Youngsters at two Coatbridge schools are set to move into their long-awaited new classrooms in two years’ time.
Planning permission was granted last week for a community campus at Paddock Street to replace the existing Carnbroe and Sikeside primaries – and North Lanarkshire Council have now confirmed: “Both schools will move into the new build in 2023.”
Its proposed opening will come nearly a full decade after the amalgamation of the schools was first announced; with constantly-rising pupil rolls due to major housebuilding in the area resulting in the plans having changed from an original joint campus plan.
Now current pupils at both Sikeside and Carnbroe will be invited to suggest a name for the new 584-capacity school and nursery, and to help choose its uniform and colours.
A local authority spokesperson told Lanarkshire Live: “As part of the move towards the new school, from term two this year both schools will be learning more about the local area and history.
“This will start the process for every child being involved in having an input into the name of the school, uniform design and even its colours.
“Every child will have the option to put forward a name for the new school and each class will vote on their favourite to create a list of potential names.
“The staff of both schools and nursery will also select a name for the list, which will be shortlisted to around five by the parent councils and North Lanarkshire Council – and at this point the whole school community will vote for the new name.”
Councillors on the planning committee unanimously agreed the plans for the new school – which includes a “wedge-shaped” interior housing activity and e-learning spaces, all-weather sports pitch, woodland walk and even a slide set into the sloping playground.
The site, near the North Calder Water, will also house a replacement for the nearby Calder community centre; while new puffin crossings, footpaths and a part-time 20mph speed limit on the area’s main road near the campus, will all be put in place.
North Lanarkshire education convener Frank McNally said: “This is a fantastic development which will deliver a new hub for the children and communities of Carnbroe and Sikeside.
“Exciting learning and teaching spaces and additional areas will be provided, enhancing the offering for both pupils and the local communities through a state-of-the-art 21st-century community hub.
“Children and young people, staff, parents and community partners are playing a significant role in developing the design for the campus, to ensure it reflects the educational aspirations of all, and takes account of their requirements.”
Plans for the Carnbroe and Sikeside merger were first announced in February 2014, to facilitate both moving into an upgraded building; and were approved seven months later.
The Coatbridge campus proposals – also involving St Stephen’s Primary – were part of the same project which led to the merger of Airdrie schools Dunrobin and Petersburn into the new Hilltop Primary, which opened in May 2019; and to the construction of the St Edward’s and Tollbrae joint site, which welcomed its first pupils two years ago.
Design work had begun in 2015 on a planned joint campus for both the newly-merged school and St Stephen’s; but the plans changed in November 2017 to create two standalone schools after their combined roll would have reached 926, “greater than the number of pupils attending over half of North Lanarkshire’s secondary schools”.
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