Research & Development potential for the Hebrides

Last week Stornoway North SNP councillor Gordon Murray called for a report be brought forward to the next Sustainable Development committee on the subject of Research and Development on the islands. 

Stornoway Primary road safety issues to be reviewed

SNP councillor for Stornoway North Gordon Murray welcomed the commitment at Education committee last week to have a full review of road safety and traffic issues around Stornoway Primary including Perceval Road.

Western isles council SNP group welcome education announcement

Last week, the Scottish Government announced radical new plans to give more powers to schools to best improve education standards.

Western Isles SNP group education spokesman, Councillor John Mitchell commented:

I am somewhat encouraged by this new initiative as - for most of my 42 years in education- I believed that the ever-increasing number of " suits " - the so-called experts in education - did little to improve the overall standard of education. I have always believed that real improvement in education standards are only possible from the bottom up -  not from the top down which, unfortunately, has been the norm.

Accountability inevitably moves downwards as well and there will be even greater responsibility and pressure  placed upon the Senior Management Team in each School as well as the workers at the " chalk face " - sorry " white board ".

Having said all that there are a number of other complex factors which will contrive to drive down standards of education - not the least of which is the year on year reduction in real terms of the financial support from Westminster via Holyrood which inevitably impacts on Staffing / class sizes and available resources all of which are no supporters of raising attainment levels. Maybe a shift in priorities when we become an independent country will help to alleviate this challenge !                                                                         Also there are society pressures - not the least of which is the move away from personal and interactive communication as more of our youngsters stare at a largely non-interactive screen for large chunks of the day. Not so easy to see a solution to that one. 

For all that - I do believe that John Swinney's recent pronouncements are a step in the right direction.

Sent from my iPad

SNP councillor continues fight for Stornoway Primary

At last week’s education committee meeting Councillor Rae Mackenzie asked for a report on the provision of Primary and Nursery education at Stornoway Primary in terms of accommodation, facilities, projected rolls and demands of pre-school education.

He said that for years parents, parent councils, teachers and local councillors had been highlighting the worsening overcrowding situation and the lack of a proper gym, changing facilities, storage , too few  classrooms and a decent pitch.

Cllr Mackenzie highlighted  that he had been told that £2million had been spent on the external fabric of the building in the past but that had not brought one square centimetre of extra space within the building.

He continued, “When Sandwickhill School was closed and there were 300 pupils in Stornoway Primary, all sorts of promises were made to the Sandwick community that the pupils would be going to better facilities. This was not true. The pupil numbers are now at 433 but expected to rise to 460. In addition the nursery has 122 children registered for the nursery nearly 600 at present but with the increase in childcare hours from the Scottish government in 2020, this will substantially increase.”

Rae Mackenzie also stated that since the Sandwick community were made promises, in 2010 well over 120 houses will have been built opposite Parkend and many will have young families.

He asked “ Where are these children going to go? Are they going to be crammed into an already over-crowded school? I think the council should look at the reopening of Sandwickhill School?”

Finally, Councillor Mackenzie said “I know what the situation is in Stornoway Primary – The staff are fantastic but they are working under circumstances that are getting more cramped by the day. Urgent action needs to be taken.”