*Existing transition plans will continue for all schools.

Will each of the three schools affected keep their identity?

Yes, each school will retain their identity. This is a temporary move. The Milngavie Primary School pupils will continue to wear their Milngavie Primary School uniform.

When is the decant proposed to take effect?

The project is proposed to start in the summer 2025 once the school closes to pupils. The decant for the pupils and staff will be from the start of session in August.

What is the duration period of the decant?

The decant is due to last for the one school session, allowing for the proposed works to take place in the primary school.

If the project overruns what is the contingency?

The project will continually be reviewed along with the timescales, progress and check points. If there is proposed slippage, contingency plans will be developed. However, it is expected to complete on time.

What is the strategic plan to co-ordinate all the actions required to prepare the school for the Milngavie pupils?

For Education, this is being coordinated by the School Planning & Improvement Manager. These plans and key decisions are then being shared with the Education Leadership Team who will confirm the decisions. With regards to the overall project, Major Asset lead on this and will be coordinated by the Development & Investment Manager and shared with their Executive Officer – Assets and Facilities. Decisions will also be reviewed and approved at the Education Asset Programme Board meetings.

In relation to St Nicholas’ Primary School, what is the plan to convert rooms and provide a new outside unit to provide enough space for admin staff and storage?

There is no conversion of rooms required, a declutter of the classrooms/storage space in St Nicholas’ Primary School is under way by the Head Teacher. There is no specific requirement for outdoor storage for either the school, however this may change when working with the out of school care provider, to store their resources appropriately.

For Torrance Primary, what is the plan with the school being open plan? 

Adaptations are being reviewed by the Council’s Assets & Estates Teams. This will involve installing non-structural walls to allow for separate classes and schools to retain their individual identity. A new accessible toilet and changing space, will also be created. The kitchen within Torrance Primary School will also become a production kitchen for preparing and cooking meals on site. This will also be of benefit to Torrance Primary School after Milngavie Primary School vacate and move back to their building.

How will the pupils be transported to and from their host school, St Nicholas’ Primary School or Torance Primary School?

The Council will provide school transport for this. We currently transport over 1300 pupils who are entitled to school transport to their catchment school. We perform this using our transport partner, Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT).

What type of buses/routes will be used? 

SPT will tender for the movement of the pupils to each school and return. SPT are currently planning indicative routes. They have been provided with pupil academic stages and addresses, to work these routes. This is the way in which all school transport is planned for. We will not know the current number/company until the tender exercise is completed. SPT will tender the requirement in April. Details will be shared with all parents afterwards to confirm bus company and times/locations for pick up.

Will bus escorts be provided on the transport to accompany the pupils from Milngavie to either St Nicholas’ Primary School or Torrance Primary School?

It is proposed that escorts travel on the buses for the full session for the transporting of the Milngavie Primary School pupils to St Nicholas’ Primary School and Torrance Primary School.

On the matter of wider community engagement, given the impact the increase in traffic this proposal will bring who, from the council, will be engaging the wider community?

With the challenge of transporting approximately 200 pupils from Milngavie Primary School to Torrance Primary School, this will be performed by bus. It is expected that the number of buses will be 3-4 in the morning and then evening. These plans are currently being developed by our transport partner Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT). There is no space for buses coming into the car park at Torrance Primary School, so SPT are reviewing potential drop off / pick up points to cause minimal issues to increasing traffic within Torrance. Further communication will be given regarding this in due course.

Will Breakfast Clubs and Out of School Care continue for the Milngavie Pupils?

Breakfast club will continue to run in at the library in Milngavie. Plans are being reviewed with regards to breakfast club in the school and also out of school care in the school. Education are working with the clubs to determine temporary locations. Further information will be provided once confirmed.

Will teachers have to spend time sorting out which of the stored material can be kept and which will have to be taken away? If so, how will this be organised so it doesn’t impact on their other duties?

Yes all staff, teachers and support staff will be required to organise their materials. This is an ongoing exercise that should be undertaken by all staff throughout the year. This is built into the teachers Working Time Agreement for resource planning. Teachers currently have class committed teaching time of 22.5hrs per week. They have another 12.5hrs per week out of class performing preparation and reviewing and development of resources and pupil work plans.

