blog.the-kid.org

So there was a leak to the Express or something about the school closures. Stoneywood is being kept open with the amalgamation of Bucksburn and Newhills at a new building on the Newhills site. Does this sound strangely familiar?

I wonder if the entire consultation period is just a paper exercise to fulfil a legal responsibility on behalf of Aberdeen City Council which actually holds no weight as their agenda is set. In fact, I’d go so far as to actually accuse the council of this.

I would of course love for all 3 schools to remain open but should one be facing the axe, the obvious amalgamation to me is that of Stoneywood and Bucksburn, on the Bucksburn or Bankhead sites. I can see no real reason to close Newhills or Bucksburn when they both serve the communities in which they lie. Stoneywood however has a massive out-of-zone percentage, remove those pupils and the school can’t remain open!

Now of course Stoneywood parents will have you believe that this should tell us what a good school Stoneywood is as so many out-of-zone parents choose this over their local schools, however I’d question the level of convenience for them en route to and from work. It’s no coincidence that it lies off one of the main roads into Aberdeen’s main industrial parks.

Now I’m sure Stoneywood is a very good school, don’t get me wrong on this point. It’s head teacher was previously depute at Bucksburn so I’m certain it’s in good hands. The fact remains though that it is not serving our community. When looking at closures surely you keep the facilities that actually DO constitute a benefit to the communities in which they reside and NOT ones which mainly serve other communities out with this area.

I do not have the figures but I seem to remember something like 60% of Stoneywood pupils are from out of zone. How is this a sustainable school when we are facing these difficult cuts?

Bucksburn School has long been one of the hearts of this community. If the school amalgamates with Newhills(which I am also not averse to by the way, I’m just more annoyed that Stoneywood click their fingers and Aberdeen City Council jumps with no apparent regard to what’s actually best for the Bucksburn community as a whole.

Consultations aren’t even due to end until September, wtf!