This is the community website for Action for Boroughmuir. It provides a place where parents, staff and pupils and other community members can add their comments, catch up with the latest news on the campaign, and add designs, videos etc as the project progresses.
Give us your views - do you back the campaign or do you think we're on the wrong track ? Are we missing some key facts? What else should we be considering? To add your input click on the word "Comments" under this entry and add your thoughts. The more people contribute to the debate the better.
It goes without saying that I fully support the aim of seeing a proper level of investment in Boroughmuir. It's a great school,
which has treated my kids very well. But I have always been opposed to the campaign for a relocation of the school to a new site. I attended a school that underwent such an upgrade - and we all felt that the character of the school died in the move. When you have something that works as well as Boroughmuir, you shouldn't risk wrecking it. Ideally, one would build a new moderate-sized school and reconfigure catchment areas so that the existing Boroughmuir building could function with a sensible size of roll. But if that is deemed to be impossible, then upgrading the current school fabric is much the best option. Certainly, apart from too many pupils for its rooms and the need for a proper degree of investment, Boroughmuir is well fitted to be a 21st-Century School. Learning in such architecturally splendid surroundings should be stimulating to the pupils, provided the overcrowding issue is dealt with. Quotes such as "Boroughmuir is unfit for purpose" imply that the current building cannot be rescued, and the Council might like to propagate this impression in order to release the site for a lucrative residential redevelopment. But I want to help the school, and that means keeping the current site and enhancing it. Your campaign has my fullest support in this aim, but please don't let yourselves be hijacked by those who would like to close the school as it now exists.
Posted by: John Peacock | December 13, 2006 at 08:19 PM
It's thirty-something years since I was a pupil in the Viewforth building, and it wasn't, let's face it, either new or well maintained then.
However; it is a quality structure, built to last. It's also a fine piece of architecture in the Venetian style. If you replace it with new build, you will not get such a good quality structure, and you certainly won't get such good architecture. It benefits kids to learn in a building with a sense of grace.
It's absolutely right to demand good quality facilities for children to learn in. The Viewforth building must at least be due for a very major overhaul by now. But sites for a school of Boroughmuir's size are not easy to find in Edinburgh, and unless there are structural problems with the existing building I would question whether new build - paricularly as it would incurr 'public-private parnership' debts, and the on-going cost of servicing those - is necessarily the best way to get them.
Posted by: Simon Brooke | December 13, 2006 at 10:55 PM
I totally agree with the 2 previous comments. Boroughmuir High School is a fine old building and like the old Royal Infirmary is run down but a move to a new site would not necessarily be a good thing. The council should consider spending a substantial amount of money to refurbish the existing Boroughmuir building.
Posted by: irene bruce | December 14, 2006 at 08:20 PM
I don't realistically see the Council coming up with a viable proposal for rebuilding the School. Even if a site in the Fountainpark development became available it would be hugely expensive to acquire enough room for a new school - and we would still be "landlocked" in a densely populated residential area, which is at the heart of our current problems.
I think that the Council have had plenty of time to investigate all possible alternative sites. The fact that pupils and staff have managed to get by in an increasingly unsuitable building has counted against us, as we are not seen as a priority. Until the parent body starts to show that it is serious in demanding improvements, nothing will change.
Posted by: Miranda Harvey | December 15, 2006 at 10:30 PM
Firstly thanks for the opportunity to comment.
I like the old building but it has suffered from the lack significant investment. Part of the reluctance to invest maybe because the vision was for a new building.
Given a new building seems less likely, I think we now have an opportunity to develop a shared and inclusive vision for the future of Boroughmuir where the existing old building has a key role.
I hope we can do an option appraisal that recognises both the limits of the existing building and our vision for the future as the basis of a brief for any appraisal.
I don't really want to talk about the water leaks, the staff carpark and the other odd things that the kids talk about, I would rather explore some ideas that use the footprint of the school positively, look at extending it on the site and creates an vibrant, 'green' and healthy educational environment for our children.
