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 non-denominational 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 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

The School and Community

• 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

Summary

Eastwood High School Parent Council

Thank You.