Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Ross Dunn

Primary school to be moved as part of education overhaul in Kilmarnock

Willowbank Primary School is to be moved as part of an overhaul of education in Kilmarnock.

The Additional Supports Needs (ASN) facility has been earmarked for a move as part of a £32 million bid to transform education in the town.

While the primary provision would move to form part of the Onthank campus from August 2027, the secondary provision will remain at the existing Willowbank school.

Radical plans also include proposals to form an early years transition facility for the ASN provision.

East Ayrshire Council also approved plans to form an early childhood centre at Mount Carmel Primary from August 2027.

Other plans for Onthank include proposals to incorporate the existing inclusion resource at Onthank campus as a supported learning Centre, which will happen by August 2023.

The local authority's cabinet agreed to submit a funding bid to the Scottish Government following a 'comprehensive and positive' public consultation, the council say.

Councillor Elaine Cowan, cabinet member for education said: “Cabinet has today recognised the support for new investment in North West Kilmarnock and this decision will assist in developing a funding bid which will be brought back to cabinet as a report for our consideration by the end of October.

“The proposals for an inclusive educational development in North West Kilmarnock, on the sites of Mount Carmel Primary and Onthank Primary and Early Childhood Centre are really exciting for our children and young people and our communities. A shared campus brings great benefits to all children and young people by helping to develop an understanding of different perspectives and experiences.

“The project team from education is also working to ensure that colleagues from economic development are part of the proposal development process as place-making has an important role to play in regenerating key areas, including the North West.

“Our plans for the North West are ambitious, there is no doubt of that. The council’s capital investment programme includes capital funding of £32m for schools in North West Kilmarnock and an affordability cap has been set at £48m.

"In the current unsettled economic climate, particularly with inflation looking likely to rise, this means that very careful consideration is required to ensure our long terms objectives are achieved, not just in terms of Onthank and Mount Carmel but also other priorities at Hillhead Primary in Kilmarnock and Lainshaw Primary in Stewarton.

"This will be considered further within the formal funding bid to be reported to council later this month. Details will be shared with parents and carers as soon as we can and as plans are developed.”

In January 2020, proposals to move senior pupils at Willowbank School to St Joseph’s Academy were mooted because of a lack of space. Ultimately, the plans were never realised.

East Ayrshire Council say the majority of feedback was "positive" with the educational benefits "widely recognised and welcomed".

Officials say that concerns raised about the impact on the local community in terms of parking and traffic flow can be addressed further, if the bid is successful, during the design process that will be subject to public consultation.

There were also some concerns raised regarding staffing and it was confirmed that all areas of education must comply with the national staffing standard and that no young person would suffer detriment due to the proposals.

Parents and carers at Mount Carmel were also concerned that the primary would lose space to the Early Childhood Centre (ECC) but they were reassured that unused space within the school would be redesigned and remodelled to accommodate the ECC and the existing space would therefore not be impacted.

Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.