pupils protest outside Currie High School. Picture: Ian Georgeson

Local residents insisted they have made their views very clear and have raised concerns over whether their stance will be taken into consideration.

Juniper Green Community Council’s Aonghas McIntosh said: “There remains a mix of anger and confusion about what is driving this change and the manner in which the process has been conducted as none of the reasons provided to us for the proposed changes stand up to real scrutiny.

“Only five per cent of parents support the council’s proposals and there was no support for them in the hall, so at what point will the council say ‘we’ve listened and the message is loud and clear?’

“It was suggested that as a result of the strong community feedback, when the matter goes back to the Education Committee the proposal to keep the four schools on four separate sites will also be put forward.

“That is a positive, but it has taken four months to get to this stage and our concern remains that at some level this has already been decided.

“The most important consideration should be the impact of any change on the educational attainment of the children, but yet the council has offered no evidence that there would be any improvement as a result of this change.”

Cllr Susan Webber agreed, saying: “Having four high schools based in their communities provides a future-proof solution where population changes over the next 60 years Cllr Perry refers to really can be accommodated for.”