Caithness confirmed as focus for start to Highland school estate review

The Highland Council’s Education Culture and Sport Committee has agreed that the initial phase of the strategic review of the entire Council school estate will examine the Associated School Groupings for Wick High School and Thurso High School. 

The review will focus on the 11 primary schools which feed into Wick High School and the 7 primary schools associated to Thurso High School. 

Following a period of information gathering and discussion with local Head Teachers and local Elected Members, proposals for statutory consultations in relation to future educational provision at Wick High School ASG and Thurso High School ASG will be considered by the next Education Culture and Sport Committee. Thereafter a statutory consultation, lasting up to 6 months, will be conducted in accordance with the stringent requirements of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. 

At the next Education Culture and Sport Committee meeting on 10  March, proposals are likely to be submitted for the next group of Associated School Groupings to be considered within the review.      

Caledonian Economics Limited (CEL) has been appointed as the external partner to work alongside a dedicated in-house team to take forward the review. CEL worked in partnership with the Council on the recent successful review of future education provision in the Greater Fort William area. 

The 11 primary schools which feed into Wick High School are:

Bower; Canisbay; Dunbeath; Hillhead; Keiss; Lybster; North Wick; Pulteneytown; South; Thrumster and Watten.

The 7 primary schools which feed into Thurso High School are:  Castletown; Crossroads; Halkirk; Miller Academy; Mount Pleasant; Pennyland and Reay.

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