Appendix2_MullEngagementAnalysis
Argyll and Bute Council · 20 December 2024
Back to Argyll and Bute Council — 20 December 2024 and its agenda
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Mull Campus Community Engagement Report Appendix 2
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Ryder Architecture Limited Newcastle London Glasgow Liverpool Manchester Bristol Hong Kong Vancouver www.ryderarchitecture.com
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Contents 4 5 7 9 13 15 16 29 35 38 44 Project number 10742 Document reference 10742-RYD-00-XX-TFN-A-0000-S2-P12 Revision P12 Date 11 November 2024 Author Soo Darcy Checked by Lexy Fletcher This document has been designed to be viewed / printed A4 double sided. Methodology Respondents Key Themes Spotlight on Location Site Selection Wider Impact of the Project Themes by Location School Engagement – Staff and Pupils Appendix 1 – Data Tables Appendix 2 – Boards Appendix 3 – Comments
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4 Methodology Image captionImage caption As part of ongoing engagement with communities of Mull and Iona, a series of drop in public engagement sessions was held between 17 and 25 September 2024. Sessions were held in the following locations: • Craignure Hall • Tobermory Scout Hall • Tobermory High School • Salen Church Hall • Salen Primary School • Ulva Primary School • Dervaig Village Hall • Lochdonhead Primary School • Iona Village Hall • Bunessan Community Hall Every session was attended by representatives from the Council project team, as well as an engagement consultant from Ryder Architecture. Attendees were given the opportunity to review information on boards, talk to the project team, and feed back their comments anonymously. Comments could also be returned via email or an online survey, which remained open until midnight on 4 October. The purpose of this engagement was to understand what communities and individuals think are the important factors that should be considered when assessing the potential sites for the campus. Feedback will be taken into consideration when finalising the site assessment criteria and the relative weightings of each. The information boards can be found in the Appendix to this report. The engagement sessions generated a large volume of feedback in the form of post it notes, letters, emails and responses via the online feedback form. We have taken each of those responses and coded them into their constituent themes, building up a comprehensive set of themes based on the content of all comments. By assigning each comment into its constituent themes, we have been able to understand the nuance of every comment as well as creating a large data set that can be analysed overall or broken down into individual locations. This analysis process inevitably has an element of subjectivity to it. However, every care has been taken to analyse the feedback in as consistent, transparent and fair a manner as possible by a research consultant independent of the council who was present at the engagement sessions, and who therefore has a good understanding of the issues raised in each location. It should also be noted that, as the online survey was anonymous, it is possible that people commented more than once (or attended in person as well as commenting online). This was not prevented outright as it would have removed anonymity and potentially limited accessibility. However, as will be seen throughout this report, we have reported numbers for completeness but focused on the qualitative feedback and themes, not least because some locations have significantly fewer respondents than others. In addition, the online survey software allows us to check for large numbers of duplicate submissions to ensure we mitigate the risk of people overtly skewing the results.
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5 Methodology Respondents Image captionImage caption A total of 352 people contributed comments to the engagement, via several channels: Location (where stated) is shown below. Please note, location of ‘in person’ attendees is based on the session they attended rather than a stated home address, therefore numbers are approximate. Otherwise, those filling out the online survey chose the location closest to their home, and those emailing were asked to provide an approximate location. Where necessary, these have been assigned to a closest location from the list below for the purposes of analysis.
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6 Image captionImage caption Attendees and those who completed the online survey were asked to provide their age bracket. This was optional, and was provided by 288 people as follows:
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7 Key Themes Image captionImage caption The full set of themes broken down into their detailed drivers are included later in this report, as are spotlights on site selection criteria, location preferences and other issues raised that may Comments about the location of the whole campus, primary provision, and / or high school. Many people felt that primary and / or ELC provision must be kept in Tobermory, meaning that a split site with a more centralised high school was the most commonly requested solution to providing an equitable and accessible campus. Some queried whether a hostel on Mull was a possibility. Concerns about the increase in travel if children are to be transported to a location outside of Tobermory. The key issues raised were: • Poor infrastructure such as road conditions, winter weather, lack of buses, access for families without cars • Wellbeing impact on children spending long portions of their day travelling, especially younger children. Emphasis on length of journey, not distance, due to the nature of roads on Mull • Environmental impact of increased travel • Impact on children who are neurodiverse, or have other reasons to avoid long travel such as experiencing travel sickness or bullying Keeping families together and avoiding children having to leave home through the week to board. There were additional themes around families having the right to choose whether to board or stay at home, and comments about the rights of children to education and a home life. However, those on Iona strongly requested the right to retain access to funded places at Oban High School, regardless of where the campus is located on Mull. The importance of an equitable solution that provides access for as many children as possible. These comments tended to be rooted in a desire for fairness and equity, and were often combined with comments about keeping families together and creating more social cohesion between the communities in the north and south. The campus should be easily accessible from good transport networks, with plenty of parking and safe pick up and drop off areas. Active travel is also important to some, with a desire for children to be able to safely walk and cycle to school. affect communities more broadly. Here we outline some of the key themes and issues that were raised most frequently across the majority of locations:
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8 Image captionImage caption The power of a campus to create community stability and sustainability, whether by attracting and retaining people to live and work in a location, or by supporting the shops and cafes nearby. For some, this was about a specific location – for example, supporting the stability of the Ross of Mull or avoiding depopulation of the north. For others, it was about the sustainability of Mull and islands as a whole. Access to good facilities both on campus and close by. This includes space for sports facilities and other outdoor activities such as learning and socialising, space for community facilities such as a library, shops and other activities somewhere near the school so children can socialise. This includes equitable access to after school clubs whereby children do not have to rush away to catch ferries or travel long bus journeys. The campus should be able to provide a range of subject areas including vocational subjects, either by space provision and / or by making use of teachers who have easy access from Oban.
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9 Spotlight on Location Overview Image captionImage caption Looking only at comments related to location, almost 40 percent of people said primary and / or ELC provision (typically both) should be retained in Tobermory. These comments include both people favouring a split campus, and those who may have favoured a full campus elsewhere but want to retain primary provision in Tobermory as well. A further 24 percent generally favoured Tobermory as the campus location. Comments relating to primary and ELC provision in Tobermory “Lack of a primary school will kill Tobermory as a community – it will become a retirement and Airbnb town without a primary school.” – Tobermory “It’s ridiculous to consider losing a school in Tobermory when a third of the population lives here. We need a school!” – Tobermory “From the island’s point of view, central site would be much more sensible and equitable. But it does not do good for Tobermory to be left without early learning and childcare and primary.” – Ulva “Is there any possibility the campus could be split? I don’t think people realised we were talking about more than just a high school. It’s put a different spin on things – I’d love a more central high school but I’d hate for Tobermory to be left without primary.” – Lochdonhead 34 percent are in favour of either the high school (16 percent) or a general campus (18 percent) being somewhere central but did not specify a location. A further 15 percent specified Craignure as a suitable location (seven percent for the high school, eight percent as a general campus location).
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10 Overview Image captionImage caption Comments relating to a general preference for a campus in Tobermory “Stay in Tobermory to prevent loss of children from here to Oban – people will send their children there if it moves. We don’t want to lose our children.” – Tobermory “Choose Tobermory, it’s more accessible. I don’t think community facilities will be as well used in centre.” – Tobermory “Logistics and number of kids, it’s better in Tobermory. Don’t want to bus large number of kids.” – Tobermory “Tobermory is the largest community on the island. Teachers and families would have to relocate.” – Tobermory Comments relating to a centralised campus or high school “I feel this is a great opportunity to build a school for the whole island. A more central location would make this possible.” – Salen “Central site, community growth, all children growing up together.” – Craignure “There is no question of where it should be. Fair is a central location for all children on the island.” – Bunessan and Ross of Mull “Getting kids together in central location (primary and secondary) is optimum position.” – Tobermory
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11 Site Preferences by Location Image captionImage caption The table below shows the percentage of people in each location who commented on the geographical location of the site. How to read this table Each column shows a different location. The number of people who engaged in each location is shown in brackets next to the place name. Percentages in each column are calculated separately based on those figures. The overall percentage (average) is shown on the right. As Overview with all data shown in this report, some locations had far fewer people than others so caution should be taken when interpreting numbers. Percentages should be interpreted as indicative of general trends only, rather than representative of the full community in each location. Red boxes mean a very low percentage of people gave a particular response (less than five percent) whereas bright green boxes show responses that were mentioned by more than 30 percent of people in any given location.
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12 Site Preferences by Location An interesting dynamic for the location of the campus is the extent to which people stated their preference is not necessarily where they themselves live, highlighting an appetite for an equitable location – although this was typically for high school provision rather than the full campus: Primary and ELC provision should not leave Tobermory. This was a clear finding from our responses. Residents from most locations do not think that primary teaching or ELC should leave Tobermory due to the amount of travelling that would be required of younger children. This was the most popular response for people in Tobermory, but also in Bunessan, Lochdonhead, Dervaig and Ulva. A central location is a popular option for its overall accessibility. Residents in Craignure and Salen were the most vocal in stating their support for a centrally located campus. This is likely reflective of the need for the school to be located near the ferry port and in a position that is most accessible for people from both the north and southern parts of the island. Image captionImage caption
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Site Preferences by Location 13 Site Selection Key Criteria Image captionImage caption The remaining themes can be approximately divided into two types: factors that can be applied to the site selection process directly, and factors that people believe the wider process itself should be taking into account. The top criteria for site selection can be summarised as: 1. Keeping travel times to a minimum. This is particularly for younger children, but generally applies overall – and is important due to the length of journeys (not necessarily the distance travelled), concerns about road and transport infrastructure, and environmental impact. 2. Keeping families together / avoiding children going off island (unless it is their choice to do so) 3. Providing an equitable solution that offers the best access for as many people as possible, and uniting the north and south populations 4. Being able to sustain local populations and economies, as well as attracting people to Mull and Iona in general. This includes the ability for businesses to flourish close to the campus site due to pupils eating lunch and families spending more time in the local area or choosing to live there. (Please note, people were concerned about the impact of depopulation on both Tobermory / the north and the Ross of Mull – the percentages shown below will be affected by the relative numbers of people from each location, as there were more attendees from Tobermory, but this issue was important across both locations) 5. Plenty of outside space for good sports facilities and outdoor activities such as learning and socialising 6. Equitable access to after school clubs – this includes having the space and staff to provide them, but mainly relates to children not having to rush off to ferries and buses, and factoring in long travel times, thereby losing the opportunity to attend extracurricular activities 7. Close to existing services such as shops and sports facilities so that children get the benefit of socialising and mixing with local communities 8. Good transport links and plenty of space for parking and safe, accessible drop off 9. Providing access to good community facilities such as a library, gym and adult learning on the campus 10. The ability to provide more subjects, including vocational subjects, and easier access for teachers to travel to the campus from Oban to provide specialist teaching 11. The opportunity to develop, or make use of existing, active travel routes so children can walk and cycle to school 12. The ability to retain existing staff and attract new staff, including proximity to affordable housing. (Note that these points are conflicting, as most people who commented on existing staff thought they would not want to travel far out of Tobermory if they already live there, whereas the attraction and retention of new staff tended to be based on having the campus in a more central location.)
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14 Image captionImage caption 13. Limiting the impact on the existing school and / or surrounding residents during construction (for example, by limiting decant or loss of sports facilities) 14. Provision of good technology that can support online / distance learning and potential links with other educational establishments 15. Space for future expansion – although we have included this point within general comments about the design of the school below, it is worth noting that several people mentioned the importance of a site large enough to account for future expansion and / or a potential hostel, should funding become available in future
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15 Comments About the Wider Impact of the Project Image captionImage caption A further set of issues, concerns and requests tended to relate more to the impact of the project itself and, whilst they may not constitute site selection criteria per se, they should be considered as part of the wider project. In particular, they do have some conflicting implications for the criteria above, particularly “You’re going through a very quick process to find sites. At what point are you going to do a thorough review of the impact on island communities, travel times, etc?” – Iona “Why were we not asked about whether a 2-18 campus would work for us, before the funding was discussed?” – Lochdonhead “Sustainable campus design and function, ie highly insulated fabric first approach, with more passive services (eg natural vent and light etc).” – Ulva “Moving a school from the mostly populated area of Mull is ridiculous. If you’re a business which was successful and people came from far and wide, would you move it? No? So why move a school that upsets the masses, to please the few? Unfortunately people decided to live out in the sticks and should understand that that’s the life they have chosen to have, to make some sacrifices. People live in Tobermory to make it easier on the whole family and school life. People who decide to live far away, that’s their choice.” – Tobermory Comments relating to the wider impact of the project in relation to families who live on Iona, who requested that their children retain the right to funded places at Oban High School. If this is granted, then the implications of criteria one to four above are significantly different than if Iona is factored into travel logistics and a desire to keep children on island.
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16 Themes by Location Overview Image captionImage caption The following section summarises the top issues and criteria mentioned by attendees and survey respondents in each location. The map summarises high level themes, followed by a more detailed breakdown of each location. Please note, due to the relatively low numbers of people in some locations, the charts in this section of the report show raw counts (ie number of people) rather than percentages – the latter being shown elsewhere in this document when reporting on overall data. It should also be noted that not all comments are represented in the graphs in this section – again, due to relatively low numbers of comments falling within themes towards the lower end of the lists, we have only shown the upper selection of themes in each location. The full selection of comments and a summary of all themes can be found in the appendix of this report.
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17 Craignure Image captionImage caption Craignure respondents (36 people) are keen to see a campus or high school in a central location, although this does not necessarily need to be in Craignure itself, to help keep families together and provide an equitable location for as many “Good access to public transport and existing amenities / facilities.” – Craignure “First and foremost, I believe the campus has to serve the island as a whole, therefore must be accessible for travel from all parts of Mull and has to be located in the Craignure area. Near the ferry allowing staff to travel at times to teach subjects that may not be covered by full time members. It seems really sensible to cater for all young on Mull.” – Craignure “Rugby club, swimming pool, ferry terminal in Craignure so this should be where the school is.” – Craignure “Safe and organised drop off and collection.” – Craignure Quotes from Craignure people as possible. They would like the site selection criteria to consider space for outdoor activities such as sports and learning, and good access for public transport, parking, and safe drop off and pick up.
