Eastwood High Parent Council The Proposal To build

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 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 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 nondenominational 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 School and Community • 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

Summary • 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

Eastwood High School Parent Council Thank You.