Consultation on review of Greater Fort William primary school provision

Two statutory consultations are to be carried out in the Greater Fort William area over future pre-school and primary school provision in the area.

The Highland Council’s Education Culture and Sport Committee is seeking the views of the public on the proposal to build a new combined school, amalgamating Fort William Primary School and Upper Achintore Primary School on a new site at the Angus Centre.

At the same time, it is consulting over the proposal to build two news schools  on a joint campus at the Caol Primary School site.  The Council proposes to build a new Caol Primary School as well as a new Roman Catholic Primary School, accommodating pupils from Fort William RC Primary and Lochyside RC Primary.

The Committee was told that the results of the six week consultations will be reported back to them in August of this year.

The decision to go ahead with statutory consultations has followed extensive discussions in the Greater Fort William area and an option appraisal exercise, carried out for the Council by Caledonian Economics.

The Committee was advised that Fort William Primary School and Upper Achintore Primary School are only 0.5 miles apart and the rolls at both schools are steadily declining with Fort William Primary School operating at 31% capacity and Upper Achintore, 61%.  Both schools are considered to be in need of significant investment. The proposed new school would feature enhanced facilities in terms of library, community hall and sporting facilities.

At Caol, a site within the existing school grounds would accommodate a new school for Caol Primary and a new school for pupils attending Fort William RC and Lochyside RC schools. The schools would share a library, community hall and sporting facilities.

Pupils attending the Gaelic Medium Unit at Fort William RC would transfer to a new stand alone Gaelic School which is proposed to be built in Fort William.
Banavie Primary Sschool would remain as a standalone school and be upgraded as and when funds became available.

Committee Chairman Councillor Bill Fernie said: “We have carried out unprecedented consultation in reviewing our provision in the Greater Fort William area and this has paved the way for a set of proposals that have general approval of local communities.”

The statutory consultations will be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Schools Consultation (Scotland) Act 2010.

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