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18 Tobermory Image captionImage caption Tobermory respondents (134 people) are primarily concerned about the impact of the potential loss of primary education and ELC from the town, and feel it is essential that this is retained. For some, a high school could be somewhere more central provided there is no loss of provision for younger children. Many of the suggested site selection criteria relate to reducing the impact of the campus on travel and transportation. People highlighted concerns about the prospect of an increased level of traffic across Mull if children had to be transported elsewhere, and lack of sufficient or reliable public transport and road infrastructure. There is a desire that the selected campus site should keep travel times to a minimum, especially for younger children. There was also a concern from some that a school elsewhere would cause a decline in people moving to, or staying in, Tobermory – creating depopulation problems similar to those the Ross of Mull currently experiences.
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19 Tobermory (Cont) Image captionImage caption “Bussing 70 to 80 kids out of Tobermory… and for ELC parents who don’t drive, how does that work? Our youngest gets migraines and doesn’t travel well. Going on a bus every day would be awful for him.” – Tobermory “The transportation of children to another part of the island opens to its own problems. How are the pupils age two years to 18 to be transported elsewhere in the island? Not only would this add pressure on the roads (which are busy at the best of times), there is also the cost involved – buses, fuel, drivers and escorts for young and vulnerable children. […] I think to remove the high school from Tobermory would be a disaster to the health and wellbeing of pupils as well as the financial strain on already depleting budgets. It would be like building Oban High School in Taynuilt and transporting the majority of pupils who live in Oban out of town.” – Tobermory “Pre-school and primary children in Tobermory must be able to attend school in the village in which they live, so that they can walk to school, parents can drop them off and collect them without travelling long distances. Unfortunately this has to trump all the potential benefits of locating a new school more centrally (which would likely benefit secondary pupils). […] Young families are our lifeblood, and if Tobermory primary school is closed, the community will become a hollowed-out retirement village, full of Airbnbs and nothing else. This is not a positive result for promoting island communities.” – Tobermory Quotes from Tobermory
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20 Salen Image captionImage caption Among the 34 people who attended Salen engagement or responded to the survey, 15 comments were generally supporting a central location for the campus. This group also made suggestions about the general design of the school. When thinking about criteria for site selection, the most commonly mentioned themes were the ability to keep families together / avoid children having to board at Oban, providing an equitable solution for as many people as possible, and finding a site that is both close to existing facilities (such as shops and sports) and has sufficient outdoor space for sports and outdoor learning or play.
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21 Salen (Cont) Image captionImage caption Quotes from Salen “I feel this is a great opportunity to build a school for the whole island. A more central location would make this possible.” – Salen “If this school is not built centrally to enable all island children the chance to attend it, it will be catastrophic for the south end of the island, sending kids aged 11 to a hostel in the mainland is not ‘getting it right for every child’. The school roll of Salen Primary often exceeds the roll of Tobermory Primary due to children travelling to Salen for Gaelic. Children of primary age travel from all over the centre and north of the island to Salen so there is no reason whatsoever that a bus could not transport secondary age children from Tobermory to a different school. It would make far more sense to me than transporting half empty buses from the rest of the far out catchment areas to Tobermory.” – Salen “Central school that has access to existing sports facilities (eg Rugby at Garmony, pool at Craignure) would be beneficial.” – Salen
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22 Ulva Image captionImage caption Eight people attended the Ulva engagement session or responded to the online survey. From those, five comments were in support of keeping primary and / or ELC provision in Tobermory. Quotes from Ulva “Impact study? Cumulative travel time study? Back of envelope calc[ulation] gives Salen as most efficient location in terms of minimum total student travel time (inc. new Craignure development).” – Ulva “We live here knowing they will have to travel for high school, so Tobermory or Craignure would be roughly equal distance. But for the island wide context, you couldn’t leave Tobermory without a primary and early learning and childcare. If it has to be 2-18, Tobermory is the only real option. But the ideal solution would be primary / early learning and childcare in Tobermory and high somewhere central.” – Ulva “The 2-18 and like for like campus is the biggest flaw – you need to split it so the primary remains in Tobermory. It doesn’t suit the communities, it suits your affordability. You cannot only base it on that.” – Ulva Other comments related to finding an equitable location, keeping families together and reducing travel times.
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23 Dervaig Image captionImage caption In and around Dervaig, 19 people attended the engagement session or responded online. From those people, there were eight comments about the need to retain primary / ELC provision in Tobermory, and five about the campus being best placed in a central location. This group noted Quotes from Dervaig “You state that all other primary schools on the island will be unaffected. Would Salen primary school remain functioning if the new campus were in Salen? Similarly with Lochdon and Craignure.” – Dervaig “If a like for like campus is located outwith the Tobermory location, pre school and primary school children from Tobermory will be unfairly discriminated against as they will have no alternative site school to attend. This assumes that smaller primary schools on the island will be unaffected, is this the case?” – Dervaig“Most people on the mainland do not realise Mull is the fourth largest island in Britain. The travel time from one end to the other is equivalent to travelling from Glasgow to Dundee via Stirling and Perth. This has implications for being ‘local’!” – Dervaig some concerns about the potential closure of other primary schools if primary provision were to be moved from Tobermory. This group would like the site selection criteria to consider an equitable solution for as many people as possible, and to keep families together.
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24 Lochdonhead Image captionImage caption Among the 13 Lochdonhead respondents, the most commonly mentioned issue was the need to retain primary / ELC provision in Tobermory, followed by a preference for a generally centralised high school. These comments also reflected a concern among some that other Quotes from Lochdonhead “Primary schools are the heart of every community here, they are so special. How will this affect the other primaries? Concern that they may be closed.” – Lochdonhead “The main issue is making sure every child on the island is able to attend a high school on the island. No child should have to go off island and be away from home at such a young age all week, every week to be able to get an education. A more central location would benefit everyone.” – Lochdonhead “Can Salen cope with the extra children? We have one primary in Lochdon and one in Salen, and most of those kids live there. So even if the Tobermory kids came to Salen, and the catchment lines were revised, how on earth could you send Salen kids out of their home area to another primary, while they watch kids come from Tobermory to go into their local school? It just doesn’t make any sense.” – Lochdonhead primary schools would be affected or closed if primary provision moved from Tobermory. In relation to site selection criteria, albeit with low numbers of mentions, these respondents would like to see as equitable solution as possible and a location that keeps travelling times to a minimum.
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25 Iona Image captionImage caption Feedback from Iona residents relates almost exclusively to a request for children to retain funded places at Oban High School, as is currently the arrangement. From the 26 people who attended or fed back online, there were 22 comments related to this topic. Key drivers behind this request were the perception that children get a better quality of education and life experience by being exposed to life in Oban, including having access to after school and extra curricular activities that they may not have on Mull, and / or that they would struggle to access because of having to factor in travel times to and from school. Aside from these benefits, respondents pointed out that there is simply no way to reliably get children to and from Mull from Iona on a day to day basis, especially in winter when ferries are often disrupted, so there is no practical alternative in any case. Multiple comments from this location were made in relation to how the project and engagement have been conducted so far. In particular, respondents wanted more thorough and detailed information to be provided before such engagement sessions, and a guarantee that their position will not change in relation to Oban. Some also said they would collectively like to be removed from any further consultation about the location of the school, this being something for Mull residents to decide as it should not affect Iona.
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26 Iona (Cont) Image captionImage caption “I have concerns about Iona being included in this consultation. I would prefer an assurance that we remain in the Oban high catchment – and that hostel and travel will still be funded. Regardless of the site chosen on Mull, Iona based pupils would still face a lengthy daily commute therefore missing out on after school activities and spending up to three hours a day on a bus (if say Craignure was as chosen site). The Iona ferry is often subject to cancellation which would negatively impact on attendance. When you choose to raise a child on Iona it isn’t an easy option to send them off to board at 12 – however they get so much out of the experience, to replace this with a lengthy daily commute isn’t in anyone’s best interests.” – Iona “Important to have single option of Oban High for Iona pupils to maintain equality. More opportunities available – educational and social – less travel impact.” – Iona “No engagement from Iona without a guarantee that Oban option is available and funded, whatever comes of Mull decision.” – Iona Quotes from Iona
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27 Bunessan and the Ross of Mull Image captionImage caption Respondents from the Bunessan engagement (65 in total, including those who specified they were from the Ross of Mull, including Fionnphort, Pennyghael and Kintra) primarily wanted the site selection to keep families together as far as possible, avoiding children having to leave the island during the week, and provide the most equitable solution that would provide access for as many children as possible. They were concerned about keeping traveling times to a minimum due to both the road and transport conditions / infrastructure and the impact on children’s wellbeing. A small number of people who attended various engagement sessions talked about negative experiences with bullying and antisocial behaviour in Oban, and worried that children now might experience the same things. Beyond comments about location, this group also pointed out that children should have equitable access to after school clubs and extra curricular activities, which can be difficult when they have to travel long distances to and from school. There is also a keenness for children from the Ross to have a choice as to whether or not they leave the island to board at Oban. It should be noted that some parents would like their children to continue to attend Oban High School, even if a more centralised high school were available on Mull. A small number of people commented during the engagement that they would like their children to continue to attend Oban High School, but they are feeling pressured or intimidated by others in the community if they express this opinion. Iona (Cont)
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28 Bunessan and the Ross of Mull (Cont) Image captionImage caption Quotes from Bunessan and the Ross of Mull “A central location is key for more children and families to experience family life daily, especially in arguably their most challenging time in life. With the need for a new campus, this feels obvious: to allow more support daily for more kids.” – Bunessan / Ross of Mull “People from Tobermory don’t want to travel, but all of children on the island are as important as each other!” – Bunessan / Ross of Mull “Vital to have a centralised high school for all of the island. Not feasible for children from the Ross to travel to Tobermory daily. Need to have same opportunities for kids from the Ross as those in Tobermory. – Bunessan / Ross of Mull “Central location, ideally Craignure. Strong transport links. Staff could travel from Oban. Equality for all children on the island. Ross of Mull children would feel secure coming home.” – Bunessan / Ross of Mull
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29 School Engagement – Staff and Pupils Overview Image captionImage caption Between 17 and 30 September, pupils and staff in schools across Mull and Iona were visited by Argyll & Bute Council’s Education Officer (Education and Community Engagement – LEIP). They comprised: • Tobermory High School • Tobermory Primary School • Tobermory ELC • Tobermory staff • Salen Primary School • Ulva Primary School • Lochdonhead Primary School • Dervaig Primary School • Bunessan Primary School • Iona Primary School • Oban High School Hostel Sessions took the form of informal workshops, during which attendees were encouraged to talk about what they think is important for a new campus, and record their ideas on post it notes. This section contains a summary of those sessions – where common themes emerged, some of this analysis has been combined across schools and shown in a word cloud format. However key points have been highlighted where this is possible to do without identifying individuals.
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30 ELC and Primary Image captionImage caption ELC Ten children from Tobermory ELC shared their ideas. Primary Schools Children from Bunessan (25 pupils), Dervaig (10 pupils), Lochdonhead, Ulva (10 pupils), Tobermory (10 pupils) and Salen (22 pupils) Primary Schools also provided feedback about what is important to them in a new campus. The most common themes are shown below. These children were particularly keen on making the most of outside space, with a football pitch being the most mentioned request (20 mentions) The priority for four children is to have an obstacle course, and three would like to have space for a planting box. and 12 others requesting basketball. A further 18 wanted good play space outside. 16 would like access to a swimming pool. Inside the school, pupils were interested in facilities for art (16 mentions), generally good or large classrooms for various subjects (12 mentions), a nice cafeteria (12 mentions), and access to a library space, calm areas and lockers (11 mentions each).
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31 Image captionImage caption Iona Primary School is reported separately here, as the children tended to focus more on the location of the school and the prospect of going to Oban High School, therefore their comments have not been included in the word cloud above. Nine children took part in the feedback exercise, and comments were in favour of attending Oban High School. There were a small number of neutral comments that indicated a potential flexibility in this view – two stated that pupils should go to whatever high school their older siblings attend, and one stated that they would like to go to Oban, but wondered whether other children would go to high school in Craignure. “If it was on Mull we would spend half the day on a bus and we wouldn’t be able to come back if the ferry was off.” – Iona Primary School pupil “I would like to go to Oban school because it trains me not to get homesick.” – Iona Primary School pupil “I am looking forward to playing sport in Oban” – Iona Primary School pupil “I would still like to go to Oban High School, because we will not be able to do any after school clubs or anything.” – Iona Primary School pupil “If I went to Tobermory, I would go home every night , it make me feel less independent.” – Iona Primary School pupil Quotes from Iona Primary School pupils “We would be worrying about the ferries 24/7.” – Iona Primary School pupil Reasons for wanting to attend Oban High School generally echoed those noted by adults during the public engagement: • Independence and learning to cope away from home • Avoiding long or disruptive travel every day • Ability to attend after school clubs Children therefore did not express any strong preferences for where the campus might be located, as they did not feel it would affect them. Aside from comments about attending school in Oban, individuals from this group thought that any new campus should have plenty of space, offer a good education, have a football pitch, sandbox, stepping stones, a theatre, and play diggers outside.
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32 Tobermory High School Image captionImage caption 14 pupils from Tobermory High School talked about the things they would like to see from a new campus. A bigger gym hall was the most mentioned feature, by eight pupils, followed by the provision or social seating (or common rooms / breakout spaces, including for seniors only). This group was also asked about their general perceptions or thoughts about location of the campus. Several pupils shared their perceptions of Oban High School, the importance of family life, and a desire to see a central campus. The general consensus of these participants was that they do not think boarding at Oban is a positive experience. “I have friends from Mull that stay in Oban who were bullied and were smoking and vaping (this has been reported) I have not experienced this in Tobermory High School.” – Tobermory High School pupil “It is important for me to come home each night to spend time with my family. Teenagers that go to Oban for school have less connections with the community and they are less likely to stay on Mull when they finish school.” – Tobermory High School pupil “When kids are in Oban hostel their parents are not there to teach them how to behave in the evenings. Being with their family would be less stressful.” – Tobermory High School pupil “[The campus] needs to be in the middle so it is a medium time trip and fair for everyone.” – Tobermory High School pupil Quotes from Tobermory High School pupils Other suggestions receiving the highest number of mentions were: sheltered spaces to eat lunch outside (four pupils), assembly hall, more or bigger classrooms, music practice rooms and better sports equipment (three mentions each). Tobermory Staff Three members of staff from Tobermory provided feedback on what is important in a new campus. All three cited their main concern as being the impact of travel, both on the wellbeing of young children and on the roads infrastructure, if the campus were to be located outside of Tobermory. Two members of staff thought the entire campus should remain in Tobermory, while the third would be happy for a more central high school provided primary provision remained.
