ActionForBoroughmuir

Alternative Options

During the summer months a couple of the parents at the School, one an architect and the other a chartered surveyor, took a look at the BHS buildings and have advised the AfB group that with some imagination and modern building techniques, the current building and site could be significantly improved to bring the school up to standard.  These ideas were presented to the Parent Council meeting in September.
This wouldn't necessarily be a cheaper option than a new school but would avoid the need to buy a new site ( a new site is currently proving impossible to find).

Meeting with Fiona Hyslop, MSP

Quite a lot has happened over the last few weeks.  Cllr McLaren, who chairs the Education Committee at Edinburgh Council wrote to Boroughmuir (BHS) in September to tell us she had been advised by the Scottish Government that there is no budget for capital expenditure for the school. (This is part of a combined application for BHS, James Gillespie's and Portobello High School, St Crispins and St Johns Primary school - known collectively as the "Wave 3 schools" ).

Representatives of the Wave 3 schools then met with Fiona Hyslop, MSP (1st October)  in her role as a Lothians constituency MSP.  (She is also Cabinet Secretary for Education at the Scottish Government).

She advised us that to qualify for a capital budget for new schools City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) should have submitted detailed costings and a full submission to the Scottish Executive (now Government) months ago, with a clear view on how they would fund the revenue needed to service borrowings/capital repayments.  They might then have received an allocation towards the cost of the capital expenditure from the spending review currently under way at UK level (ie this funding would go from UK government to Scottish Government and thence to CEC).  Apparently a full application was not submitted by CEC.  So the earliest under the current system CEC could now bid for funds is in advance of the next spending review in 2010.  This explains the comment that CEC wouldn't have got the budget even under the previous administration.

CEC is now hamstrung financially in two ways  (a) they are running a budget deficit this year and (b) they had not made provision for the revenue they will need to find to meet the repayments on PPP2 from 2010 so that their forward financial commitments are substantial - this makes it less easy for them to demonstrate they will have the necessary revenues to fund capital borrowing for other schools.

The Scottish Government prefers the funding mechanism South Lanarkshire has adopted rather than PPP, but they are not holding back PPP's that had already been committed under the previous government.  The Scottish Government are also investigating a form of bond funding but the time-scale on that,  should it happen, is some way off.  FH's view was that either of these mechanisms is better than PPP, but CEC would need to prove that it can fund the revenue requirements.

FH indicated that she is trying to work with CEC to resolve some of their problems and has a considerable degree of sympathy with eg Portobello who thought they were nearly there as regards a new school.  The SNP/Scottish Government have not yet been advised from Westminster what the block grant will be - they are expecting that information within the next month.  In addition all the indications are that the current spending review at the UK level will be tight
FH's advice was
1) to push the Council to submit fully costed plans for the new/refurbished schools, with site valuations, options appraisal etc
2) to write formally to Marilyne Mclaren demanding action and asking for their plans to resolve the issue
3) to keep working together - strength in numbers etc
4) to write to her with a short synopiss of each school's position and she will then write to CEC with her Lothian's MSP hat on.
5) To look for a joint solution including CEC, Scottish Government and National Government - lobby at all levels

Her view is that the above can only be solved with agreement and co-operation at all levels

Meeting Minutes

Minutes of Action for Boroughmuir group meetings. These are in the Reference Material section.

Feeder School face similar issues

One of the feeder primary schools to Boroughmuir, South Morningside Primary School, now over one hundred years old,  faces similar issues regarding its buildings.   South Morningside parents have set up a campaign web site at www.morningsidecampaign.com, where you can find further details. 

Schools need to land prime sites

Another excellent article from Gareth Rose at the Evening News.  The first part is about the new Portobello site, but read on down and there's a very well described section on the issues regarding Boroughmuir.

The full article is at Edinburgh Evening News

Join the Campaign!

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.

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.

Evening News Article

Gareth Rose, Education correspondent with the Evening News, reports on plans to upgrade five City schools, including Boroughmuir.  See Evening News

Gareth Rose, Education correspondent with the Evening News, reports on plans to upgrade five City schools, including Boroughmuir.  See Evening News

Letter to Council

28th November 2006

We have sent the following letter to Cllr Burns and Roy Jobson, Director Children & Families, City of Edinburgh Council

Dear Councillor Burns

Boroughmuir – A 21st Century School

We are writing on behalf of Action for Boroughmuir to ask for your assistance in securing new premises for Boroughmuir High School.

Action for Boroughmuir represents both the Parent Teachers Association and the School Board, and has been established to campaign for a 21st Century School, capable of maintaining the highest standards of education.  It has been formed in response to concerns over the current fabric of the school buildings. 

