EDUCATION bosses are sticking to their guns over siting a new £35 million second high school for the Musselburgh area near Wallyford.

Their decision, backed by Education Scotland, follows a public consultation exercise, the results of which were published this week.

The report, compiled by Fiona Robertson, head of education at East Lothian Council, will now be debated by councillors at a local authority meeting on December 20.

The councillors will rule on whether or not to adopt the recommendation, which has been put forward to cope with the huge surge in new housing planned for the Musselburgh area.

Situated near Dolphingstone, the new school would take pupils from the eastern side of the Musselburgh ‘cluster’ – including from Wallyford Primary School and Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School.

Pupils from the other primary schools in the town would continue to attend Musselburgh Grammar School.

Council officers reviewed the proposals following receipt of 423 questionnaire responses, an additional 10 written representations, and the consideration of comments made at a public meeting in The Brunton.

The officials agreed that having a new purpose-built secondary school on land near Wallyford from 2020 “remained the best solution to provide appropriate and effective additional secondary education” for pupils.

Options for a new S1 to S6 ‘super-school’ and new S4 to S6 senior phase school for Musselburgh Grammar on a separate site were ruled out.

Following the removal of the proposal for a new secondary school at Goshen Farm, no longer a preferred site for housing development, two suitable sites remained: Wallyford and Craighall, with the latter deemed to have significant constraints relating to access, pupil movement and land designation issues.

The report stated that a “clear majority” of respondents to the questionnaire – 60.5 per cent – supported the plan for the additional secondary school at Wallyford, with 35.2 per cent opposed.

Education Scotland noted that almost all parent councils backed the proposal or were undecided.

Only Musselburgh Grammar School’s was against, fearing the existing secondary school would end up a “second-class establishment” with no investment, and strongly criticising the council’s consultation exercise.

Campie Primary’s parent council was divided, with 50 per cent of members opting for a super-school and 50 per cent for a second high school at Wallyford.

The report also stated:

  • A greater proportion of parents of pupils currently at school agreed with the proposal than disagreed. The greatest number who supported the plan was from Wallyford Primary at 92.1 per cent. A total of 56.7 per cent of parents with pupils at Pinkie St Peter’s supported the proposal. The greatest proportion who opposed the new school where parents of the new school were parents of pupils at Musselburgh Grammar at 48.1 per cent.
  • A greater proportion of parents of future pupils at the schools agreed with the plan than disagreed, apart from Whitecraig Primary School. In total, 70.9 per cent supported the plan and 26.8 opposed it. The greatest proportion who gave support was parents of future pupils at Wallyford Primary at 95.1 per cent, with 53.3 per cent of parents at Pinkie St Peter’s backing the plan. The greatest proportion who opposed the proposal were parents of future pupils at Whitecraig Primary, but this related to just one parent. Forty per cent of parents of future pupils at Musselburgh Burgh Primary, Pinkie St Peter’s and Musselburgh Grammar disagreed or disagreed strongly with the plan.
  • However, 56.4 per cent of pupils attending schools opposed the plan, with 33.1 per cent in support. A breakdown of the figures showed that 66.7 per cent of pupils at Campie and 100 per cent at Wallyford backed the proposal. Against was Musselburgh Burgh at 66.7 per cent, Stoneyhill at 100 per cent and Musselburgh Grammar, 61.9 per cent.
  • A greater proportion of staff at Campie, 77.8 per cent, and Whitecraig, 100 per cent, agreed with the proposal. Staff members at Stoneyhill, 100 per cent, and Musselburgh Grammar, 61.5 per cent, were opposed. A total of 57.1 per cent of staff who responded via the questionnaire backed the plan.

The consultation report on the secondary school options is available online at: eastlothianconsultations.co.uk/education/musselburgh-school