This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
McConnell Announces 15 New Community Schools
03/02/2001
Cumnock Academy in East Ayrshire is one of 15 New Community School projects across Scotland to be created next year, Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs, Jack McConnell announced today.
Community schools bring together under one roof a team of professionals providing a range of services including education, social work, family support and health education services.
Announcing the third phase of the three year pilot programme during a visit to Cumnock Academy, Mr McConnell said:
"This is great news for East Ayrshire and the other 14 areas across Scotland. Our schools must be at the centre of community life helping children and adults achieve their potential and quality of life.
"This radical initiative has been broadly welcomed and I hope the New Community Schools pilot programme will act as a catalyst for wider change in years to come.
"I see this as the way ahead but progress will only be achieved if all parties work together. It is therefore essential for all authorities to sign up for integrated provision.
"A lot of good work has been achieved to date and it is vital that we develop this, both now and in future, to help children overcome the barriers to learning which can prevent them realising their full potential.
"I am also considering the next steps for the New Community Schools initiative and will make an announcement in the near future."
Mr McConnell announced that the new programme would allow up to ?9 million to be used for the new Community Schools over three years.
BACKGROUND
1. Each New Community School project, in all three phases of the pilot programme, is funded to a maximum of ?600,000. Funding is normally given over a three year period and is available from April 1 2001.
2. Under the third phase of the pilot programme to raise standards and promote social inclusion, the New Community Schools will bring together under one roof a team of professionals providing a range of services including education, social work, family support and health education services.
3. There are already 47 New Community School projects under way across 31 education authorities, involving more than 200 schools.
4. Details of the third phase projects to be funded are:
Angus
The Angus proposal covers Arbroath High School along with its four associated burgh primary schools: Inverbrothock Primary, Ladyloan Primary, Muirfield Primary and Timmergreens Primary.
Argyll and Bute
The Argyll and Bute proposal focuses on the South Kintyre Peninsula, covering Campbeltown Grammar School and its nine associated primary schools.
Clackmannanshire
The Clackmannanshire proposal will focus on the Lornshill Academy cluster which covers seven associated primary schools.
Dumfries and Galloway
This proposal, covering the Upper Nithsdale area, will be based on Sanquhar Academy along with Sanquhar Primary School and Kelloholm Primary School.
Dundee
This proposal will focus on Ardler, Sidlaw View, MacAlpine, Downfield and Brackens Primary Schools.
East Ayrshire
This proposal will focus on Cumnock Academy.
East Dunbartonshire
The proposal will initially focus on Campsie View and Merkland, two schools for children with special educational needs.
Edinburgh
The Edinburgh proposal will include seven secondary schools, fifteen primary schools, four nursery schools and one special school. The areas covered are Leith, the sectors located in the Social Inclusion Partnership areas of South East and North Edinburgh, and the Pathfinder area of West Edinburgh.
Fife
This proposal will have Lochgelly High School as the network centre for seven primaries covering the areas of Lochgelly, Ballingry and Cardenden.
Glasgow
The Glasgow proposal will be centred on Drumchapel High School and its associated primaries.
Inverclyde
This proposal will include Port Glasgow High School and St Stephen's High School and their associated primaries (ten in total), together with a special education needs school - all in the Port Glasgow area.
Moray
The Moray proposal is made on behalf of the Forres Associated Schools which consists of Forres Academy and eight primary schools.
Shetland
This project is centred on Brae High School and its six associated primary schools, in the North Mainland Cluster of Shetland.
West Lothian
This proposal seeks to implement the New Community School approach across all schools in West Lothian over a three year period.
Western Isles
This bid proposes to establish New Community School support structure across all schools in Lewis and Harris. This covers two six year secondaries, one S3-S5 secondary, five primary- two year secondaries and twenty three primaries.
News Release: SE0230/2001
3 Feb 2001