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33 Oban High School Hostel Pupils Image caption “We would be worrying about the ferries 24/7.” – Iona Primary School pupil 17 pupils who board at Oban High School hostel were asked to share their thoughts about a new campus, including what the campus should feature. Several talked about their own experiences and perceptions of staying at Oban, with mixed opinions on whether the campus could be an alternative option to boarding at Oban. Nine commented that there is little point in having a central high school for their own purposes, as it will make no difference to their travelling times – either requiring long daily travel or requiring “If the new school was in Tobermory, none of the Ross children would want to go as it is far. It’s only fair for it to be half way, not all about Tobermory. It’s hard to go to the hostel in Oban at age eleven. Kids that age should have a choice to go to high school on Mull or Oban.” – Oban Hostel boarder “Same distance as Oban, so it is pointless.” – Oban Hostel boarder “Probably won’t be as educating as Oban High School.” – Oban Hostel boarder “I would not want to go to Tobermory – sounds bad.” – Oban Hostel boarder Quotes from Oban High School Hostel pupils another hostel. Six said they would rather stay at Oban High School regardless, while three said they would consider attending high school on Mull if it were easier to travel to. Others agreed with both points, saying that families should have a choice and there should therefore be an option that is fairer for all families. Where pupils did comment on the facilities they would like to see in a campus, two thought that sports facilities are important and two mentioned access to college courses.
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34 Image captionImage caption Appendix
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35 Appendix Appendix One – Data Tables Image caption The following table shows the full breakdown of themes covered, the number of times each was mentioned, and the percentage breakdown compared to the total number of contributors. Any comments that could not reliably be coded without the potential for misinterpretation (for example, due to vague wording), or which covered themes that received only one or two mentions, are included in other. Please note, this data is not weighted by location due to the relatively small number of residents in some locations and the subsequent differences in attendee numbers to the various sessions. The engagement was intended to be a qualitative listening exercise, not a quantitative survey. The data is presented here for full transparency in relation to the analysis process, demonstrating Count Percentage Retain primary and / or ELC in Tobermory 138 39.2 General support for Tobermory (either full campus or age groups not specified) 86 24.4 Concerns about increased travel and volume (eg poor roads, lack of buses, access for those who do not drive) 80 22.7 Keeping families together / avoid children going off island 77 21.9 Travel times should be kept to a minimum, particularly for young children 74 21.0 The importance of an equitable solution / access for as many children as possible 70 19.9 General support for a central location (either full campus or age groups not specified) 65 18.5 Community sustainability / ability to support local economy 58 16.5 High school generally centralised / other location mentioned 56 15.9 Space for sports facilities and / or outdoor activities 54 15.3 Comments about the way the engagement or wider process is being undertaken 50 14.2 Equitable access to after school clubs (eg later buses, not having to rush away for ferries) 40 11.4 that all responses were analysed individually, in full. The percentages help us to understand the range of ideas and concerns heard across the engagement sessions, but they are in no way to be interpreted as statistically representative of the population or indicative that feelings were stronger in one location or another. For this reason, we are not interpreting the findings of this engagement as ‘X location was more strongly favoured than Y location’ – rather, understanding the drivers and perceptions behind this feedback is the key goal of our analysis, being inclusive of lesser populated communities and minority voices.
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36 Appendix One – Data Tables Image captionImage caption Count Percentage Close to existing facilities such as shops, swimming pool, sports for socialising and life experiences 38 10.8 Bridge the divide between north and south residents / let children mix 35 9.9 Safely accessible location / good parking / transport network / drop off 35 9.9 Comments about general school design / performance, including space for future expansion 33 9.4 General support for Craignure (either full campus or age groups not specified) 29 8.2 People choose to live in certain locations based on the schools / system already in place (including comments about leaving the island) 29 8.2 Potential for hostel on Mull 27 7.7 Children and families should have a choice to board or stay home 27 7.7 High school in Craignure 25 7.1 Avoid depopulation / support sustainability of Tobermory / north 25 7.1 Oban offers far better educational / social facilities and grown up experience / rite of passage 24 6.8 Current Oban catchment children should be guaranteed the option to retain funded places at Oban, regardless of new campus location 23 6.5 Access to community facilities such as gym, library, adult education 22 6.3 The opportunity to provide more subject areas or vocational teaching 21 6.0 Provide easier access for teachers to travel from Oban 20 5.7 Logistics of day to day travel are simply not feasible (ferry, poor weather) 19 5.4 Concerns that relocation will affect / close other primary schools 16 4.5 Inclusive (including provision for children with additional support needs) 15 4.3 Avoid depopulation / support sustainability of Ross / south 15 4.3 Environmental impact of increased travel 14 4.0 Opportunity to improve or retain active travel routes nearby 12 3.4
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37 Appendix One – Data Tables Image captionImage caption Count Percentage Close to ferry 10 2.8 Ability to attract new staff 10 2.8 Impact of travel costs, time and childcare if ELC moved from Tobermory 9 2.6 Reduce the impact on existing site during construction (eg avoid decant) 9 2.6 Digital / online learning links 7 2.0 Availability of staff accommodation nearby 7 2.0 Avoid loss of existing teaching staff (particularly due to increased travel) 7 2.0 More travel will improve bus routes / availability for everyone 5 1.4 General support for Garmony (either full campus or age groups not specified) 4 1.1 Travelling long distances difficult for some children (neurodivergent, bullying, travel sick) 4 1.1 Avoid depopulation / support sustainability of Iona 3 0.9 General support for Salen (either full campus or age groups not specified) 2 0.6 High school in Garmony 1 0.3 Other 113 32.1 Appendix One – Data Tables
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38 Appendix Two – Boards Image captionImage caption At each engagement session, information boards were placed around the room so attendees could learn more about the project itself, current progress, and what we were asking them to do in this engagement. The content of the boards was also available in the online survey for those unable to attend.
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39 Appendix Two – Boards Image captionImage caption Appendix Two – Boards
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41 Appendix Two – Boards Image captionImage caption Appendix Two – Boards
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43 Appendix Two – Boards Image captionImage caption Appendix Two – Boards
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44 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption The following pages contain all publishable comments from attendees at the public engagement events and online, ordered by location. Comments captured publicly on Post-it notes during the sessions have been included here. Likewise, comments that were submitted via the online survey or email have been included, where respondents indicated they were happy for their comments to be published. Attendees at the public events were also provided with a confidential space to submit comments that would not be published, if preferred. These comments, along with those submitted confidentially online without permission to publish, have been omitted from this report but were included in all analysis. Please note: Written comments have been transcribed as accurately as possible. We have made changes to a very small number of comments only to improve clarity or preserve anonymity, in the following ways: • Where words were written in shorthand, we have written them out in full in this report (common examples were ‘Tob’, which has been reported here as ‘Tobermory’, and HS or PS which have been reported here as ‘high school’ or ‘primary school’). Likewise, minor spelling or formatting errors have been corrected where this would aid clarity and not adversely affect understanding of the text • Comments occasionally have short phrases with [square brackets] around them. The text within these brackets has been added by the report author, only where it was felt necessary to make a point clearer for analysis purposes, and only where we could be sure we understood the correct interpretation of the comment (having spoken directly to the attendee during the engagement session) • Some comments have had small sections redacted, indicated by three dots in square brackets [...]. This has been done where publishable comments contained information that could inadvertently identify the individual, for example by referencing their job or very specific family situations
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Appendix Three – Comments 45 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Bunessan and Ross of Mull In 10 years time people might look at a central school and think why is it here, no facilities and lots of travel. Bunessan and Ross of Mull No need to think about 10 years time, this will just be the norm. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Removing a primary from Tobermory is crazy. Bunessan and Ross of Mull People feel bullied by others in the community. Bunessan and Ross of Mull I believe that Iona and Ross children are privileged in going away to Oban. Bunessan and Ross of Mull How many adults see a commute of over an hour / two hours a day as ok? Bunessan and Ross of Mull Travelling to a central school everyday isn't reasonable. Bunessan and Ross of Mull People feel intimidated in the community to speak up for pupils going to Oban. Bunessan and Ross of Mull My children went to Oban, I wouldn't have had it any other way. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Could we not do more with distance learning? Lochdon or Craignure would be the ideal location. People from Tobermory don't want to travel, but all of our children on the island are as important as eachother! Bunessan and Ross of Mull Argyll and Bute Council rely on children from Iona and Ross to make the Oban hostel financially viable. If that stops, we are essentially being blackmailed with this as a result of the new campus. Bunessan and Ross of Mull We need to use our imagination here. If Oban is maintained, we could extend the Bunessan primary provision to cover the first two years of secondary school so those children are not sent away so early. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Vital to have a centralised high school for all of the island. Not feasible for children from the Ross to travel to Tobermory daily. Need to have same opportunities for kids from the Ross as those in Tobermory. Bunessan and Ross of Mull If it is possible to have the primary school and the high school in two different locations, I would consider doing this and putting the primary school in Tobermory and the high school in Craignure. Bunessan and Ross of Mull United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Scotland) Act: Articles 1, 12 and 28! Bunessan and Ross of Mull Rooting for Craignure base. Want it for true community campus. Need music on island. Bunessan and Ross of Mull I take my kids to Salen for music. Don't get funding for transport. Not equitable.
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46 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Bunessan and Ross of Mull Tiree has a secondary school. Economically active young people there STAY there. Children who leave here for Oban often don't come back – social and ecomonic impact. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Concerns about antisocial behaviour in Oban and children as young as 11 allowed out from school – it's dangerous. Bunessan and Ross of Mull The children come back tired on a Friday and Sundays are ruined because they have to get up so early on Monday. They are 'not here' at the weekends as they are too tired to participate in normal life. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Community hub that is central for all of island to make use of, for out of school activities and clubs. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Early morning bus for children benefits the whole of the island with a service that gets everyone to the early ferry. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Transport links and roads need to be improved. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Central school opens Ross of Mull to all families regardless of background / needs. Equality and support provided throughout school and systems. Bunessan and Ross of Mull I think the high school should be more central and the primary school should remain in Tobermory. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Location of the school is primary concern, for the Ross of Mull kids to benefit from the campus it would need to be central. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Right of child to family life. Living away disconnects child from family and opportunites in local communities. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Central school allows for staff and learning shared with Oban. Specifically in part time positions, furthering arts etc. Bunessan and Ross of Mull The decision will affect the whole island, but it will impact us hugely here in terms of jobs and families. Bunessan and Ross of Mull It would be good to include other services in the building, such as nursing home, dentist, indoor sports facilities, social services etc. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Whenever the school is situated the road network will need to be improved for it to be viable for the whole island. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Miss skillset of doctors, dentist. Leave to be with family. Bunessan and Ross of Mull The children need education equality. Bunessan and Ross of Mull I feel Tobermory should be allowed to keep a primary and early learning childcare within their town but central high school. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Central location, ideally Craignure. Strong transport links. Staff could travel from Oban. Equality for all children on the island. Ross of Mull children would feel secure coming home.
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Appendix Three – Comments 47 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Bunessan and Ross of Mull Outdoor space and in a sympathetic location would be great. A central school would allow an island ownership rather than a specalist location. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Will Mull children still have the option to go to Oban High School and stay at the hostel fully funded if they wish to? Bunessan and Ross of Mull There are currently more kids bussed into Tobermory than would need to be bussed out to a central school. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Travel from Fionnphort to a central school is less than currently Lochbuie to Tobermory, so should not be a factor. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Can't access gymnastics as located in Tobermory. Need a central location. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Craignure is already a transport hub. Could get a 7am bus. Improves public transport. Bunessan and Ross of Mull College is important to community > adult education is important. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Economic wellbeing of whole island. Growth in Craignure. Central school would [be a] catalyst for growth. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Families want to be together. Bunessan and Ross of Mull I don’t want to hear that the Tobermory high school children call Ross of Mull minks. Bunessan and Ross of Mull If the new campus will be in Tobermory, meaning pupils from the Ross of Mull need to travel and board at Oban, the project will have failed. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Missing the teenagers. Go off island mid week. Nothing for kids to do at weekend – miserable. Bunessan and Ross of Mull If people have to travel from here to eg Craignure, that's actually a benefit because we will get access to 7am busses that everyone can use, not just school children. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Teachers could come over from mainland. Better options for teaching. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Mental health of families. Children crying on phone every night when in hostel. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Small hostel in Cragnure. Hostel in Tobermory worse scenario. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Swimming pool, rugby club in centre. Bunessan and Ross of Mull An island community impact assessment is critical. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Transport needs to allow for after school clubs. Timings are crucial, to allow equal access.
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48 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Bunessan and Ross of Mull Available space and resources to enable extra curricicular activities on site. Bunessan and Ross of Mull If it's a like for like, but there's an opportunity for the entire island to have a school that serves us all, we'll miss that once in a lifetime opportunity to get the best for all of us. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Can we have an island wide referendum on 1) suitability of early learning childcare / primary, high school single site. 2) Location of high school site. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Infrastruture for school: energy production and waste management, growing facilities for vegetables, further island wide services. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Vital to encompass not only educational but social and welfare facilities. Perfect opportunity to create an island hub that works for all communities, with the potential for interdisciplinary working. Bunessan and Ross of Mull A central location is key to enable more children and families to experience family life daily, especially in arguably their most challenging time in life. With the need for a new campus, this feels obvious: to allow more support daily for more kids. Bunessan and Ross of Mull People moving to Tobermory because kids go off island. Bunessan and Ross of Mull At present people move to Ross of Mull and decimate family structure. Bunessan and Ross of Mull It doesn't make sense to build a new high school in Tobermory in place of the old one. Instead, it should be built in Craignure where it is central, everyone can access it and it is supporting all children of Mull and Iona. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Growing population would boost population in Ross of Mull. Bunessan and Ross of Mull School based by transport hub to ensure children from any location / background can take part in after school clubs and grab the 5pm bus home. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Funding should be split, primary and early learning childcare in Tobermory, central high school. Bunessan and Ross of Mull I think there should be a high school built in Craignure and primary in Tobermory. That's fair on everyone. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Central location could improve hostel. Hostel is substandard. Bunessan and Ross of Mull If there is going to be a high school on Mull, it needs to be central (in Craignure). This way, everyone on the island can access is easily enough. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Bunessan people feel a school in Craignure would be best for young people on the island (Ross of Mull) . Bunessan and Ross of Mull If the secondary school is in Tobermory then that takes away choice from children in Bunessan. Bunessan and Ross of Mull If central location kids could go off island to do more curriculum.
