A Skilled and Confident Highlands

| Care in the Community | Sustainable Communities |  A Clean Environment |
| A Planned Culture of Enterprise and Growth | A Skilled and Confident Highlands |
| Arts, Heritage, Culture and Sport | Gaelic Language | Improved Transport and Connectivity |
| Children and Young People | Corporate Objectives for The Highland Council |

Key to the Future of the Highlands

The Council believes the creation of a University for the Highlands and Islands is of key importance to the future of the area, through extending the
current research and learning opportunities and Higher Education status of the UHI Millennium Institute.  Working with the UHI Millennium Institute and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Council will aim to complete the project and secure the development of a high quality campus at Beechwood, on the eastern outskirts of Inverness.

The University will provide new opportunities for the resident population, help to retain younger people through study, attract people from outwith the region and contribute fully to the economic development of the area.

Schools Fit for the 21st century

Five of the 11 new community school projects which feature in our second Education Public Private Partnership Schools’ Programme have opened and the other six will follow next year. Cawdor Primary, Culbokie Primary, Resolis Primary, Inshes Primary, Inverness and the new Gaelic School, Inverness have all opened and the timescale for the remaining schools is:

• 14 April 2008:  Dingwall Academy; Portree High 
• 2 June 2008:  Drummond, Inverness 
• 30 June 2008:  Kinlochleven Primary and Secondary 
• 22 September 2008:  Millburn Academy, Inverness.

Community facilities are featured in all new school buildings, recognising that schools are service hubs for the whole community.

We aim to invest £38 million in a schools capital building programme which will upgrade secondary schools at Lochaber, Thurso, Wick, Plockton and Nairn and replace primary schools at Acharacle, Aviemore and Conon Bridge/Maryburgh and Lochaline Primary Schools.

Adapting Services for Inward Migration

The Highlands have benefited from a growth in inward migration to support the economy and to provide skills where there are gaps.  Over the last three years, more than 6,600 migrant workers registered for National Insurance numbers in the Highlands.  There are more than 700 pupils in Highland schools, who do not have English as their first language with more than 50 different languages spoken by children.  With other public sector partners, the Council has adapted a range of services to welcome migrants to the area, including increasing English language tuition to assist their integration.

Did You Know?

• The Council accommodates 33,000 pupils at  29 secondary schools; 183 primary schools; 156 nursery schools and 100 partner centres providing pre-school education; 5 special schools and 3 hostels to accommodate pupils who live too far from school for daily travel.
• The Education Culture and Sport budget is the biggest within the Council, standing at £199 million per year.

Acharacle Pilots Sustainable School Model

The Highland’s first sustainable school is to be built at Acharacle, on the Ardnamurchan peninsula. The mass timber building will feature many sustainable features, including high levels of natural light and very low energy use. It is hoped it will be a model for future sustainable school building in Highland. Work is due to start on the 55-pupil primary school early in the new year.