Posted by: carol duncan | December 16, 2006 at 06:11 PM
This is a thought provoking site. I thought you would be interested in the report on the future of the school estate considered by the City Council today. You can find the report at http://cpol.edinburgh.gov.uk/getdoc_ext.asp?DocId=92200.
There has been a lack of urgency and effective action by the council administration in recent years. The main obstacle to a new larger site has been rules that prevent NHS Lothian from disposing of surplus sites by means other than sale to the highest bidder. I am pleased that when the council considered the issue today a Liberal Democrat addendum was accepted by all. The council has now agreed to “to lobby the Scottish Executive with renewed vigour, on an all-party basis, to relax the existing conditions of sale of land held by NHS Lothian. The condition that requires acceptance of the highest bid for land at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, the Astley Ainslie and the Royal Edinburgh is a serious obstacle to improving the school estate.” We also asked “the Director to hasten the full detailed report on James Gillespie’s High School.”
Posted by: Councillor Fred Mackintosh | December 21, 2006 at 02:25 PM
I agree with all the other people who have pointed out the advantages of the current site. I would add that it's not just fine architecture that matters, it's the buzzing location, which means the school doesn't feel remote from the wider community. We don't want a site that loses this. Having said that, there obviously are two real problems: the overcrowding (can it be addressed by reducing the intake?), and the state of the buildings. My daughter is highly musical; the practice and related facilities at Boroughmuir are not good, and this has certainly hampered her development. She doesn't want to move to a specialist music school because she values the Boroughmuir school community, but she knows only too well that almost every other secondary school around would give her a better physical environment for music-making.
Posted by: Peter Dayan | December 26, 2006 at 07:56 PM
I agree that if possible the existing buildings should be upgraded, and that the reason this hasn't happened may be that a new building was expected.
Whatever happens, the school requires very substantial investment to ensure it not only meets current needs, but is also equipped to adapt to changes which will affect the way it operates in future.
Any consideration of the catchment and student roll will need to take account of planned changes in maximum class sizes. Reduced class sizes will mean the classrooms may no longer be so overcrowded, but may mean the school can take fewer pupils. To continue with the current roll would require more classrooms to be built, on a site which lacks the space to extend.
Some fairly radical thinking is required.
Posted by: Marion Hellewell | January 03, 2007 at 11:04 AM
I wish to suppport this campaign wholeheartedly.
Posted by: Anthony Carbery | January 08, 2007 at 11:15 AM
Thanks to Anne and Miranda for raising the profile of this issue and for giving parents like me an opportunity to add my voice to the concerns about the physical environment of the school. My son has recently started at Boroughmuir and is enjoying it but, from his comments on the AfB newsletter that arrived before Christmas, he does feel a little aggrieved about the congestion, lack of space and (a perennial one, here) the smelly toilets. As an inexperienced parent, I don't feel able to comment much more than that on the wider school experience, but as a parent with a long term interest in the future of the school, I hope that Edinburgh Council pays heed to our concerns.
Thanks
Posted by: Denise Rennex | January 09, 2007 at 07:15 PM
Boroughmuir has achieved fantastic results being top of the Edinburgh schools results table for 2006. The extracurricular activities organised by the school are fantastic. Why then are they struggling to get a supportive infrastructure and learning environment.
Are these some of the reasons it has been overlooked, it is not a basket case in dire need of action.
My key concern is the total lack of sports facilities near or attached to the school. Busing pupils to Megitland wastes half of the time allocated and does nothing to encourage after school sports activities. Sports are a key part of education and provide the basis for a healthy lifestyle in later life.
Boroughmuir produces results Edinburgh should be proud of despite the dated buildings its housed in.
In my opinion it would be best for the school to stay in its current location improve the classrooms and upgrade the building facilities with such things as social facilities for pupils.
