The building would be repurposed to provide accommodation and facilities for Bothwellpark High School, St Aidan’s P4 to P7 Language & Communication Support Centre and a 0 to five early years ASN nursery. 

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How the shared facilities will work?

Each provision will maintain its own management structure and identity. If the consultation is approved, we will work collaboratively with school leadership teams to ensure that enhanced spaces are available for all children within the campus. There will be an opportunity to work collaboratively with partners on campus and from within the wider community.

What's the proposed Edward Lawson Centre building design?

If the proposal is approved, the council design teams will work collaboratively with the school’s senior leadership teams and staff to ensure that the environment is nurturing and safe for all children. The use of spaces and the development of facilities eg gym hall will be explored during this phase as this is required for learning and teaching to meet the needs of children.

Timeline for move

The capital funding is in place and if the proposal is approved the service could move quickly to take the project forward. As the council owns both the Bothwellpark High School and the Edward Lawson Centre’ buildings there is no time pressure on when the relocation can begin.

Transition arrangements

If the proposal is accepted, then a transition plan will be developed. Transitions will be managed by the Head Teachers, following a programme of visits to familiarise pupils with their new environment; it is expected that parents and pupils will be fully involved in all aspects of the transition.

This, along with the proximity of the two schools, means that there is the opportunity to adopt a flexible, bespoke, approach to transition, creating a positive experience for everyone.

Teaching staff ratio

While class sizes can vary depending on the needs of the children, we currently offer a ratio of one teacher to six pupils in St Aidan’s PS LCSC and a ratio of one teacher to eight pupils in Bothwellpark High School.

Importantly, staff ratios are currently more generous than those recommended within the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) handbook. If the proposal is approved, staff ratios would continue to be in line with SNCT guidelines or better. The appropriate staff ratios to meet Care Inspectorate regulations will be maintained within the Family Learning Centre.

Transport and congestion

The safety of all children is paramount. Pupils will continue to receive transport, as appropriate. It is anticipated that journey times would not increase significantly, and, for some pupils, they may reduce.

If the proposal is agreed upon, a transport plan will be developed to accommodate the additional onsite transport needs. All transportation measures would be considered and implemented in conjunction with existing council policies and in partnership with our internal and external partners. As the Roads Department is a statutory consultee they will be involved during and beyond the planning process.

Pathway programmes

There are opportunities to enhance the college links with the Pathways Package Programme and New College Lanarkshire.

Additionally, the council framework for vocational skills has 18 providers to select from. There is the opportunity to look at new vocational spaces within the Edward Lawson Centre.

What will the school roll be?

Bearing in mind that the current floorplan is indicative, it is anticipated that the overall pupil capacity (taking all three provisions into account) would not exceed 120 pupils at the current Edward Lawson Centre.

Would the authority consider making further improvements to the current building rather than a move or to build a new school?

Further developments to both the existing Bothwellpark High School and St Aidan’s PS buildings have been considered. There are, however, some restrictions that mitigate against further development at these sites. The buildings are over thirty years old and for this reason, the proposal to develop the campus at the Edward Lawson Centre is being consulted upon.

While there are many attractive features in relation to a new-build provision, it would take at least five to six years to bring such a project to fruition meaning that there would be no benefit to the current pupil populations.