Caithness Map :: Links to Site Map Great value Unlimited Broadband from an award winning provider FRI 4TH JUL 2025    4:19:58 PM BST
This site uses cookies, by continuing to use this site you accept the terms of our privacy policy
Back To Top
Caithness.Org Quick Links
Home
Construction
Leisure
Manufacturing
Misc.
Primary
Professional
Public
Retail
Tourism
Transport
Site Map
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Feed 2.0 Loading...

Wick Schools Consultations

17th October 2011

Following a period of statutory consultation, The Highland Council is recommending the replacement of Wick's four primary schools with two new purpose built facilities.

A report to be considered by the Education Culture and Sport Committee on Thursday 10 November will recommend the Council spends almost �20 million on two new community schools - one to the north of the River Wick and one to the south.

This will complement the �37 million earmarked for the replacement of Wick High School, which will also include a replacement community swimming pool and community library.

To the north of Wick the Council proposes to amalgamate Hillhead and North Primary Schools in a new school building on land available within North Primary School. The school, estimated to cost �10.5 million, would cater for approx 360 pupils.

To the south, the Council proposes to join the South and Pulteneytown Academy Primary Schools in a new school to be built on the site of the existing Wick High School playing field site and the site of Pultneytown Academy Primary School. The new school would cater for 360 pupils at an estimated cost of �9.225 million. It is proposed that the new Primary School, which would also house the existing Caithness Early Years Autism unit, will be co-joined to the new Wick High School building thereby creating a purpose-built 3 to 18 campus.

In response to the almost universal views expressed during the consultation period, it is proposed to alter the delineated areas of the Wick Primary Schools along the lines of the natural boundary provided by the River Wick with effect from the date when the new schools open, i.e. pupils living to the north of the River Wick would attend school on the north side of the river and pupils living to the south of the river would attend school on the south side of the river.

Subject to the proposal being approved, the Director of Housing and Property would be instructed to dispose of the sites and buildings currently occupied by Hillhead Primary School and South Primary School in accordance with current Council policy and in accordance with the requirements of the title deeds.

The formal consultation period ran from 16 August until 26 September and written representations on the proposal were sought from interested parties in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

The public have a further three weeks in which to comment on the proposals, which will be considered by The Highland Council's Education Culture and Sport Committee on Thursday 10 November.

The report concludes: "Taken with the proposed development of the new Wick High School, these proposals will place every pupil in Wick in excellent new education facilities within four years, something few comparable towns in Scotland can offer."

Wick Councillor and chairman of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee of Highland Council, Bill Fernie said,"I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the consultations - staff, parents, pupils and others at public meetings, a range of smaller meetings and in writing. The reports address the issues raised and we will now move forward after the meeting on 10th November to achieving what will be significant improvement in facilities for pupils, staff and the whole community. The next few years are very exciting for Wick as in addition to the �57million for the new schools, library and swimming pool the council will also begin the development of the new council offices in Market Square at a cost of �8million. There will be significant economic impact for the area over the next 3 to 4 years and put Wick at the top for both educational provision, community facilities and modern offices."

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

Yesterday
Bringing more empty homes back into use
Additional empty homes officers are being recruited to bring more privately owned houses back into use.   The new posts are being supported as part of a £2 million investment through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership in 2025-26 which will see staff take a more proactive and targeted approach to tackling local housing issues.  
2/7/2025
Community-Led Local Development Fund distributes over £900k to support projects in Highland
The Highland Strategic Local Action Group (LAG) met in June 2025 and considered and agreed funding for 28 projects submitted to the Community-Led Local Development fund (CLLD), which makes up part of The Highland Council Community Regeneration Fund (CRF) programme.   CRF is an umbrella term used to cover multiple external funding programmes administered by The Highland Council.  
2/7/2025
Community benefits funding delivers educational resources to Highland schoolsThumbnail for article : Community benefits funding delivers educational resources to Highland schools
Highland Council has provided 12 ‘Talking Tub' resources for use in primary schools across the Highlands, in partnership with Union Technical who deliver community benefits as part of the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme programme.   Chair of Highland Council's Education Committee, Councillor John Finlayson, said: "This is a fantastic initiative being rolled out across Highland primary schools which brings innovation and inspiration to early years children.  
1/7/2025
Additional bins will help keep popular visitor spots tidy
Visitors will find it easier to dispose of their litter at several popular spots across Highland after the rollout of additional bins.  The rollout has been planned to support the tourism season as part of the Council's ongoing commitment to improve and support sustainable tourism in the area.  
27/6/2025
Accounts Commission commends Highland Council's culture of transformation
Members of the meeting of The Highland Council (26 June 2025) have considered and agreed the Accounts Commission's Best Value report, which was published in April 2025 and highlights organisational improvements across leadership, performance management and community engagement.   In April’s report, the Accounts Commission recognised and welcomed significant progress within the organisation since the 2020 Best Value Assurance Report (BVAR) and commended the embedded culture of transformation.  
27/6/2025
Thurso masterplan and community POD progress update
A new generation of community facilities is being planned for the Highlands.   At a meeting of The Highland Council (Thursday 26 June), elected members approved the work to date in progressing the Highland Investment Plan workstreams - masterplan for Thurso and agreed to nominate the current Thurso High School site as the preferred location for the new Thurso Community Point of Delivery (POD).  
27/6/2025
Highland Housing Challenge partnership makes positive strides
At a meeting of The Highland Council (Thursday 26 June 2025), Members received a progress report on the partnership approach and important successes since declaring a Highland Housing Challenge in November 2023.   Since establishing the ambitious Highland Housing Challenge, important successes included: A call for sites delivered 250 sites, with a potential 25,000 housing units which will support delivery against the target of an additional 12,000 houses over the next 10 years.  
25/6/2025
Highland Council to deliver housing energy efficiency upgrades with ECO funding
The Highland Council will deliver a transformative programme of energy efficiency upgrades across Council housing supported by a £9.2 million Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding proposal secured by Union Technical.   The funding proposal will deliver approximately 1,000 individual energy efficiency measures to Council owned properties across the Highlands.  
18/6/2025
Look to See - a Refugee Week exhibition by young people
As part of the Highland Council's celebration of Refugee Week - 16 to 22 June - we are delighted to announce that a sharing of photographs, taken by separated young people seeking asylum living within the Highlands, is to be shown at Eden Court Arts Centre, Inverness.   Look to See, which ties in with the theme for this year’s Refugee Week - Community as a Superpower - emerges out of a collaboration between multiple agencies working alongside separated young people seeking asylum, embodying the importance of community and connection, when looking to support all young people in the Highlands.  
12/6/2025
Highland Youth Parliament Future Youth Voice Conference
The annual Highland Youth Parliament (HYP) conference will take place at Inverness Leisure and Canal Park, Inverness on Friday (13th June 2025).   Highland young people are focusing on future youth voices and what they would like a future Highland to look like.