Posted by: Paul Fullerton | January 09, 2007 at 10:35 PM
It is gratifying to read so many supportive comments. My preference would be a refurbishment because I love the grand old building, and my children have loved it ,too, and wonder what all the fuss is about ! There is no doubt that the school is overcrowded, but a refurb involving more space could mean fewer pupils which ,in turn, could have implications for the provision of a full curriculum. Some radical thinking would be needed, but that would be no bad thing.
ANNE CRAWLEY
Posted by: Anne Crawley | January 09, 2007 at 11:00 PM
I support this campaign wholeheartedly and agree in particular with the comments about the lack of any suitable sports facilities for pupils on site. both of my sons play school and club rugby - and in the course of the season we visit lots of other schools in and around Edinburgh to play matches. I cannot help but notice the vast difference in facilities between schools such as Royal -High - compared to Boroughmuir. In addition I deplore the amount of time spent having to ferry children to and from the different sports facilities around the city. While I appreciate that the school is a fine building I feel that we should be putting school pupils'needs first and seek to ensure that their secondary school experience - and that of their teachers - is as good as it can possibly be.
Posted by: emma webb | February 02, 2007 at 01:48 PM
I have two sons at Boroughmuir and their main complaint about the school is the lack of social areas to relax in and have their packed lunch etc.
The present 6th form common room is more like a "cupboard" which is very disappointing when young people at this age really benefit from having their
own 'space'.
Many thanks to the Action for Boroughmuir Group for working on our behalf to secure more funding for Boroughmuir. We really appreciate it!
Posted by: Joanne Moles | February 28, 2007 at 04:37 PM
I attended the latter stages of the Boroughmuir High School Council
meeting on Monday night.
I want to state that the method Edinburgh Council has gone about
canvassing the opinions of parents in the catchment would certainly on the
face of things appear to be underhand and biased. Last night's PTA meeting
was the first I had been aware of the consultation process.
I have just completed the consultation questionaire online - I am clear in
my opinion that the Refurbishment and extension of the Viewforth site is
the best way forward however I struggled to answer in a way that would not
be able to misconstrued by the resultant statistics that will no doubt be
drawn up from this.
I also wish to presss the fact that an 'Official' public meeting for all
interested parties is imperative.
Posted by: Ann Cumber | October 31, 2008 at 01:34 PM
There seem to have been a lot of parents who have been unhappy with the survey that the Children and Families Department have put out. I hope that the additional information supplied by Action for Boroughmuir will help parents to complete and return the survey. The deadline of 7th November
is still very tight - personally I will probably use the Survey Monkey site although I notice that
there has been some doubt cast on the security of personal information.
I know that Bruntsfield PS Parent Council is asking parents also to evaluate the Council's survey, You can see their evaluation sheet at
http://www.bruntsfield.org/wordpress?page_id=466
The additional information sheet has been supplied to parents of Buckstone and South Morningside PS pupils. It would be interesting to have a "straw poll" of what their feelings are about the choice of site and/or
the way it has been presented in the Council's survey.
The end result that we (parents) want is a school "fit for purpose" for the future pupils at BHS. First we have to prevail on the Council to choose a deliverable and good quality option, then we have to get them to prioritise building that school against all the other calls on their budgets. The current timeframe for building the 5 "Wave 3 schools" is 14 years...AND MAY SLIP with current budget problems. We absolutely MUST ensure that the Council understand how much this issue means to us, otherwise our children will be campaigning for a new school themselves!
The survey is one way to do this, but as we draw closer to December 16th, when the Council meets to agree what order the schools should be tackled and where they should all be built, we will need to marshall parents so we can take a delegation to Council, demonstrate outside City Chambers, lobby our Councillors and MSPs - whatever it takes.
Are other parents ready to take the campaign up a level?
Miranda Harvey
PTA Chair BHS
Posted by: Miranda Harvey | November 02, 2008 at 07:13 PM
Roll on 16th DEC. Have never been on a demo outside city chambers!!! Borougmuir & its future pupils deserve a splendid school on its present site to last another 100 years.Lets hope we don't have to wait 100 years to achieve this!!!
Posted by: g anderson | November 04, 2008 at 02:04 PM