Will the entire additional costs for the decant come from the Council’s refurbishment budget?

Yes, there is budget that is set aside for the full project, which includes any necessary adaptations required at the host schools and also the transportation of pupils.

There appears to have been little engagement from the schools/Education Service and the three Parent Council’s on this matter. What steps will you and the Parent Council take to ensure the wider parent community, and the wider village community, are fully briefed and engaged?

The approval by Council was provided at the meeting of 19th December 2024. The Education Service were unable to engage fully at this point due to various options being presented and Councillors for decision. Development of the plan of work regarding transition and transportation of pupils, along with other works, are currently ongoing. The Education Department have met with the Chair of Milngavie Parent Council, St Nicholas Parent Council and Torrance Parent Council to discuss this in detail. There will be further information shared with the Parent Council’s and parents of children present and future primary 1 intake.

Will information about the plans be given to parents of all three affected schools at the same time?

Yes, this will be the case. Meetings have been held with Parent Council Chairs to discuss. There was also a drop-in session for the Milngavie families held on 20th February 2025 and further communication will be done with the Parent Councils and families.

Once the timetable has been agreed, will it be communicated to parents?

Yes, this will be the case. We will continue to update as progress is made towards the project start and project completion.

So that everybody is not rushing about at the last minute, will everything be decided by April?

As much as possible will be decided prior to the end of the school session. Certain elements are out with the Councils control, such as transport, but this will all be communicated directly with the parents in good time prior to the start of the new school year.

What are the plans for the induction of Milngavie pupils, particularly P1 and Nursery?

Milngavie Primary School will have the induction of the new cohort of the P1 pupils at St Nicholas’ Primary School. Although we have the registrations for the new P1 cohort, there will be a number of deferrals and also placing requests out, so current numbers of registered pupils will change. Once the statutory timeline for placing requests pass and the deferral dates pass in mid March, planning by Milngavie Primary School will take place and the induction for these new pupils will take place at St Nicholas’ Primary.

What are the plans for the Secondary School induction of Milngavie P7 pupils?

These transitions will take place to the catchment secondary school. These visits will be arranged my Milngavie Primary School. Current transition arrangements with Douglas Academy will remain.

Will all children moving to Torrance be able to benefit from instrumental lessons? Particularly the children in P5 who would normally have had the opportunity to take up a new instrument?

Milngavie Primary will still be delivering the full curriculum for all their pupils. This will include instrumental lessons.

Transition proposals for all children including enhanced transitions for ASN and P1.

Yes, enhanced transitions will be arranged by the school for all pupils that require this.

What enhanced transitions are going to be available for the current P6 cohort who will be P7 from Aug 2025 and who will have their P7 experience together with the activities that would normally prepare them for transition to high school significantly disrupted?

These transitions will continue to take place for the pupils. This will continue to be arranged directly by the school.

Will Milngavie Primary School parents be given an opportunity to formally visit the respective schools prior to any proposed decants?

Parental visits will take place, however after the works are completed in Torrance Primary School. This is proposed to take place at an In Service day in August for Torrance. We will look to have a visit for parents to St Nicholas prior to summer break.

In terms of outdoor learning how will that be organised with the additional number of pupils at each school?

The curriculum will not be changing for either Milngavie Primary pupils, St Nicholas’ Primary pupils or Torrance Primary pupils. The headteachers will be able to confirm this further to the parents.

How will gym and lunchtimes be organised at each school in light of the additional number of pupils on site?

The use of the shared space such as gym halls will be timetabled as is presently done in each school. Both St Nicholas’ Primary and Torrance Primary will be under the maximum capacity once Milngavie Pupils are in the building. The headteachers will work on a timetable for shared spaces ensuring that the pupils are able to access these relevant spaces.

Will there still be break out and quiet places for the pupils to use?

There will still be spaces out with the classrooms for the pupils to use as and when required. Again this will be fully determined by each headteacher.

Are there plans for additional in-service days for the school? 

This will be reviewed and if required we will request authorisation from Scottish Government for the exceptional closure days, similar to when we move into new build schools, ie Boclair and Woodland View. If this is required, it will be communicated well in advance.