Linksfield and St Machar decision,
University links announced
A way forward on the future of Linksfield and St Machar academies has been discussed by City councillors.
The City’s Education and Leisure Committee agreed earlier today that solutions for the two academies must be found.
The Committee has now instructed officials to implement a staged approach to the situation at Linksfield and St Machar by negotiating a single management structure and, wherever feasible, a common timetable for the schools for August 2001. They also agreed to further, and more wide-ranging, consultation on all possible options during the next 12 months, and, if necessary, beyond that.
At today’s meeting, Convener Jurgen Thomaneck also announced that the education department was working with the University of Aberdeen on an innovative project to widen senior pupils’ educational experience at Linksfield and St Machar Academies.
The partnership further develops the relationship between the Council and the University which was formalised with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding last year.
The agreement, believed to be the first between a local authority and university in Scotland, formalised joint working between the two to promote the socio-economic, cultural, educational and physical well-being of the people of Aberdeen.
Today, Cllr Thomaneck said: “We are delighted to announce we are working closely with the University to explore the range of opportunities through which we can capitalise on partnership working for the benefit of both students and senior pupils in this area of the city.
“We are looking at the broad spectrum - from exploring shared access to sports and recreational facilities, to utilising information and communication technology resources to their best advantage and to providing our pupils with unique study opportunities.
“In line with our aim to improve education standards and aspirations among our pupils, we’d obviously hope this could lead to increasing numbers from the Linksfield/St Machar area going on to further and higher education.”
University of Aberdeen Senior Vice Principal Professor Ian Macdonald said: “We look forward to discovering how best we can share experience, skills and resources, working in close partnership with the local education authority.
“The Linksfield site is an ideal one in many ways for joint working with the University, not least its proximity which obviously facilitates easy travel between the sites.
“We are looking to some significant changes at the University of Aberdeen in the future, which we are confident will also prove to be exciting and fruitful for our education partners.”
Following today’s decision, the Council’s Director of Education John Stodter said: “It is planned to involve pupils, parents and staff in a unique partnership approach to plan the merger of the two existing schools.
“We will ensure the best possible educational arrangements are developed for all the pupils in the area.”
Proposals to merge St Machar and Linksfield stem from a review of education in Aberdeen which began in 1998 as part of the authority’s responsibility to ensure resources are used as effectively as possible, while education standards are as high as they can be.
The report before committee today highlighted the key issues - that Linksfield has around 300 pupils and is only a third full, while St Machar has around 1020 pupils, requires temporary accommodation to house all its pupils, and has capacity for 1,200.
The Education Department recommended the merger of Linksfield and St Machar Academies to run over a dual campus, because it addresses provision and resources issues, and, the department feels, has additional benefits.
Further information:
University Press Office on telephone +44 (0)1224-273778 or email a.ramsay@admin.abdn.ac.uk.