More details have emerged of a new Western Gateway school and its impact on neighbouring schools, including Ardler and Liff primaries.
A proposed catchment area map has been published for the £16 million school and nursery in the west of Dundee which it is intended will be ready for August 2026 – a year later than those already living in the residential development had hoped.
The school would take in part of the catchment area of Ardler Primary School, with a building of around 18 classrooms at Dykes of Gray able to accommodate up to 520 pupils.
All nursery and primary-aged children living in the Western Gateway would be entitled to start or transfer to the new school from August 2026, but any transport entitlement for children remaining at other schools would continue up to P7.
Most of the 121 primary-age children in the growing residential area currently attend Liff or Birkhill primary schools rather than the catchment school, Ardler.
With almost 1,300 homes in the Western Gateway by 2030, it is expected the number of primary and nursery children will grow to 446.
Impact on Ardler Primary School
Part of Ardler Primary School’s catchment area would be rezoned to the Western Gateway school but a Dundee City Council draft proposal report states that this is “not anticipated to have a significant or detrimental impact upon the school or its staffing”.
Any space freed up at Ardler could be be used for a community room, an out-of-hours club, family engagement space or as a base for other services.
Impact on Liff Primary School
More than a third – 44 – of the Western Gateway children attend Liff Primary School through placing requests.
Angus Council has recently imposed a cap on on this to ensure spaces for children living in the school’s catchment.
Creation of a new Western Gateway school and a decline in placing requests could allow this cap to be lifted.
Benefits of new Western Gateway school
The report states: “The creation of a new primary within the West of Dundee will provide rich opportunities for children to engage in a range of cultural, learning, leisure and sporting activities within their immediate locality, adding to the strength and vibrancy of the community.
“We seek to ensure that Ardler Primary School and the New Western Gateway Primary School have a viable and sustainable pupil roll and that effective teacher staffing levels are allocated and maintained, led by a range of promoted teaching staff and where appropriate, children will be able to learn within a variety of peer group opportunities.”
More children would be able to walk, cycle or scoot to school, it states.
And it adds: “The proposals provide those purchasing homes within the current and future developments in the areas with greater certainty of the location of early years and primary provision and the catchment areas they serve.”
What next?
Consultation on the new school will begin in August, if the process is approved by Dundee City Council’s children and families service committee on Monday.
The consultation will allow the council to apply for Scottish Government funding which would cover up to the half of the cost of the new school and nursery.
A final decision to proceed with the school’s creation is expected to be made in January 2023 by the same committee before the planning process is embarked upon.
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