Our objectives  :
•    Boroughmuir to be confirmed as CEC’s key priority for school building action.
•    Sufficient funds ring fenced for building new school premises within the 2007/2008 budget.
•    Immediate consultation between the Council, the school, parents and the wider community to agree on an effective plan for a 21st Century school.

Background
The Scottish Executive has a vision of “Every school as a centre of excellence in terms of accommodation and facilities” and in its 2003 consultation “Educating for Excellence” recognised that : 

•    Ageing buildings make pupils feel that education is not valued by society.
•    For pupils especially, the physical environment of the schools is very important. Some school   spaces do not assist effective learning and teaching.

Boroughmuir’s current school buildings at Viewforth date from 1913 and are no longer fit for purpose.  They impact negatively on staff and students alike, creating a far from perfect learning environment.

Whilst Action for Boroughmuir would ideally wish to see the Viewforth premises replaced with a ‘new build’ on a green/brown field site, it is widely recognised that a suitable location is unlikely to be found, despite considerable effort by the Council.

Current Position
Boroughmuir High School has been on the CEC priority list for new  premises for some time. The search for a suitable alternative site that would allow for the development of new buildings with appropriate recreational space has proved exceptionally difficult.    In the interim, a number of schools of lower priority now have new buildings completed or underway.   This is a source of frustration to the Boroughmuir High School community, and no doubt to the Education authorities. Anecdotal information suggests that action regarding new buildings is now unlikely before 2009.  Action for Boroughmuir finds this completely unacceptable.

The way forward
The site at Viewforth is far from ideal; however bearing in mind the geography of the catchment area a viable alternative site seems unlikely. Action for Boroughmuir therefore believes that a solution utilising the Viewforth site and other possible options, should now be considered as a matter of urgency.

Possible solutions include :
•    Gutting  and rebuilding completely at the Viewforth site;
•    A combination of major refurbishment of both the Viewforth site and the Darroch site;
•    Partnering with St Thomas of Aquinas and Gillespie’s high schools to create a shared fifth/sixth year college with strong specialist facilities for drama, dance, and science and engineering, with a refurbished lower and middle school at the Viewforth site;
•    Creating community sports amenities at the Links available to the school during the school day.

We recognise that competition for the resources required to deliver suitable premises is tight.  However further delay is not acceptable and we seek immediate consultation with the Council to find an effective solution to the needs of the School, as a key priority for 2007.

Action for Boroughmuir would very much value your support in helping to make a 21st Century Boroughmuir a reality.  We look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely

Miranda Harvey and Polly Purvis,
For and on behalf  of Action for Boroughmuir

The Argument

Action for Boroughmuir

“Boroughmuir is unfit for purpose”

Roy Jobson, Director of Children and Families
City of Edinburgh Council.

There are 23 secondary schools in Edinburgh. Boroughmuir High School, opened in 1913, is among the very oldest. Although the design and fabric of the school has lasted remarkably well, it is not suited to education in the 21^st Century.

Classrooms are too small to accommodate senior and some junior classes where up to 30 pupils are taught together.

Traditional communal areas where students can spend social time together are severely restricted.

The road-locked site and the absence of internal space forces children out into the neighbouring streets at break and lunch times.

The school does not meet current DDA requirements.

Gym and recreation facilities around the school are severely limited.

The atmosphere in the building is one of packed, intense living which does not promote an ideal environment for learning and teaching.

Substantial interim improvements have been deferred pending a new school building promised under the authority funding scheme of 2000-2005, but now delayed indefinitely due to a lack of any suitable new site.

The School roll is currently 1101 in a building originally holding around 900 pupils. Circulation areas in the school are under great pressure at breaks and the start and close of the day.

The school is used from 6-9pm every weekday night supporting community events, education, and extracurricular activity and at weekends. While it is proper for the school to be the focus of the community, this additional heavy use puts strain on the building fabric and increases general wear and tear.

During the period 2002 to 2005 three secondary schools in Edinburgh have been rebuilt and 3 have been refurbished. All of these buildings date from the last 50 years, not from the 1910’s.

Boroughmuir is a school which continues to achieve high standards. The staff and pupils work together in difficult circumstances to produce some of the best exam results in the country. The school review of June 2006 recognises this. It is a landmark in the area.

The promise of a new school first made under PP1 (2000-2005) remains unfulfilled. No substantial work has been done on the school for 15-20 years leaving the building in a deteriorating state.

The parents, pupils and staff of Boroughmuir High School call upon the City of Edinburgh Council to allocate substantial funds for a fundamental refurbishment of the existing building. A radical rethink of approach and innovative action is now required.

Useful Links

The Boroughmuir School website is at www.boroughmuir.edin.sch.uk

The web site for the South Morningside Primary School campaign for better buildings and permanent facilities for its nursery classes is at www.morningsidecampaign.com 

See http://www.designshare.com/index.php/home for good modern schools designs across the world.