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Appendix Three – Comments 49 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Bunessan and Ross of Mull Children from Ross of Mull shouldn’t have to go to Oban for high school as this cuts them off from their families and communities. They should have the option of continuing their schooling on the island. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Good for older kids to go to Oban – 15 and up. Bunessan and Ross of Mull 11 is too young to go off island. School in Craignure up to 15. Then Oban for high school. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Another consultation between 12-9 in Bunessan to provide a true representation of opinions. Bunessan and Ross of Mull There is no question of where it should be. Fair is a central location for all children on the island. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Would unite communities in the North and South. School big driver in those. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Like for like does not feel tenable. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Democratic opportunity to site in central location. Untenable not to have it central for families. Growth of Bunessan. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Can't support community if Tobermory site. Opportunity once in 60 years. Can't get social care. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Case study of family of this part island would be good to hear stories. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Current set up does not support young families. Affects doctors and dentists because don't want kids going off. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Bus transport, non compliant with UNCRC. Too long anywhere north of Salen. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Perception is Bunessan is an afterthought. Better education in Craignure. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Sympathetic staff in Tobermory. Understand family circumstances and emotion on families of going off island.
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50 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Bunessan and Ross of Mull As a [20-something] year old from the Ross of Mull I believe a high school in the middle of the island (Craignure) would be the fairest decision. It would encourage myself and other locals to stay on the island when we have our own children. Being from the south of Mull it is the norm we go to Oban High School, however if we had the opportunity to go to a high school in Craignure I am positive the majority would. There would still be the option for children from the north or south to go to Oban as well. Hopefully there would be enough teachers and subjects to encourage our children to stay if the high school was in the middle of the island. Most children travel to get to school if they’re on the mainland, so travelling to get to school on Mull should not be an issue. Travelling morning and afternoon is what every child does to get to school, just because it would be a few extra miles it would still be better than being away from your family all week in Oban. A central high school would allow children from the whole island to get to know one another. It would be nice to prioritise the whole island for a change not just the north. I strongly believe it should only be a high school and all nurseries and primaries should stay put. Bunessan and Ross of Mull The campus should be built so it’s accessible to all the island, Garmony, Craignure, children’s wellbeing should be taken into consideration, I was one of the unfortunate child that had to go to Oban, the impact of that is with me all my life, homesickness, loneliness, scared, basically you are in a hostel for five years at the age of 11 and a half to look after yourself, bullying is the worst, mental physical, [...] we should have a choice. I think with a central school education would be better more variety better sports facilities, with nearly 100 houses being built in Craignure a lot of people would move to the island if a school was central, the roads shouldn’t be an issue as there is enough tourist buses travelling. Another point I’d like to make, the borders have reduced there week by shutting the school early on a Friday, breaks are all reduced so children still have the same education time, it saves on power, I have been told that this has been a great success, something to think about, I feel schools should be for education and what’s best for the children, being at home in your own bed, [...] mentioned in a meeting he can sleep in his own bed, well it’s time he thought of children not being in their own bed for up to six years.
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Appendix Three – Comments 51 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Bunessan and Ross of Mull [I wanted] to get my thoughts down on paper to show why I feel it is important that there is a single secondary campus for Mull. The building of a campus for secondary learning for all of the children would be the single biggest opportunity in not only education, but social, cultural and business benefits for generations. There also needs to be clear understanding of the benefit in having extra space planned in to allow co-location of other services and functions in the future, and not just shoehorn what is needed now into a tight space. The Ross of Mull is currently a very different place to most of the UK during school week days in that there are no (unless home schooled) teenagers present at all. This means their connections at so many levels are with Oban and the mainland from age 11 or 12. It also means the reverse – they have little if any connection with their peers that live to the North of Mull. That continues through their adult life – if they choose to remain on Mull. However, it is clear that the demographics show that the majority do not stay because they already have strong mainland links. I also feel that primary education has to take place close to where families live and the clear need to maintain primary and pre-school in Tobermory is very clear as well. We need to see this in the longer term and not just the next 10 years – we need to be looking 25 and even 50 years into the future. There would be massive benefit in terms of more well paid jobs, better community integration, better links for all between North and South Mull – and so much more. It would really help with the efforts to encourage families to remain on the Ross and not just be a place where folk from away come to retire. I do understand that the current financial climate and indeed the terms of the funding makes it challenging but I'm also sure that there are other ways to approach this. Bunessan and Ross of Mull [...] I would of love to live back in Bunessan on Mull but the main reason is I don't want to send my children off to Oban High School and into the hostel! [...] The school needs to be central!! I don't know anyone from the other end of the island! My friends have now moved back to Mull and still don't have a close knit of friends because they went to Oban High School! Businesses aren't being passed down to families because they don't want to live in the Ross because there is no high school! it is not sustainable to send children to Oban and the Ross is going to become a place for people to retire with lots more second homes and the rest of the island overcrowded!!!!!!!! A Mull campus should be fit the whole island!!!!!
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52 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Bunessan and Ross of Mull I think the site needs to be able to accommodate all the school age children of Mull and Iona. There’s no point in building a new campus is kids on the Ross of Mull and Iona are still not able to attend. The cost of buses, ferries and hostel accommodation for kids transported to Oban must be taken into account. The kids from the Ross and Iona being separated from your family at such a young age is detrimental to families with other kids at primary school. Children living in Oban Mon-Fri are separated from their siblings, extended family and their local community. Tobermory may have the highest population but that shouldn’t dictate where the school should be. Instead it should include all children. There may well be more buses on the roads but this can benefit the wider community who should be able to use these buses too. It must be cheaper to run buses on a daily basis than it is to pay for buses, ferries and the hostel for kids. Ideally, it would be better to have a primary school in Tobermory – but in the end the campus needs to benefit the whole of Mull and not just the majority. Families in the Ross and Iona often leave the area because they just don’t want their children being away from home five days a week. Bunessan and Ross of Mull There is not enough space in this box for anyone to share their thoughts! Check out The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 and also consider need for an Island Community Impact Assessment. Formal responses to both of these requirements should be published for all to see the Council's position. It seems clear to many that the campus must necessarily span two sites if plans are to comply with childrens rights in law. Bunessan and Ross of Mull The new campus should be accessible to all islanders and therefore central to island in the Craignure area. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Available to children island wide, so central to allow Ross of Mull children to go. Bunessan and Ross of Mull Ability to access after school clubs. Bunessan and Ross of Mull The site should be located to allow secondary education on a daily commute basis to every child on Mull Bunessan and Ross of Mull There are two main reasons why the campus should be accessible to ALL resident areas on Mull and Iona. Firstly, the children's education and social life should not be unduly affected by where they live on Mull or Iona – the choice must be non-discriminatory. Secondly, it is VITAL for these islands to attract people for employment at all levels, without which the demographic will just simply get older and older and become unsustainable. It is self-evident that the majority of the candidates for the vast majority of opportunities, and particularly professionals and health/social care workers, will have children of school age and the lack of schools on the islands for all ages is a MAJOR reason for them not to come.
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Appendix Three – Comments 53 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Bunessan and Ross of Mull As the campus is intended to serve the whole of Mull and also Iona, it is vital that it is built in a spot which is accessible to all – this would be the Craignure area. The travelling time between Fionnphort and Tobermory is roughly two hours each way, making it unfeasible for adult education, let alone children. A central location such as Craignure would mean that the secondary school children from the Ross of Mull and Iona would no longer need to board in Oban during the week. This is a once in several generations opportunity to redress the balance and unite the whole of the islands. The current system destroys family life, plus it removes children from the support of their home environment at far too early an age. I wonder if the mental health aspect has been considered? I understand that new legislation recently came in which confirms children's rights to live with their parents – see article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the rights of the Child (Scotland) Act 2024. We know many families who have moved away rather than subject their children to this situation. We also hear stories of children phoning home in tears for months if not years. I realise that the Iona parents are worried about their children missing schooling if they attend a high school on Mull – but there are ways round this. For example, a 'buddying' system with a pupil living in Mull, whereby the Iona child would stay with the family if the ferry wasn't running would be ideal as it would strengthen links between Mull and Iona families. I am appalled that you are stating categorically that you will not build a primary/Early learning school in Tobermory. My understanding of the LEIP funding is that this would still be possible if the will was there on the part of Argyll & Bute Council. Despite claims made to me at one of the drop-ins, it is simply a fact that if you build the campus in Tobermory you are not fulfilling the promises you made in the LEIP bid. Please reconsider the idea of splitting the campus into a High School in Craignure, with a separate school for primary and ELC in Tobermory. The siting of the High School in Criagnure also has the advantage that teachers could easily come over from Oban for the day. Likewise pupils could more easily attend classes at Oban High in specific subjects. Don’t forget also that a large housing scheme is due to be built in Craignure soon, which will surely increase the number of pupils resident in that area. One final word about the community of the Ross of Mull where I have lived for [several decades] – the fact that our youngsters have to go away to Oban to school impacts on the entire community. Not only do we effectively lose our young people from the age of about 11, we also find that it is impossible to attract for example a GP who wants to live here. Anyone with the choice wants their children to live within the family! For that reason our demographic leans heavily towards older folk who are already retired. A new high school campus in Craignure would breathe new life into the Ross of Mull.
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54 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Bunessan and Ross of Mull A new High School Campus is clearly needed on the island as well we know that the is failing our young people in many ways. I see there are several sites to be considered but also note that, any site chosen other than Tobermory, will mean that there will be NO funding for an ELC or Primary School. This would suggest that it is a done deal then and, yet again, those living on the southern part of the island will lose out potentially. A solution to perhaps consider would be to sell the High School site and finance a new ELC and Primary School from this pot? We are led to believe that "under the current LEIP funding conditions" it would not be possible to split the Primary and ELC site from the new High School site, as is currently the case. All other areas on the island have primary schools. Bunessan and Ross of Mull As outlined in my written submission, it seems that the legal Rights of Children have been effectively neglected in assumptions about criteria for suitable sites, which would exclude Tobermory from consideration except for pre and primary school age children. Failure to factor in potential for significant costly delays pending judicial review of key issues would reflect very badly on Argyll and Bute Council, so please seek legal advice and publish it before finalising decisions about any sites which are not daily accessible to all secondary students on Mull. Likewise there is certain to be some keen local interest in the Council's Island Communities Impact Assessment, ahead of any decisions being finalised re. siting the new campus. I do not feel that either of these important considerations have been acknowledged or addressed in any Campus Team communications to the communities it purports to serve, to the best of my knowledge. The Council should surely be obliged to present the most authoritative advice it receives concerning Children’s Rights and Island Community Impact Assessments for early review by the ‘Sounding Board’, to allow for possible appeals by local parties potentially disadvantaged by exclusion from decision making. I would add that this approach to inviting communities to express our views falls far short of best practise, entailing a much more collaborative co-productive approach to gathering views on the online feedback form than a small text box allowing just a small portion of a single line of text to be reviewed by each respondent.
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Appendix Three – Comments 55 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Bunessan and Ross of Mull The current high school in Tobermory is in very poor condition, and cannot meet island wide needs due to its position in the far north of the island. I would like to share with you my concerns about the current proposals. Following the Argyll and Bute community engagement event at Bunessan Hall on 25 September regarding the Island wide campus my thoughts are 1 There is one reason why Tobermory School site is not fit for purpose – the neglect and lack of investment of Argyll and Bute Council. 2 ABC are suggesting that the LEIP funding is ‘like for like’ ie 2-18 yrs educational provision on one single site as currently exists in Tobermory. 3 The needs of our islands communities is not for a like for like substitute, however this may suit its current users. 4 LEIP funders say that there could be adjustments to the proposals, which it appears ABC are reluctant to pursue because of impacts on timescales. 5 ABC are reluctant to pursue dual sites for the ELC/primary and high school functions because of the cost of providing two catering and gym facilities. 6 Should an island wide campus (ie ELC/primary/high school) be based outside of Tobermory this would be detrimental to: 1 the community of Tobermory – because all of its children will have to travel out of the town to attend any educational provision; 2 the other existing primary schools who would have their catchment areas changed 7 It appears that ABC are latching onto this LEIP funding to meet their own property portfolio failings rather than to meet the needs of our Island wide community. 8 Why can’t ABC start at the concept of what it aims to achieve and then work from there? Rather than forcing through their proposal over the community’s needs. 9 Central to the core concept of an Island wide campus is the concept of it being accessible to all users, which are different for ELC, primary and high school pupils. If the site is based in Tobermory it will by default be inaccessible to a wider body of students – but the council would get a building that the council can wear as a feather in its cap – perpetuating the situation where families move away from already underpopulated areas in order to live with their children as they access high school. 10 The offer effectively pitches the community of Tobermory against the rest of the island due to its need for a local primary school.
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56 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption (Cont’d) 11 Like for like cannot meet island wide needs. Would it not be better for Argyll and Bute Council to initiate a community consultation for education need on the island, plan what is appropriate and then seek funding to enable the plan. The current offer seems to see a pot of money, and think about how it can spend it. This is not helpful to the island, its pupils or its future. Whilst I fully support the development of fuller education availability on the island this process is in the wrong order and being poorly executed and does not have my support. I think an island impact assessment should be completed as part of this process. Bunessan and Ross of Mull I think it is important we focus on a central location to give all the children who live on Mull and Iona to have the same privilege as children in the north of the Island. I can not think of any other Scottish island with a high school that is not designated for all the children. I think we need to stop discussing a 2 to 18 school as it seems obvious that it would need to be in Tobermory. I think Tobermory should have a primary school and early learning centre. The high school would need to be in the Craignure area, so that all island children can attend. This could also help with shared teachers from Oban High. Craignure Community facilities – sports, indoor / outdoor, swings, and for the elderly too. Craignure Staggered project – High School is most important. Craignure Travel costs for ELC children paying for petrol from Tobermory to central location is not sensible. Need more ELC across island. Craignure Environmental impact of travel is a consideration. Nursery kids going from Lochdon to Salen. Craignure Central location. Community school – college, primary (possible). Not ELC. Craignure Would like sports facility – no need for swimming pool. Arrangements with Craignure village hall. Craignure Prefer to keep primary and nursery at Tobermory. Craignure Site large enough that there is enough of interest to keep pupils on site at lunch time. Craignure Central on island. Families being together during the week. Kids missing family. Craignure Big island – why should it be anywhere else than the centre? Don't move current primary school. Craignure Garmony would be ideal. Sports facilities harnessed and easy access for everybody. Craignure If off island, not seeing friends at the weekend. In 1970s, consideration of high school in the centre. Craignure Reduce the impact / decant disruption on the existing pupils (which would happen if it's built on the existing site) Craignure Easier acces for teachers and other staff to come across from Oban each day. Craignure Community facilities in campus – gym, college, nursery.
