THE Knockroon ‘Superschool’ moved a step closer to reality as East Ayrshire Council gave the project the green light at a meeting last week.

East Ayrshire Councillors gave the project the thumbs at a cabinet meeting last Wednesday (June 17).

They agreed to proceed with the project which would see a new Hillside School, a new school to replace Greenmill and Barshare Primaries and Early Childhood Centres a new secondary school to replace Cumnock and Auchinleck Academies and new Supported Learning Centres to replace those at Barshare and Cumnock Academy.

The decision will now be considered by the council’s Governance and Scrutiny Committee. The proposed new campus would be a fully inclusive learning and enterprise campus for children and young people of all ages, irrespective of any additional support need, to serve the Cumnock and Auchinleck area, and would be built on part of Broomfield Playing Fields currently occupied by Cumnock Rugby Club. Representatives from Hillside School, Barshare and Greenmill Primary Parent Councils and Auchinleck and Cumnock Academy parent councils were presented with the opportunity to address councillors, detailing each parent council’s stance on the proposal.

The outcome of Wednesday’s cabinet meeting was then rubber stamped when councillors were happy to uphold the decision at a Governance and Scrutiny Committee meeting on Thursday.

Wednesday’s cabinet meeting was designed to report on the public consultations on the proposed future education provision.

Representatives from Hillside Parent Council, Barshare Parent Council, Greenmill Parent Council, Cumnock Academy Parent Council and Auchinleck Academy Parent Council were granted the opportunity to stand before the elected members and present their case for or against the project.

Ruth Paterson from Barshare Parent Council said: “Barshare Parent Council does not support the proposals put forward by East Ayrshire Council, in their current form. We would request that Barshare Primary is removed from the proposals and ask that the council refurbishes the existing school to retain its presence in the local community.” All of the other parent councils came out in favour of the £63.5 million development.

Sylvia Doole, chairperson from Hillside Parent Council said: “Hillside Parent Council gives their full support to the proposals put forward by East Ayrshire Council. We recognise that a state of the art learning campus will provide greater access, inclusion and equality for all. It presents great opportunities for mainstreaming education, removing the mindset of segregation on the basis of ability.” Lesley Murdoch from Greenmill Parent Council added: “Greenmill Parent Council fully supports the proposals put forward by East Ayrshire Council. Our current property is in a poor condition and the new campus promises to provide our children with better access to modern facilities and new technology to support their learning requirements.” Willie Paterson from Cumnock Academy Parent Council said: “Cumnock Academy Parent Council supports the proposals made by East Ayrshire Council. We visited the Grange Campus in Kilmarnock to learn more about the fantastic benefits of this approach and if that’s a guide to what our children will experience with the new campus in Cumnock, we welcome this investment.” Martin Goudie, Auchinleck Academy Parent Council said: “This Parent Council supports these proposals. We held an open vote and all parents were invited to submit their views. The majority are in favour of the new campus and we recognise the positive outcomes and educational benefits this will bring for our young people.” Councillor Eoghann MacColl, spokesperson for promoting lifelong learning said: “This is leading edge thinking. This new campus will have some of the best facilities in the UK and has the capacity to raise ambition and aspiration of this and future generations.

“It means that three separate schools with three separate head teachers will all have top notch sports, recreational, theatre and ICT facilities that will be accessible by the community as well. There is also the opportunity to include Ayrshire College provision and Business Enterprise starter units.

“The investment shows our confidence in our young people. Experience at combined campuses at Grange and St Joseph’s has been excellent and we have seen good educational outcomes.” At Thursday’s Governance and Scrutiny Committee meeting, chairman Barney Menzies said: “I’m quite happy that cabinet made the right decision and I’m happy to uphold that decision.”