THE Knockroon Superschool could help pupils transition from nursery all the way to hgh school.

That is the overview of a teachers union chief following last weeks approval for the £63.5 million project from East Ayrshire Council.

The decision to press ahead with plans to merge Cumnock and Auchinleck Academies along with Greenmill and Barshare Primaries and Hillside School has been met with division from parents.

Many have claimed that the decision to form a super campus would NOT benefit children. However, Seamus Searson, General Secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) has claimed that a shared campus could actually help the transition from childhood to adulthood.

He said: “The notion is that they are going to be going to the school from three all the way up to 18. We would see this as a good transition as it usually takes time to adjust when moving between nursery, primary school and secondary school.

“It’s often a complaint that youngsters get lost in the pack when they move up to secondary school, this would be a good idea to help the transition.” He added: “Teachers’ and kids need the best facilities and it’s a good resource to have. My only draw back would be the size of the campus.” At last week’s cabinet meeting, only Barshare Parent Council object to the proposals with the four other parents councils directly linked to the merger all coming out in favour.

On the Chronicle’s Facebook page, Ruth Paterson said: “For the young nursery and primary children in Barshare they will be losing a fabulous wee primary school with a brilliant ethos that is in the heart of their community, to go to a big remote nursery/primary school. Add into that all the evidence says that primary age kids do less well in schools over 250 pupils and suddenly it doesn’t look anything like a gain for them.” Lorna Keggans Gregg said: “It is a terrible idea that will make half of the town into a ghost area. That amount of bodies in one area is not productive and quieter children will be lost in the crowd. Smaller schools make sure that every child is known and what their potential is not just a number for the education board. Why are we being used as guinea pigs as there isn’t a school in Scotland that is built on this scale.”