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Appendix Three – Comments 57 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Craignure That it happens! Craignure Site big enough to generate own electricity. Craignure Leave primary and nursery in Tobermory if buildings can be improved. Craignure Central island high school, primary in Tobermory. Craignure Access to historic sites, nature etc in a variety of locations for young learners. This would need more ferries so people don't have to travel too far, eg in school buses. Craignure Middle of the island so ALL children from Mull can go to a Mull school. Craignure Rugby club, swimming pool, ferry terminal in Craignure so this should be where the school is. Craignure Want retail (Co-op and Morrisons central too). Craignure Salen would be central location. Craignure Share rugby pitches – facilities for sports. Craignure Online for college. Craignure Family unit – don't want children leaving island. Craignure Location – very accessible. Green field site. Ross children leaving island. Craignure Ideal location at Garmony. North of rugby club. FLS. Craignure First and foremost, I believe the campus has to serve the island as a whole, therefore must be accessible for travel from all parts of Mull and has to be located in the Craignure area. Near the ferry allowing staff to travel at times to teach subjects that may not be covered by full time members. It seems really sensible to cater for all young on Mull. [...] Many other benefits are obvious: near the swimming pool, near the rugby pitches which are excellent, the flattest and biggest playing fields on the island. It would foster a togetherness across the whole island. Craignure Divided community – Tobermory don't think rest of island exists. Craignure Central site, community growth, all children growing up together. Craignure Perhaps a suitable site in and around Craignure. Ferry connections. Craignure Good access to public transport and existing amenities / facilities. Craignure ELC - Tobermory. Infants and P1-P4 – Salen (move Gaelic medium). P4-7, High and college – Craignure / Garmony. Craignure Not acceptable to bus nursery kids 20 miles. Craignure Central location. Two centre – ELC and primary, separate secondary. Craignure Ideal location next to house (TSL) development in Craignure. Geographically a good site. Craignure If part of the wider socio-economic view, a high school centrally located would help re-population in Ross of Mull. Craignure Concern if this is done in education silo. One site, and that site will inevitably be in Tobermory. Craignure Council tax receipts. Community cohesion. Avoid depopulation. Craignure A centrally located high school would have a bigger roll than Tobermory High School and would be able to offer more subject areas.
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58 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Craignure Important spaces: adult education (evening), gym. Get info from community swimming pool to compare with gym use. Craignure Gym already in Columba in Fionnphort (market research). People at Aros Hall previously had a gym. Craignure Market research for Rugby players – Garmony. Craignure Access to after school facilities. Craignure Travel is very important – much more tiring and has more impact for ELC and early primary years. Craignure Enough parking for staff and parents. Craignure Facilities in a modern school – accessibility, security, water tight. Craignure PE facilities for primary and secondary. Athletic facilities. Secure from public. Craignure Improving social cohesion between the north and south / reducing the sense of a divide between communities. Craignure Centralisation of a campus that can support the whole community. Craignure Central island = development. Potential for central hub housing, facilities. Craignure Easy transport links for pupils and staff. Craignure Plan B: ELC stays in Tobermory. 4-7 in central location. Catchment area review. Salen used for Tobermory infants. Craignure Balance what's more impactful – day to day travel of pupils north to south, or off island? Craignure Health and safety issue – wake at 5.30am to go to school in Iona. Don’t be away for five days. Craignure Existing facilities – rugby, hospital. Craignure Central school would bring community together – less division. Craignure Central location – stop kids going off island (tired). Craignure If in Tobermory it’s not a 'Mull Campus' – not accessible for Mull. Craignure Tobermory High not in right location. Craignure Aim to [upset] the least people! Craignure What’s right? Affordable; moral; for best of communities. Craignure Central location will repopulate island – development company housing. Craignure Learn from decisions of 60s and 70s – pier in Craignure, pool in Craignure, Hospital. Need central hub. Craignure Central location could attract teaching staff. Craignure Outdoor facilities. Craignure Transport links – bus, parking, drop-off zone. Craignure Keep primary and ELC in Tobermory (new site out of town acceptable). Craignure VR / Tech links. Craignure Community use not to dimish school facilities, ie current library. Craignure Community facilities, library, conference space, accessible building.
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Appendix Three – Comments 59 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Craignure A site accessible to most amount of people (within 30-40 minutes), not necessarily where the majority of the population live (ie central). Craignure Perception of north vs south divide. Craignure Accessible to the most amount of children. Craignure No change to catchment areas. Stay put, but be a better school. Craignure Can't be right that kids in the south can't stay on the island. Craignure Plenty of outdoor space. Craignure Closer to Craignure would allow teachers to travel. Craignure A community school for the entire community. Good facilities will entice more staff options. Craignure Suitable spaces for sports, after school clubs, and all weather sports field + natural if possible. Craignure Enhance links with local residents for eg intergenerational activities and learning. Craignure Higher quality outdoor space for play and sport. Craignure A site where housing can also be built with a condition of staff accommodation. Craignure Safe provision – roads and drop-off – for public transport. Craignure Don't want child travelling on a bus 15-20 minutes. If bus is supervised, then could be longer. Craignure What are the timescales realistically for actually building a new campus, and can the Council afford it? If not, then better not to waste time on this and look at other options. Craignure It would be lovely to incorporate facilities for families such as use of gym, we don't have one on Mull. Also use of school for adult education. Craignure Centrally located much more beneficial for all communities. Ross of Mull becomes included by more people wishing to live there, increases population, encourages more businesses etc. They become more included on the island. Craignure Centrally located allows access to other teachers from mainland. Offers better range of subjects available to all children instead of having to go to Oban for additional subjects. Craignure Communities south of Craignure will continue to become an aging community and suffer depopulation. Craignure Safe and organised drop off and collection. Craignure Central school would allow teachers from the mainland giving more diverse subject options. Craignure Central school would hopefully encourage improvement in infrastructure for the whole island. Craignure Children have a right to a family home life. Excessive commutes or boarding away denies them of this right. Craignure Suggest if central location such as Craignure then review of primary catchment areas would be required. Substantial new housing development in Craignure.
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60 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Craignure Consistent with other Argyll and Bute schools. Craignure Feel strongly that central location in Craignure would bring significant economic, social and infrastructural benefits to the whole island. Craignure Location of primary is less important than quality of education and staff. Craignure Central location for economic growth especially on the Ross of Mull. Craignure Good play equipment, chairs to sit out, smart panels. Craignure Online college facilities, community education hub. Craignure Central closer to ferry. Utilise transport to expand opportunities on the mainland. Craignure No one wants to take a primary out of Tobermory. Craignure Impact of travel on secondary children from Ross of Mull and Iona also significant. Craignure Consider location to suit whole of Mull including Ross and Iona. Realise this will mean travel for pupils from Tobermory but would be great to allow all children to learn on the island. Craignure Opportunity for after school clubs, ie sports. Craignure Central Craignure location could allow for access to / from Oban for teachers and students for educational and recreation purposes. Commutable ferry could also help facilitating potential recruitment challenges. Craignure If central location then could bring in teachers from mainland. Craignure Impact on south of island – central will enable communities to continue and possibly thrive. North of island may mean these communities die out. Craignure Ross of Mull vacant [of young people] Monday to Friday. Don’t want to lose the children off island. Craignure Make commute work for pupils – electric buses and purposeful (tables so they can work). Craignure Tobermory to a central location is only 40 minutes on the bus – that's not too far. More kids on the bus. Craignure Primary and nursery in Tobermory. Don't want to move it. Craignure Ask the rugby club and Isle of Mull Hotel where people travel from to access their central community facilities. Craignure I believe this could be an opportunity for children all across Mull and Iona to be educated closer to home and an opportunity also for children from the Ross of Mull to avoid travelling to the mainland for their secondary education. Craignure Believe consideration should be taken to split the campus between high school and primary and preschool. Multiple socio economic benefits to the high school being in a more central location however the assessment of this is impacted by the lack of primary and preschool remaining in Tobermory. I appreciate there are shared facilities such as dining hall but surely these are minimal in the overall budget.
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Appendix Three – Comments 61 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Craignure The Craignure area as its most central to the island and if staff are required from Oban its close to the ferry so no car will be required. Why can't it just be a secondary school as children of that age are capable of travelling on public transport. Craignure The campus should be in Tobermory where the majority of the population lives. Dervaig A Tobermory capus with halls of residence for kids from the south. Dervaig Point 4 – Dervaig and Salen Primary may not be able to take the Tobermory primary kids, so would also need enlargement. Dervaig Public bus route to Tobermory 80% funded by council as it is a school route – would that route continue to be viable if school relocates? Impact on community. Dervaig I don't think a 2-18 campus works well – Tobermory [current school] is not a good layout for young children. Dervaig I would like to see the new school uniting the north and south of the island. Dervaig Tobermory – Dervaig – Calgary bus route potential to be impacted if school moved. Dervaig School staff live locally – significant impact on them, potential to lose staff. Dervaig You state that all other primary schools on the island will be unaffected. Would Salen primary school remain functioning if the new campus were in Salen? Similarly with Loch Don and Craignure. Dervaig Potential to use school for adult learning / income generation outside school hours. Dervaig Most people on the mainland do not realise Mull is the 4th largest island in Britain. The travel time from one end to the other is equivalent to travelling from Glasgow to Dundee via Stirling and Perth. This has implications for being 'LOCAL' !!!!! Dervaig Would central location negativity affect the majority of young population with increased requirements to bus children to central school. Dervaig If a like for like campus is located outwith the Tobermory location, pre-school and primary school children from Tobermory will be unfairly discriminated against as they will have no alternative site school to attend. This assumes that smaller primary schools on the island will be unaffected, is this the case? Dervaig Our priorities for our children are firstly a purpose built school with disabled access and space for learning in a safe and spacious environment. Purpose built PE facilities including outside sport space. anything which encourages the pupils to mix more, and if possible increase the pupil numbers, so we would not be against the school being in Craignure. Especially if this meant that visiting teachers could commute over, and the same for pupils wishing to compete with sports, or inviting other schools over to compete with us in sports – having the site within walking distance of the main ferry would encourage this/access to swimming pool and other facilities.
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62 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Dervaig I’m keen to make sure that the views I shared at the Craignure Village Hall Meeting are included in the consultation. 1. I am in strong support for a new campus for Mull 2. I am certain that the best solution for the sustainability of the island population is for a 2 site campus NOT a single site campus. The decision taken at the outset of the bid for a single site option effectively ruled out selection of a site anywhere but in Tobermory and rendered the current call for sites redundant and even a sham in the eyes of some residents. 3. As the largest single settlement on the island, Tobermory must retain an ELC and Primary. That said, Tobermory only has around a third of the islands population. Hence my strong view that the High School should be in the vicinity of Craignure and that all the existing primary schools should remain operational. 4. The decision for the bid to be based on a single site 2-18 campus does not serve the best interests of the island population and is not in my view a sound decision. It is not ‘islands proof’ when considered against the content of the Islands Act. The decision to pre-select a single site 2-18 campus was taken without consideration of an Islands Community Impact Assessment which requires consultation with the affected community. The community was not consulted about the decision to pre-select the option of a single site 2-18 campus. So it is my view that the process being run by the Mull Campus Team is flawed from the very outset. 5. Here are some of my reasonings for favouring a High School in the Craignure area: a. To encourage families with children to live in the Ross of Mull, safe in the knowledge that their children will not be sent to the mainland during the week for their High School Education. I am certain that incoming families and returning families are put off living on the Ross of Mull by this single issue. I am aware of families who have left the Ross of Mull because they do not wish their children to go to the mainland for their High School Education. I strongly suspect that no families with children have moved to the Ross of Mull because they want to be separated from their children whilst they attend High School on the mainland. A&BC and the Scottish Government both have policy outcomes for reversing depopulation. The decision to pursue a single site 2-18 campus bakes in the certainty that the Ross of Mull will continue to face depopulation issues (because the only location for a single site 2-18 campus must be in Tobermory).
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Appendix Three – Comments 63 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption (Cont’d) b. By enrolling existing children from the Ross of Mull and attracting new families with children to the Ross of Mull, the number of children in a Craignure based High School will increase. In turn, this will increase the number of subjects on offer at a Craignure based High School compared to a Tobermory based High School, thereby improving educational outcomes for children from central and north Mull who would otherwise attend High school in Tobermory. c. Retaining High School age children from the Ross of Mull on the island, five days each week, 38 weeks a year will change the dynamics of the Ross of Mull Community which is currently devoid of high school age children during the school week. 6. The selection of a site should also take account of the current plans for 97 houses to be built in Craignure which will make a significant change to the demographics of the island and to the equation for considering carbon emissions from transporting children to High School from around the island. 7. In any case, it is my view that sooner or later, the buses on the island will be electrified and we have plenty of scope for integrating the charging of those electric buses with local renewable energy generation and battery storage schemes. 8. Ignoring the 97-house development in Craignure would be folly, both in terms of site selection and in terms of capacity of the school. I urge the Mull Campus team to consult [the Housing Strategy Manager] to ensure that housing developments planned by the Registered Social Landlords, Mull and Iona Community Trust, South West Mull and Iona Development and North West Mull Community Woodland Company are reflected in the design and capacity of the campus and the High School in particular – wherever the site eventually is selected. Dervaig The impact of closing all school provision in Tobermory is a backwards step. ELC and primary should remain, as it is in many of the other villages in the island. Wee children should not have to travel 35 miles for ELC or primary. The grant rules can easily be amended if the funding provider us minded to do so! Dervaig Continued accessibility for all children, so location is very important. But also the ability for the site to provide as many facilities for students as possible, eg sports, arts etc. The higher quality facilities will over time attract more families where variety and opportunities for teenagers in particular is so important and lacking on the islands. Dervaig I’m in support of a high school based centrally giving pupils from Iona and Ross of Mull the chance to remain in the island.
