Council to build new community school for North West Skye

Members of The Highland Council have today (12 March 2105) approved recommendations made by the Council’s Education, Children and Adult Services (ECAS) Committee to build a new community school in North West Skye at Dunvegan.

The new school is planned to replace 4 current primary schools at Dunvegan, Edinbane, Knockbreck and Struan and will include Gaelic Medium Education provision.

The decision was made on the outcomes of a statutory consultation which commenced in May 2014. The public consultation attracted a wide range of responses from parents, pupils and local residents.

Members also agreed to commence immediate consultations with families who would be affected by these changes and might wish their children to attend Carbost or MacDiarmid Primaries.

Councillor Alasdair Christie, Chair of the Education, Children and Adult Services Committee, said: “I welcome the support for a new school in Dunvegan, which will provide educational benefit for children across North West Skye, and will be a tremendous new development for these communities. 

“I am also keen to start early discussion with those families who are directly affected by these changes, where continuity in their children’s education might be achieved by them attending other local schools. I am appreciative of Council staff and local people and groups who contributed to this extensive consultation.”

The Final Report and associated papers for the new school can be found on the Council’s website.

Under the requirements of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, the Council will advise Scottish Government Ministers of the decision that has been reached on the Statutory Consultation, and will also publish a notice on its website advising of the decision made, and how any person wishing to make representations to Scottish Ministers under call-in procedures can do so.