Two-year period of school consultations

Aith Junior High School.

Consultation over possible school closures will begin in less than a month’s time.

Shetland Islands Council has set out its two-year timetable to discuss the future of its secondary school estate.

Sandwick Junior High will be the first to come under discussion, with consultation due to begin on 13th February.

Talks over the future of island junior highs in Yell, Unst and Whalsay will kick off in August – a full year before public consultation over the future of the secondary department at Aith Junior High begins.

It follows decisions taken by the SIC on 13th November to consult on providing secondary education only up to the end of S2 at Baltasound Junior High and Mid Yell Junior High, as well as in Whalsay, Sandwick and Aith.

Meanwhile, Children’s Services also has four statutory consultations to carry out on proposed closures of primary schools over the next two years.

These are Burravoe, Sandness and two of the three primary schools in Northmavine.

Details of the timescale were released by Shetland Islands Council today shortly after The Shetland Times went to press.

The published timelines may be subject to change due to pending amendments to legislation.

Chairwoman of the SIC’s Education and Families Committee Vaila Wishart said: “This is a critical time for education in Shetland. Council members have taken decisions which pave the way to major change in both the secondary and primary system, and which will see pupils across the isles supported to get the very best education we can provide.

“This is an exceptionally busy time for the service, and there’s a huge amount of work to be done over the next two years. Staff are working very hard to give everyone concerned every opportunity to be involved in the process.”

Read more in next week’s Shetland Times.