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64 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Dervaig Mull desperately needs a new high school, it is long overdue, and I believe that high school should be in a central location providing high school education for the whole island. This will give families in the south of the island more family time and go some way to decreasing the north-south divide that has always been present. However, to impose a condition that this must replace the Tobermory campus like- for-like is preposterous. The idea that provision of primary and preschool education in Tobermory be removed is very worrying as I believe this is just a means to try and centralise all the primary schools into one campus as well. This might have worked in Tiree and North Uist but the travel distances involved in Mull are far too long for young children. I say this as a parent whose child travelled from Dervaig to Salen Primary GMU. Even if a central primary campus is not an aim, the removal of the Tobermory campus will create all sorts of problems with catchment to neighbouring schools and increased travel times for very young pupils. What will also happen to public service buses that are currently subsidised to take high school children to Tobermory? Will Dervaig lose its bus service? I can’t see how a new campus can be built on the existing site in Tobermory, it shouldn’t happen, but neither should the removal of 2-11 education in Tobermory should a new school be built elsewhere. It would be criminal if this condition of building like-for-like and abandoning Tobermory Primary School ends up scuppering the whole project. Mull needs a new, centralised HIGH school, and Tobermory needs an independent primary school. Dervaig The new Campus for Mull and its surrounding islands is perhaps the most important development for the sustainability of island life to happen for decades. It is critical for all our communities that we get it right. Consideration of proximity to existing facilities and services such as sports, swimming and the ferry service are important. Accessibility to the whole island, and potentially Iona pupils should they wish, ought to be considered a high priority. The potential for adding new and improved sport facilities such as a running track and other fitness and training spaces should be considered important. Application/ options for additional 'bolt on' funding should be explored at an early stage. Community organisations, clubs and individuals would work with the Campus Team to look at what could be added on. If the Campus really is to be a 'Community' campus then adding other facilities for all the community makes sense and the team need to look creatively at maximising the options for creation of other useful services/ spaces – based on community feedback now and over the coming period. Finally – for any future request for feedback it would be helpful to have a more user friendly interface than a single bar input such as this current set up. Thanks for considering my thoughts.
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Appendix Three – Comments 65 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Dervaig In order to make an informed decision on site selection we need data. We have none, we are told we don't need to get bogged down in the detail at this stage, I totally disagree. There is a feeling that the only safe choice is to opt for a Tobermory location so that the ELC and Primary isn't lost/closed. This defeats the purpose of the engagement. Data could therefore be being collected that does not reflect the true feelings of the community. There is a feeling in the community our views don't count and they won't be conscientiously taken into consideration when determining the location of the campus. We also not heard the youth voice for instance they may not want to stay in hostels and may want to go home every night. There are various documents on education from the past that demonstrate a more transparent relationship between Council and community. Documents from the education team in the 80's for instance state the consequences of extending Tobermory and the rights of children to still attend Oban High School. The uproar about the recent Gaelic Consultation and how the questions were drafted and the ongoing Helensburgh planning fiasco are just two worrying examples of recent poor Council process. Community members have been highlighting how their views were sought re Dunaros and how badly let down they were. There is a sense this is all being rushed and why couldn't we have considered sites sooner and also if an extension has been requested from Scottish Government for the project. So many things will affect a decision about location the socio-economic impact for both Mull & Iona, travel times, the possible review of catchment areas, future population projections etc etc. All needs this to be considered. While this is early days and is ‘engagement’ not ‘consultation’ I think we are being asked to make one of the biggest decisions of our lifetime on scant information and I believe that is unacceptable. What is heartening is the dialogue our communities are having shows they see the need for compromise some are already asking how do we save Tobermory ELC and Primary but we are happy for the Ross of Mull parents/carers to have a central school for their children. Ross of Mull parents don’t want Tobermory to lose their ELC & Primary. It is clear that the Council has a remit, a 2-18 single campus, the cheapest option but that is not necessarily what the community wants or what is best for the long-term sustainability of our islands. Given the impact previous decisions about location have had on our communities they including on their well- being of one would have expected Council Officers to have been briefed on this or to have undertaken some preliminary research about this. It is not evident this has happened or if there have been any socio-economic studies etc.
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66 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption (Cont’d) There is a great deal on paper about the needs of Mull & Iona over the decades which when studied seems to suggest we have the same problems today that we had decades ago including an issue with Government funding. It is like deja vu. Is this coincidence or is it that that suffcient commitment hasn’t been made to resolve the issues our islands face, that there needs to be better listening to the communities affected by Council decisions. I expected much more from the process it is important to be fully informed as early as possible, we aren’t. Personally in determining a site I think we need honesty (what is really possible), openess (what are the impacts), listening I believe is KEY. It was recently indicated to me that community members feel the Mull Campus Team were planting seeds in community members heads about moving certain year groups out of Salen etc. I hope this was not the case. There is a real concern that this equals rationalisation of schools and if a central campus does happen as it seems many want that it will be at the cost of our primaries and rural communities. These feelings are generated by previous poor process and to get past that the communities involved/most affected need more transparency. Included as they should be they are fantastic and can find ways to save money and raise it to but this isn’t currently being promoted. I am afraid its to early for this makes people think you have something up your sleeve I am not saying that is the case. The community wants to help but there is a feeling we are being held at arms length and a fear about what is possibly be going to be imposed on them and sold as their choice. Dervaig It depends whether you are just looking to replace the existing school, or if you're taking this opportunity to reform the education system for Mull families. Just replacing the school will mean building it in upper Tobermory. Otherwise, re-siting a high school more centrally, to include children from Ross of Mull and Iona, would make [sense]. Obviously this would mean running a network of buses to and from the school, and building a replacement primary school in Tobermory. Iona Educational opportunities. Would they have more on Mull. Iona Need guarantee from A&BC that Iona high school pupils continue to receive FUNDED travel and accommodation to Oban regardless of new Mull campus location. Iona No engagement from Iona without a GUARANTEE that Oban option is available and FUNDED, whatever comes of Mull decision. Iona Make sure the way things are for Iona children doesn't get lost in the wider conversation. Iona You need to make it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR to everyone that if the HIGH school moves from Tobermory, they will have NO educational facility left there – no primary or ELC. People don't understand, and they might not read the website or the letters, and they really need to know this as clearly as possible.
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Appendix Three – Comments 67 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Iona These are the circumstances in which I would CONSIDER sending our children to a HIGH school on Mull: Campus located at Craignure or further south; a range of facilities equal or better to those in Oban; Ferry running 5am-10pm RELIABLY all year; double track road between Fionnphort and campus location. Is all that likely to happen? I think not. Iona Essential to retain existing catchment area for Oban, with existing funding. Iona We know our children can access after-school clubs in Oban. We want that, and we don't think they will be able to access such clubs if they go to school on Mull. Iona What educational benefits would we get even if it were somewhere like Fionnphort – it wouldn't benefit us. Iona Travel would not be funded if we have to travel / choose to make a placement request…? How would that work? Iona Can't guarantee after-schools [clubs]. P7 big fish in small pond. Iona Regardless of where the campus goes, if it is on Mull, we are not interested in anything other than a guarantee our children can continue to go to Oban. Iona Important to have single option of Oban High for Iona pupils to maintain equality. More opportunities available – educational and social – less travel impact. Iona We feel it's not really worth offering any sites around Ross, as we know full well nobody from Tobermory would travel down here. Iona Oban places MUST be fully funded – travel etc. Iona Travel times – too long every day. Iona CalMac ferry must run later to help with after-school clubs. Iona After-school activities not beneficial unless additional / later ferry availability. Iona How would a central school provide travel (out of hours) for Iona children? Additional bus and ferry services would be required. Iona Travelling long distances for any children with additional needs / neurodivergence is very difficult. Iona Are there no rules about how far – or how LONG – children can travel to school? Iona It's so important for their development to experience life in a town, get to socialise, see the world, make friends. We know they get to do that in Oban. Iona If the school were in Bunessan, that would be commutable for us. But not really anwhere else. Iona It's priceless to get my son home every day for a hug, but it would be selfish of me to demand he stays on Mull when he gains so much by going to Oban. Iona We need GUARANTEES. We need to KNOW that Oban stays on the table. There is NO conversation until we know where we stand. Iona A hostel on Mull would be an even WORSE option. It needs to be Oban – otherwise we get the worst of both worlds. Iona If you can come back to us with a guarantee that Oban remains the catchment for Iona, there's no need to come back and talk to us again – that's what we want.
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68 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Iona Even if it were closer, we would not benefit from after-school clubs, sports etc because the ferry would leave too early for our kids to participate. Iona We want to know, first and foremost, about what will happen to the catchments and where our children will go to school. Iona The Gaelic unit has a different catchment / way of funding – it doesn't seem fair things are funded differently. Iona It is absolutely vital that, regardless of where the school is situated, Iona kids have an assurance that funded places in Oban are still available. Iona In tiny island community, the benefit of after-school organised activities is paramount for development in secondary school. This happens in Oban and wouldn't happen if children are spending hours on travel. Iona Further than Fionnphort or Bunessan not feasible for Iona. Iona We need a guarantee that Oban High and hostel will not be taken away. This includes the funding! Iona Regardless of where the campus is on Mull, I would like a guarantee that Oban High School would be fully funded HOSTEL AND TRAVEL for kids on Iona. I don't believe a Mull campus, regardless of whether it is in Tobermory or Bunessan, would be able to offer our kids equal or better opportunities than those available in Oban. Currently: education, subject choices, extra-curricular activities, exposure to the wider world, larger peer group, less daily travel time. I believe the funding would be better spent updating the hostel facilities in Oban. On a small island, Oban is an essential stepping stone to the rest of the world. A Mull campus cannot deliver this. Iona If there is a review of catchment areas, is it possible for Iona to be in two (ie Mull and Oban)? Iona Regardless of site, we need a guarantee that Iona children will still be able to attend Oban High in the same fully funded way as at present. Iona Vital as parents on Iona, we are assured that despite plans for a Mull campus, we will continue to be in the Oban catchment area with funded travel and hostel. Iona Believe that sending a child from Iona to a Mull campus set up is a life with difficulties logistically, financially and would limit my childs access to host of opportunities. Iona By the time the kids get to 17 they are ready to experience bigger places / meet different and more people and have more opportunities. Iona The challenge of the short ferry journey to and from Iona on a daily basis, especially in winter, is not feasable. It’s bad enough worrying about it twice a week. Iona [...] the support on offer in a bigger school is a major factor in where I would send [my child]. Iona No matter where the new campus will be, there needs to be a fully funded place in Oban for all Iona pupils!!
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Appendix Three – Comments 69 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Iona After school clubs – would they be available to the children? Bus – ferry Iona What happens if the ferry is off by the time they get to Iona? Iona Vital to retain option of children wanting to attend Oban – more opportunities and less distruption using Oban ferry weekly than Iona ferry daily. Iona Iona is at the edge of all provisions. They benefit more from mainland provision with all the opportunities that brings. Travelling long distances to Mull schools everyday and being unable to access after school opportunities is of no benefit whatsover. Iona Unique small communities must be listened to individually and not lumped together. Its worrying how little understanding there is about detrimental travelling to Mull school would be a for Iona pupils at this stage in the process. Iona Roads are fragile. Busy on bus. Escort on busses. Iona To keep unique rural populations healthy – design of provisions needs to consider their unique challenges – geographical infastructure, not assume an easy answer. Oban though further away offers more benefits to Iona young people and a more solid educational provision. Ferry distruption would be a daily reality rather than twice a week consideration. Iona It is wholly irrelevant where the Mull campus is sited – what is relevant to Iona is that the choice to go to Oban is financially safeguarded in catchment for Oban. Iona It is imperative that Iona young people are considered according to their unique need and context, which are significanly different to the Mull population. Need a team 'champion' who is fully informed. Iona If forced to send to a Mull campus – then this is not a choice. For Iona children a school on Mull excludes them from sports and clubs. Iona When ferry is off on a Monday why do the Iona children at Oban High School not video link into the actual lessons rather than Google classroom? Iona It's a rite of passage to go to Oban, this is what our children want to continue. Iona Risk of losing families from Iona if children are expected to travel 2-3 hours per day. Iona The community of Iona want to be removed from the process. Iona Hostel on Mull would offer less social and other opportunities outside of school hours. Iona No advantage to Iona having school on Mull over Oban. More travel time, more affected by ferry cancellations. Iona Iona kids right of passage is to go to hostel. Want to go to the after school (clubs), don't want to replace with being on bus. Iona Is the environmental impact of so many children and staff travelling daily being considered? Iona What is a reasonable daily travel for the early years? Primary? High school? Iona Exhuasting every week going to Craignure. Experience is important. Iona Only interested in can kids still go to Oban? Iona Travelling on single track roads – not twice a day.
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70 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Iona Also expressed was the view that an essential benefit of attending Oban High for Iona based pupils is the interaction that town living brings and Hostel life is a very useful schooling in its own right. The more 'cosmopolitan' mix of pupils foster key life lessons and skills. Iona While outwith the scope of this exercise, a rebuild of the Oban hostel would be a very worth while project. Iona I would agree with views expressed verbally today that key points for parents on Iona are that a fully funded travel hostel option in Oban remains, ie Iona remains in Oban's catchment area, with current economic arrangements. Iona Could a campus on Mull offer the same educational and social advntage of going to Oban? Iona Oban High and Oban as a whole is a far better option in all regards! Iona Anything that might discourage people from wanting to remain, settle or return to the isle of Iona (and Mull) must be avoided. To remove Oban as the High School option for Iona primary school leavers would precipitate a culture of less assistance of a vital school life for Iona pupils and therefore their parents – this might lead to depopulation of a key element of our demographic. Iona I worry for the mental and physical wellfare of the children, what with travel, lack of activities and social situations which are vital at that age. Iona The right for Iona children to access Oban High School and hostel must be preserved. Iona Very worried that Oban places won't be funded. Please confirm that Iona pupils WILL be in Oban catchment with funded places. Iona A placement request isn't funded, so it's just NOT an option for most of us. We will LOSE families and children from Iona if Oban is no longer a funded option. Iona We feel we've had a stonewall. We have been asking for guarantees that Oban will remain the funded option for us, for over two years. We have NOT been given the information we need to respond to any engagement, because we have no idea that is happening. If we know we can stay at Oban, then this becomes a decision for Mull, as it should be. Iona It's not acceptable to make young children travel long distances. Who is carrying out the travel impact assessment? It needs to take into account time, wellbeing, social impact – much more than just about distances. Iona Effect on enviornment / carbon of increased travel needs a full impact assesment. Iona You're going through a very quick process to find sites. At what point are you going to do a thorough review of the impact on island communities, travel times, etc? Iona Want a guarantee that can access Oban. Iona I would love to give my child a hug but want to give my child experiences.
