Eastwood High Parent Council
The Proposal
• To build a Mosque and Community Centre in our
existing school campus
• Clarification •
•
•
•
It is NOT adjacent to the school
It is NOT outside the school
It is NOT residual or unused land
IT IS CLEARY A PLANNED KEY GREEN AREA WITHIN
OUR SCHOOL GROUNDS
• See - Planning Approval for Eastwood High
School.
Completion of the new School.
• BAM are contracted to create a landscaped “ natural”
amphitheatre for outdoor learning and will complete the
project by early 2014.
• This is the plan approved for funding via Scottish
Futures Trust.
• Designed, tendered and costed as part of the £29 m cost
of the new School
Eastwood Parent Council
• The Parent Council unanimously are against
ANY development in this area
• The Parent Council are unanimously against
ANY loss of our current school facilities
• Why ?
Loss of Open Space and Facilities , 1
• This part of the School Campus will be used for
• Outdoor Learning and Social Area
– Ecology Group , Bat Boxes, Bug Hotels, Bird Boxes
• During Spring, Summer and Autumn it will provide
much needed greenery and open space for our children
• grassed area is important for Rugby and Cross Country
running
Loss of Open Space and Facilities, 2
• Curriculum for Excellence has devoted 28 pages to the
benefits of Outdoor learning
• “The outdoor environment has massive potential for
learning “
• “ Our Vision for outdoor learning in Scotland
– All children and young people experience progressive and creative
outdoor learning
– Schools to provide regular,frequent,enjoyable, and challenging
opportunities to learn outdoors
– Teachers and educators to embed out door learning “….
Loss of Open Space and Facilities, 3
Scottish Planning Policy – The Scottish Government
web page re Para 149 to 155,
Open Space and Physical Activity
• “ access to good quality open space and opportunities for
sport and recreation make important contributions to a
healthier Scotland “
• “providing play space and other opportunities for children
and young people to play freely,explore,discover and initiate
their own activities can support their development”
• Para 153 “ there is a presumption against development of these
open spaces.”
Loss of Open Space and Facilities, 4
• The Pre-Application Consultation report for EHS ( PAN Report )
,para 2.1 - “ woodland and space being integral to the whole
development”
• Development brief for the school prepared for the planning
application refers to “ open space being an integral part of the
design “
• The Design and Access statement for Eastwood High School “
This is a school with pavilion and parklands”
Loss of Open Space and Facilities, 5
•
•
•
•
Play Strategy Action Plan - Scottish Parliament
“ Sport is different from Play”
“ children don’t have the places”
“ play is essential, tackles obesity, improves health and
even reduces anti social behaviour “
• “ Scotland - a F grade on obesity and levels of physical
activity
• “ we don’t take play seriously “
• Child development - the Plastic Wendy House v the
Tree House -- nails and all “
Child Safety and Security
• Any publicly accessible development will
weaken school security
• Following Dunblane, the Cullen Report of
1996 made many recommendations to
tighten School Campus Security
Parking and Traffic Concerns
• There are already current issues at peaks
• How will the existing road network cope
with an even greater increase ?
• Particular concerns for the Neilston and
Uplawmoor pupils using Patterton Station
Disruption to School Learning
• Due to current construction , the school has
to close 5 mins early on a Wednesday and
Friday to allow pupils access to Patterton
Station
• This cannot be tolerated further into 2014 or
beyond
Non-denominational School
• Eastwood High School is a nondenominational school
• There should be no religious buildings on
the campus
The School Achievements
• East Renfrewshire Education Authority is the top
performing Authority in Scotland
• Eastwood High School out performs schools in
similar categories throughout Scotland
• We are delighted to be nearing completion on a
facility that complements our academic success.
• The design,planning,consultation and effort has
made this - This is the best School in Scotland
The School and Community
• The Eastwood High School Parents do not want
this development
• A number of Muslim parents at this school want a
local prayer facility - they do not want a Mosque
in their School grounds
• The local Mearns Community do not want any
Development in our School Campus
Summary
• The Parent Council are against any loss of school facilities . It will
have a detrimental effect on the Education of our children and
future generations
• We are proud of our new School , it will be complete in 2 months
time - we want it to stay as planned, funded and as an asset to East
Renfrewshire’s Educational Standards
• We would ask that the Muslim Community withdraw the Proposal
• ERC have an objective to provide a prayer facility – we would ask
that an appropriate, suitable plot is identified that does not effect
children's education
Eastwood High School Parent Council
Thank You.