The Education, Children and Families Committee has considered the options generated by the informal consultation in the West and South West Schools Review and voted for Option 1.

The decision was taken by Councillors at the meeting today (Thursday 21 June) and will now go out to statutory consultation which is expected to start later in the year.

This option includes:

• No school relocations or closures.
• Establishing a catchment area for a new Maybury Primary School.
• In the south west of the city: minor changes to the catchment areas of Currie High School and Balerno High School and to the catchment areas of Currie, Nether Currie, Dean Park and Ratho Primary Schools.
• In the north west of the city: minor changes to the catchment areas of The Royal High School and Craigmount High School and to the catchment areas of Corstorphine, Hillwood and Cramond Primary Schools.
• No changes to the catchment area of Wester Hailes Education Centre or its feeder primary schools: Canal View, Clovenstone or Sighthill Primary Schools.
• No changes affecting Forrester High School, Woodlands School or Kirknewton Primary School.
• Development of a West Edinburgh spatial strategy as part of the new Local Development Plan to consider where any new secondary school/s should go

Councillors also agreed to set up a working group to develop a long term plan to maximise the educational and other opportunities for young people in the Wester Hailes area.

Cllr Ian Perry, Convener of the Education, Children and Families Committee, said: “From the very start of the informal consultation we actively encouraged people to make their views known and I would like to thank everyone who has taken part.

“The decision has been taken to go out to statutory consultation with Option 1 and my motivation in this process has always been to provide the best education possible for all the young people in the West and South West of the city to ensure equality and inclusion.

“We will of course continue to work with the local community to find ways to improve the attainment in Wester Hailes and have agreed to set up a working group to develop a long term plan to maximise the educational and other opportunities for young people in the area.

“I am sure everyone agrees we want best education possible for all the young people in the West and South West of Edinburgh.”

Cllr Alison Dickie, Vice Convener of the Education, Children and Families Committee, said: “It’s important to maximise opportunities to attain and achieve for all young people in whichever part of Edinburgh they live in. We know that young people flourish within the environment of a genuinely comprehensive school, and with the breadth of curriculum that supports truly personalised pathways and reaching their fullest potential.

“We remain resolute in our commitment to tackle the inequality that exists within Edinburgh, and to ensuring excellence and equity for every single young person, not just some. Our Children’s Services Plan is committed to tackling this and part of this commitment involves greater engagement with young people whose voices are not heard, their families and communities.

“Through the setting up of the working group there will be further engagement with the young people and families from the Wester Hailes Education Centre, and particularly the feeder primaries. Together, we will work with them to develop plans for the future which support the diversity of their strengths and talents and maximise their aspirations and attainment.

“We will also continue to promote our wider vision of an equal city that sits together, learns together, and works together, across the beautiful diversity of our backgrounds.”

Further information on next steps for the statutory consultation will be shared with school communities after the school summer holidays.