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Appendix Three – Comments 71 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Iona We weren't asked by the sounding board for our opinions so were not able to feed into this process. We feel the timing of this engagement is not accessible and inclusive, and we HAVE NOT been given enough information to make informed decisions, despite asking for assurances from the council for years about the position re: funded places for our children at Oban. The process is flawed if we do not have suitable information. Not in line with national standards for engagement. Iona 28 days would have been mission by ferry, bad weather. Iona Teenage life spent on a bus. Out grow here (Iona). Iona Busses from Iona is too far. Iona Iona has to remain in the Oban catchment area. Iona For Iona parents and grandparents are probably less concerned about the siting of a new Mull 2-18 campus because it could not offer all that Oban does (not just facilities but town life as an education / life skills) and travel would be unhealthy due to distance, duration and reliant on weather disruptions. The Mull campus should be decided about by Mull residents. Iona As an Iona parent of both an Oban High and an Iona primary school pupil I have concerns about Iona being included in this consultation. I would prefer an assurance that we remain in the Oban high catchment – and that hostel and travel will still be funded. Regardless of the site chosen on Mull, Iona-based pupils would still face a lengthy daily commute therefore missing out on after school activities and spending up to three hours a day on a bus (if say Craignure was as chosen site). The Iona ferry is often subject to cancellation which would negatively impact on attendance. When you choose to raise a child on Iona it isn’t an easy option to send them off to board at 12 – however they get so much out of the experience, to replace this with a lengthy daily commute isn’t in anyone’s best interests. Iona Iona residents MUST have a fully funded option to continue the status quo. Iona Travel time to get to school for Iona children. Lochdonhead It feels better having it in a more central location between Craignure and Salen. Lochdonhead Primary schools are the heart of every community here, they are so special. How will this affect the other primaries? Concern that they may be closed. Lochdonhead Why were we not asked about whether a 2-18 campus would work for us, before the funding was discussed? Lochdonhead Can Salen cope with the extra children? We have one primary in Lochdon and one in Salen, and most of those kids live there. So even if the Tobermory kids came to Salen, and the catchment lines were revised, how on earth could you send Salen kids out of their home area to another primary, while they watch kids come from Tobermory to go into their local school? It just doesn't make any sense.
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72 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Lochdonhead A more central location would be much more convinient for us, for high school. But I'm concerned you're adding a lot of travelling for Tobermory primary and ELC If the 2-18 campus is moved somewhere else. Lochdonhead Could you not split the funding for a primary in Tobermory and high school somewhere else? A primary would not have to have a load of sports pitches etc… The other primaries here don't have that. Reduce the spec of the primary and spend the money on a better high school, if you can't afford to build both with full facilities. Lochdonhead It will be amazing to have a secondary campus, even if it stays in Tobermory. But it makes no sense to move both. Tobermory needs primary provision. Lochdonhead Is there any possibility the campus could be split? I don't think people realised we were talking about more than just a high school. It's put a different spin on things – I'd love a more central high school but I'd hate for Tobermory to be left without primary. Lochdonhead I'm worried that this will result in other primary schools being closed, if they are near the new campus. Lochdonhead Worry is when new campus is built you will close other primary schools. Lochdonhead What's important is outdoor space, gym hall, more curriculum options, football / netball pitches. Lochdonhead A central location would be great, but I also worry that Tobermory loses pre-5 and primary. Lochdonhead The new site needs suitable parking – for teachers and visitors. Lochdonhead It would be ideal having breakfast and after school clubs available. Lochdonhead Sufficient space to deliver PROPER sports facilities outside – both kids and adults need these facilities. Lochdonhead Children south of Craignure should have the option to be educated on the island. Lochdonhead How will we guarantee enough teachers? Will accomodation be provided? Lochdonhead I really think it's about time the kids south on the island are thought of. [My child] is so worried about traveling to high school, she will get picked up at 7.20am taken to the main road for the bus to then travel to Tobermory she will then not get home until after 17.00 how is that fair? I really think If the high school goes in Tobermory again we will have to move off the island we will hardly see her otherwise, getting home so late and up so early when will she find the time to revise in what will be the most important years of her life and setting her up for the world outside of school. Our roads from where we live are not gritted, they are single track and dangerous every year cars go off with the ice or/and snow, this will mean they will have to leave even earlier to make sure they get the bus on time. Please please think of the kids that have to travel or stay in Oban, they deserve to have their kids at home for these important years.
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Appendix Three – Comments 73 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Lochdonhead The main issue is making sure every child on the island is able to attend a high school on the island. No child should have to go off island and be away from home at such a young age all week, every week to be able to get an education. A more central location would benefit everyone. Lochdonhead Adjacent to ferry port and central to all of the island residents. Lochdonhead Travel times – currently Lochbuie are travelling four hours a day to attend Tobermory High School. Lochdonhead It is critical for the sustainability of the Island that a central school is built. A way needs to be found to split the campus and keep all primary in Tobermory. If Tobermory primary closes, everyone will assume all the Islands other schools will follow as the years go by. Salen As a child going to Salen GMU there were lots of cars doing the commute for few kids attending. But now the numbers of kids increased there's one large bus doing the journey so higher number actually benefits congestion and pollution. Salen Central school really important, bringing island and families together. Salen If going to a club later on at least there are shops or somewhere for a coffee if in Tobermory. Salen Want more virtual and physically shared learning with Oban. Salen I feel this is a great opportunity to build a school for the whole island. A more central location would make this possible. Salen Neutral on location, but more central school may help to bring the island together. Salen Central location could act as repopulator – Ross of Mull. Airbnbs – central. Tobermory at capacity. Salen The kids in Salen Gaelic do a lot together but will be split for high school. Salen Construction impact on existing school and students if build on existing site – a concern. Salen A site big enough to allow for future expansion if needed. Salen Transport is key – road infrastructure. Salen Could boarding facilities be provided for Mull campus? Site of sufficient size to allow this in future. Salen Proximity to other facilities, eg shops / lunch to give pupils choice. Salen If central we would stay on Mull. If not, wouldn't want kids to board. Salen Smaller villages would be more appealing for families to move to if nearer a centralised high school. And therefore over time population numbers would disperse island-wide, easing pressure on roads and northwest Mull. Salen 91 kids in Tobermory. 145 in other location. Bussing kids not a big issue. Salen Salen school already works as a centralised campus for sgail araich and GMU in terms of joining communities, transport, clubs etc. High school needs to be central. Salen New campus (in new location) could allow businesses to thrive and improve the economy in the local area.
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74 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Salen Site big enough to allow for parking. Salen Under 5s can't travel from Tobermory to central site. Important to keep kids on island – don't send away to mainland. Salen Centralised site is best for island. Available in centre is a must. Salen Campus need to be a hub for the community. Salen ELC could stay at Tobermory. Quality of building is ok. Salen Family unit is important. All family need a choice. Salen Consider additional support needs – provide sensory spaces, quieter areas for lunch, etc. Enough 'break out' rooms for 1-1 support / group learning. Salen Want to bring island together. If Craignure, could recruit staff. Salen Location near local amenities important to help children with neurodiversity feel part of the community and develop life skills outside school. Salen Proper outdoor facilities. Sheltered areas to enable outdoor learning even when weather is bad – especially for younger classes and ELC. Salen A central school would recognise the south of the island – it is neglected. Salen Central school would allow chlidren from south and north to mix. Salen If able to access high school on the island, fosters a stronger connection to the island. Salen Access to wider resources and community outreach. Closer to ferry would help this. Salen Effect on school friendships between children. Opportunities (island-wide). Logistics (travel). Salen Central school that has access to existing sports facilities (eg Rugby at Garmony, pool at Craignure) would be beneficial. Salen It is VERY important that the community know what is on offer. It is CLEAR they want to know if the site CAN be split and the LEIP team seems to be indicating it can. Salen High school CENTRAL LOCATION. Mull campus should be central. Salen If roads were better could locate campus anywhere. Salen Need post-school activities to make it a hub. Salen Effect on childrens' ability to take part in extra-curricular / after-school clubs VERY important. Salen A building that is accessible for all children (physical and sensory issues). Salen There are comments on Facebook that suggest the community are getting mixed messages. It is important this doesn't happen as it leads to mistrust. We want the consultation to go well. Salen If it has to be in Tobermory purely because of retaining the primary school there, it would be a missed opportunity and a real shame. Salen A 2-18 campus is a long time to go to the same place – a split campus is preferable.
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Appendix Three – Comments 75 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Salen Travel distance for younger kids is a concern. Salen Location – listen to all communities to choose the best site for the majority. Big enough to be spacious and not feel cramped with space to grow in the future. Make the most of local environment and strengths of the island – access to outdoors. For me, a central location is preferred for our family. Salen Facilities – such a great opportunity to build in amazing facilities, especially for STEAM subjects. A swimming pool would be amazing as access to Craignure is awful. Sports facilities that the community could access too. Outdoor education / classrooms. Better facilities for children with additional needs and different learning styles. Salen ELC – better design, purpose-built setting, allowing free-flow and outdoor learning, and better equipped for two-year-olds, babies etc. Creche facilities for working parents / staff. Salen I'm a personal trainer, very keen the campus has space for accessible fitness and wellbeing equipment – both for medical rehab and recreational fitness. We have a large elderly population and nowhere else with suitable facilities. Proximity to public transport and other amenities (shops, cafes etc) nearby would be ideal. Salen Potential for linked campus with Oban, improving range of subjects and activities if more centrally based. Salen So important for kids in the south end to go to school on Mull – more people / families may choose to live in the south end if school was closer. Salen Enough space – not cramming things into a space too small just because it's more 'convenient'! Salen Will the money allocated for an ASN hub on the island be spent before the new school is built or will it go into the pot for the new build? Salen This new facility should be available for all pupils on the island. Salen The new sites should take into consideration space, parking availability, proximity to current sports facilities such as the rugby club and swimming pool. Salen The new campus would be an amazing new asset to the island. The new campus should have facilities such as a big enough school hall, large enough playground, outside learning spaces taking advantage of our rural location. Walk in / out spaces. Salen The new facility should take into account ASN unit / facilities accessible to all children across the island. Salen Enough room for facilities – pitch, running track. Salen Can we explore more innovative solutions? Eg combining existing primary schools (central) and the high school to improve revenue affordability? Or eg P1-4 in Salen, P5+ travel elsewhere.
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76 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Salen Craignure is growing, need more community infrastructure already – pool, rugby centre. Salen Travelling long journeys for primary kids is unfair. Need to do something in Craignure. Salen Ross of Mull need a choice. Salen A building that attracts and retains staff. Salen Impact on a 'place' of having / losing a school. Ie how will the wider 'place' (Tobermory / the Ross / Craignure) change as a consequence of the decision? Salen How many children, of what ages, are having to travel for how long / how far? What does this add up to / mean per week for these children? Salen It's been proven that natural light is important for health and well-being, so I think big windows would be very important. Also should we be lucky enough to get a site overlooking a nice view, it would be great to have windows that maximise the view I feel this would be inspiring and make the school a nicer place to come to every day. Black out blinds would also need to be installed for the use of projectors/science experiments or games that require low light levels. Lighting is also important, research shows which types cause headaches, something I suffered with in Tobermory school. I would want all areas to be open for ease of monitoring (no access behind sheds, or more intimate areas that would require extra playground monitors). A heated ventilated drying room for wet coats and wellies to hang at the entrance so their clothes can dry out. A covered area out the rain and wind for children and parents to stand at school pick up time. Lots of wide parking spaces, with big spaces beetween the cars to easily get children in and out safely. Ideally with a shelter overhead. Salen The majority of the islands population live in Tobermory therefore the campus should be in or near Tobermory. It doesn't make sense to put all children on buses just to have a central point to make it closer for a few students who may still choose to travel to Oban. A calculation of the number of students in each area should be made to show how impractical it would be for the current Tobermory school pupils to get buses outside of Tobermory. I don't belive there would be enough buses and drivers available without considerable extra daily expenditure. Salen If moving out of Tob, no other villages will be able to cope with additional influx of people ie shops and cafes. Parking needs to be plentiful. If moving from Tob after dinner clubs will be difficult to attend (at the moment I factor my shopping into this). Salen The new campus must move forward to be inclusive for all islanders. If it is just going to be a new Tobermory school at Tobermory, it will not benefit all islanders. In this day and age young students at the age of 11 should not have to leave home continue their education. The new campus should have inclusitivity at its core.
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Appendix Three – Comments 77 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Salen If this school is not built centrally to enable ALL island children the chance to attend it, it will be catastrophic for the south end of the island, sending kids aged 11 to a hostel in the mainland is NOT ‘getting it right for every child’. The school roll of Salen Primary often exceeds the roll of Tobermory Primary due to children travelling to Salen for Gaelic. Children of primary age travel from all over the centre and north of the island to Salen for Gaelic so there is absolutely no reason whatsoever thag a bus could not transport secondary age Children from Tobermory to a different school. It would make far more sense to me than transporting half empty buses from the rest of the far out catchment areas to Tobermory. The cost of housing and feeding children in a hostel would be saved in the long run if children could be kept on the island, a central location would give so much opportunity for green space and good safe parking, which is needed. Not to mention the ferry links to Oban, the closeby swimming pool, Garmony playing fields and the hospital, this is all essential to ensure we have a prosperous island in the futures, helping to sustain local communities all over the island. We are comparable on Mull to islands such as Islay, Skye and Lewis and Harris – why do we still not have one amazing school all children on this island can access without a ferry? And what’s more, modern campuses in Scotland seem to offer college facilities, library facilities and more – this should also be central to enable all islanders the opportunity to access these services. Thank you. Salen While a secondary school in a more central setting would be desirable to allow many more young people to stay on the island it has not been stated where staff for the school may be offered accomodation as this has a huge impact on recruitment and retention of staff. The additional concern is there is no mention of how the pre school and primary school in Tobermory will be rebuilt in Tobermory if this campus is to be moved elsewhere. It is untenable to move these youngsters to bus travel from our capital town when so many walk to school at present as is recommended for health and well being. As such the campus in its present presentation must remain in Tobermory. Salen Thinking practically, I think access to mains water and electricity are important considerations for site selection as this can add significant costs to any capital budget. Space for the campus to grow and expand in the future, as Mull generally has an increasing population.
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78 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Salen The building of this campus is an opportunity to unite the school populations of Mull and Iona. A centralised high school will enable all children on Mull and Iona to attend the same high school. Families previously put off living on the Ross of Mull due to high school students lodging in Oban for the week will be able to return it move there. Creating a much more sustainable community – something Argyll and Bute council has highlighted in their own vision included in the corporate plan. However, I do not believe that this should be at the detriment of having primary and pre school options in Tobermory. That would be improving the sustainably of one community while reducing it at the opposite end of the island. Tobermory Economic loss to Tobermory if school move is considerable. Tobermory No active travel routes in Tobermory – opportunity. Tobermory Children travelling from A to B causes traffic, congestion and breakdowns – with more buses needed. And we don't have enough buses on island to cope! Tobermory Should stay in Tobermory or close vicinity. Craignure too far away for young children. Transport not enough buses to transport children each day. Tobermory Site appraisal process must be broad enough to consider all implications of primary school – potential further bid for funding for Tobermory OR potential further bid for hostel for Ross children. Tobermory Negative impact on economic development / opportunities if campus relocated from Tobermory – many families choose to live there because of proximity to school. Tobermory 100% for Tobermory campus. If it were just a high school, then it could be in a central location. Tobermory If best site isn't Tobermory can we still look for funding for a primary in Tobermory? Tobermory Have changed my mind – no one was aware it was not just a high school. Don't want kids transported down the road [away from Tobermory]. Tobermory Places nearby where children can eat lunch locally, integrate and socialise with people, and get part time jobs. Tobermory Needs to be Tobermory. Loss of primary and nursery too drastic a change – biggest town. Tobermory Stay in Tobermory to prevent loss of children from here to Oban – people will send their children there if it moves. We don't want to lose our children. Tobermory Moving it from Tobermory will cause a ripple effect where you lose good teachers, families etc who will move away from here. Tobermory [...] [I don't want] to send a child so young a long way! Tobermory If site isn't commutable from Ross, can it be big enough to expand in future for a hostel? Tobermory How many people using hospital (central and from south)? Tobermory is centre – support it! Tobermory Ability to have after school clubs / breakfast clubs.
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Appendix Three – Comments 79 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory More detailed info needed in order to give informed feelings back to Council for how to make decisions, eg percentages of kids travelling. Tobermory Identity of education in Tobermory is important. This is the main town, biggest population needs. Tobermory Majority of children are in Tobermory – transport reliability – are we bussing all those kids? Tobermory 2-18 campus may mean NO primary education in Tobermory, depending on location. Tobermory Tobermory NEEDS primary education. But secondary school does not need to be in Tobermory. Tobermory Lack of a primary school will kill Tobermory as a community – it will become a retirement and Airbnb town without a primary school. Tobermory Consult children on both the location and the design. Tobermory If it's in Craignure I would send my children to Oban – it's too far / too much travel for young children. Tobermory Tobermory reduces the impact on wellbeing of young children (and parents / carers) having to travel long distances. They get tired, it's not ethical. Tobermory Are you going to provide staff to 'man' transport and ensure safe delivery of children if the campus moves from Tobermory? Tobermory How do you propose to deal with ill children to parents who do not drive? Tobermory The position of the site affects socialising. Tobermory Think it's crazy to bus significant numbers of children elsewhere (outwith Tobermory). Tobermory We need detailed information about the number of children who travel to Tobermory for school. Currently 56% of secondary kids come to Tobermory by bus. Tobermory The school MUST be kept in Tobermory. Tobermory Are there going to be qualifying factors for transportation? If not, and the campus is moved out of Tobermory, how do you propose travel arrangements? Tobermory Tobermory is a community. This is an opportunity to enhance. Taking the campus away will rip heart out. Tobermory Choose Tobermory it's more accessible. I don’t think community facilities will be as well used in centre. Tobermory No school – no curriculum support on a daily basis to enhance education. Tobermory Most of your teachers live in this area. Will you pay them to travel? Tobermory What are the legal limits on travel time to school for 5-11 year olds? Tobermory Grandparent childcare – they don't always drive. Tobermory Very worried that moving it from Tobermory will lose primary education and nursery from Tobermory. It would kill the place. Tobermory Nice to have the young 2-3 year olds not far from home. I wouldn't have wanted mine a half hour drive away in case they're upset / unwell.
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80 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory If children from Tobermory (the majority) can walk to and from school for after- school clubs a lot more will attend. Kids need to do lots of sports for mental and physical health. Tobermory Not eco to bus all the kids of Tobermory out of town. That would be a lot of buses! Tobermory If new campus includes ELC and primary for Tobermory kids, surely it needs to be in Tobermory! Great to keep all other island primary and ELC schools. Tobermory With [...] boys who live on the football pitch after school and in the holidays, would this remain? A big outdoor all-weather pitch / area that's accessible with lights in winter is essential. It's very well used by kids. Tobermory Very keen to have the school stay in Tobermory. My children walk to school and I want them to continue to be able to walk! Tobermory It's ridiculous to consider losing a school in Tobermory when a third of the population lives here. We need a school! Tobermory It makes most sense to have the primary here, even if not the high school – you CANNOT have young children travelling too far. Tobermory People on Iona will not be able to travel daily to Mull anyway, so moving the campus would not help them – it doesn't solve the issue for them. Tobermory People chose to move here because they knew what facilities were here – don't change it. Tobermory Not really aware of what 'catchment area' changes means. Tobermory Safe walking routes to school. Tobermory Transport time for primary pupils needs to be considered. Tobermory We moved to Tobermory because the school is here. Tobermory 100% I want the campus to be in Tobermory. Tobermory Safe and easy walking to the school but maintaining the link to town. Tobermory Transporting younger kids is more of an issue. Tobermory Large enough flat space for good facilities. Tobermory Walkable but supervised – important. Bussing kids more than 20 minutes is unsatisfactory. Tobermory Realistically the school has to be in Tobermory for many reasons. Tobermory Inadequate road infrastructure for increased bus transport. Increased wear and tear with impact on roads budget. Tobermory Wouldn't object to high school not being in Tobermory. Would object to no primary or ELC. Tobermory The closer to home the better, for ELC and primary. Tobermory Concern if ELC and primary education not provided in Tobermory. Too young for long bus journeys. Tobermory Pre-school at Tobermory recently built – can that stay? Tobermory Businesses benefit from proximity of high school – accessible on foot from school. Tobermory If the site is outwith Tobermory catchment areas being reviewed.
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Appendix Three – Comments 81 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory Tobermory must keep a primary school. Tobermory Got to be in Tobermory, no real option. Tobermory Transport impact more significant for neurodivergent children – high proportion in Tobermory. Tobermory Don't bus kids away from Tobermory – it costs money. Fewer kids in Bunessan / Iona, and they already travel. Tobermory Infrastructure is in Tobermory – least disruption in Tobermory. Tobermory Where is the data we need to make an informed contribution to this discussion, eg percentage of children already travel daily to Tobermory secondary? Tobermory Logistics and number of kids, it's better in Tobermory. Don’t want to bus large number of kids. Tobermory Not realistic to move all the children to a central area. Tobermory Taking the school away from Tobermory will have a massive impact on local businesses. Tobermory More outdoor play space for primary. Tobermory Every town / village should have a school and it needs to be in Tobermory with 2-18. Tobermory Seems crazy to transport that number of children anywhere else. Tobermory Tobermory is a main town on the island and for it not to have a primary and ELC here is just not a realistic option. Travel times are logistically a nightmare, not to mention young kids falling ill and needing collection. Tobermory Secure building that public can't just access. Tobermory Moving the school would change the culture of the island. Tobermory Sheltered outside area for primary and parents. Tobermory Work pick-up easier in Tobermory. Childcare works better in Tobermory. Tobermory If school is not in Tobermory we would leave island. Tobermory Parents can't afford to transport their child to the ELC. Tobermory Would be so sad for the Tiny Tots and primary to travel from Tobermory to Craignure. Child care rely on grandparents so much now, not all can drive if there was a poorly child. I went to Tobermory school when I was young, would be so sad to see it being moved. Tobermory I moved jobs to be closer to my [ASN] child in Tobermory – if school is moved and I receive a phone call, that's an hour travel and associated expense to collect [them]. Shutting Tobermory should NOT be an option. Tobermory Access for pupils to be involved in the community during the school day. Intergenerational links. Tobermory If primary left Tobermory it would destroy it as a place to live. Tobermory Impact on local businesses – kids spend at lunch time. Giving kids choice – school lunch or local shops. Tobermory Working parents use the Tobermory ELC to enable them to work.
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82 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory Moving the ELC will affect the communities and will need to consider transport. Tobermory Residents in Tobermory have chosen to live here influenced by facilities – school is a key one. If school elsewhere, will impact residents and will likely damage community. Tobermory Storm addresses ['buddy' houses where children can stay if ferries are affected by storms] happened historically. Tobermory Leave pre-school and primary here, and focus on the high school. A central / Craignure location would improve depopulation around the Ross of Mull. Then look for a suitable site for primary and ELC in Tobermory. Tobermory Road system isn't fit – what would health and safety say? Tobermory Importance of a community to develop pupil life skills. Tobermory 2-18 should stay in Tobermory, it's the heart of the place. Tobermory Tobermory is the largest community on the island. Teachers and families would have to relocate. Tobermory May affect some business / trade at lunch time if it is moved. Tobermory Community facilities eg gym have potential to make money. No opportunities in existing build. Community use in Tobermory. Tobermory We have to have a primary school in Tobermory, otherwise it will have a massive effect on the future of the local community. People choose to live here because they know what is here. Tobermory If children have to bus to a high school, they will miss out on after-school activities if they have to travel home on our transport infrastructure. Tobermory People might stop using the ELC if it's inconvenient, meaning children are missing out on socialisation. Tobermory I am in a professional role on island. When childcare is impacted for people who are the only one doing a key role, then services on island are impacted. Tobermory It's going to tip the family community on its head, because people have chosen to live in Tobermory because the school is here. Tobermory Space for good sports facilities. Tobermory Space and facilities for more practical and vocational subjects. Tobermory Gym and changing designed to allow community / out of hours use. Tobermory Existing site – impact on education provision during the build. Tobermory If you take the school away that will be the end of Tobermory – the heart and soul of it. Tobermory The 2-18 campus must stay in Tobermory if it's to include the primary school. The road is not fit for purpose to transport all children currently attending either Salen or Dervaig. The heart of the community in Tobermory is the school. Tobermory Safety of travel in winter and tourist season. Tobermory Re-use of existing building – for community use? Tobermory Badly need proper space for practical subjects.
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Appendix Three – Comments 83 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory Outskirts of Tobermory may be better to facilitate delivery of supplies / materials to site – transport infrastructure impact on locals, day to day. Tobermory If the new campus was at Craignure, please keep in mind the large sports facility being built at Garmony. Tobermory Space to allow plenty of car parking spaces and good playground facilities. Tobermory Supportive of a central high school for whole island to access. Concerned about losing ELC and primary, especially transport for ELC. Existing island facilities must be considered when selecting site. Tobermory Would be equitable in centre of island. Tobermory Tobermory – some people don't drive – can't be remote from Tobermory. Tobermory Island roads take so much longer to take transport. It's a safety issue, not just a 'miles game'. Needs to be environmentally friendly. Tobermory Houses at Craignure – most won't be island family homes. Tobermory Central location wouldn't recruit more teachers as ferry too unreliable. Tobermory Staff won't travel to a central location – not affordable, too much impact on time. Tobermory If build community facilities in central location then community won't move there. Won't drive 20 miles for after school clubs. Tobermory There is no community in Craignure or Garmony. The high street in Tobermory is vibrant for kids. Tobermory Huge shortage of accommodation – if build hostel could build for revenue in summer. Tobermory Craignure / Central location not attractive place to stay. Tobermory Roads not fit for purpose to bus the numbers. Tobermory Community wants a split site. Younger generation want a central high school. Oldies want the status quo. Tobermory Good to have somewhere that is accessible to everyone. Tobermory Centralised high school is a good idea. ELC could be stand alone. Tobermory Access to vocational training facilities is important like in Oban – marine services is big on Mull. Tobermory Less keen for young kids to travel from Tobermory going south. Tobermory Three buses – Craignure, Dervaig and Ulva – bussing 73 secondary pupils now. If it's out of Tobermory, need to bus 150. Tobermory Community access to sports facilities / activities, designed to allow easier access out of hours without needing janitor to attend, and preserving security of rest of school. Tobermory Tennis, badminton courts, pickle ball. Indoor gym sized to enable wide use of sports, including tennis – bigger than current one. All year round sports. Tobermory Consider student accommodation in Tobermory. Tobermory Makes sense to locate school and community facilities where most of population live – supports active travel (walking, cycling).
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84 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory Central location for the high school is my overwhelming preference, as it would bring the island together. However we would need ELC / primary provision in Tobermory too! Tobermory Outdoor pitches big enough for football. Tobermory Having the HIGH SCHOOL more centrally would be a good thing. Enables teachers to travel from the mainland (passenger day returns). Sports (rugby, swimming) nearby. Tobermory Community access to existing facilities (eg football on a Saturday) if the school moves will the pitches (common good land) remain? Tobermory Love the thought of a high school being central. Would not like for the Tobermory ELC and primary to move. Every town needs a primary and Tobermory is our largest town. And small children should not have to travel so far. Tobermory The sites on way into Tobermory would be perfect. Tobermory It would be so great to have a centralised secondary school to bring the island together. However, an ELC and primary school in Tobermory is important for the town. Split campus? Tobermory Would bus more pupils from Tobermory to central location rather than current. Tobermory Roads are fragile – need two-lane traffic. Tobermory is capital – highest population. Tobermory Would prefer ELC and primary to remain in Tobermory. A central school for high school, for access for all, is fine. Tobermory Preference for Tobermory location but no strong feelings. Doesn't make sense for primary / ELC relocating outwith Tobermory. Tobermory Need to keep WHOLE school – ELC, primary and secondary – in Tobermory. Tobermory Would like primary and ELC to stay in Tobermory. Ideal is high school central and primary in Tobermory. To make all those children travel seems a bit silly. Tobermory I didn't know that the primary school and ELC would be taken away from Tobermory as well. I'm all for the high school moving, because it's better for the Ross of Mull kids and more central for the island. But in terms of primary and ELC, that should stay. Because it's the biggest town on the island, it's ludicrous to think they would take the primary out of Tobermory. Tobermory There is a major impact on traffic here with buses and cars dropping off, both for primary and secondary. It's an accident waiting to happen. There has to be a primary and ELC in Tobermory, but a different site would help ease congestion. Tobermory Sufficient space on site for good sports facilities, good facilities for learning inside the school, and parking. All of these would also help to attract and retain good teachers. Tobermory Somewhere close to key worker accommodation to help attract teachers.
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Appendix Three – Comments 85 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory Bussing 70-80 kids out of Tobermory… and for ELC parents who don't drive, how does that work? Our youngest gets migraines and doesn't travel well. Going on a bus every day would be awful for him. Tobermory If children get bullied, sending them on long bus journeys makes their days much longer and means they are exposed to potential bullying. Tobermory If the school is taken out of Tobermory, it would affect the service buses as demand would change. This would have an impact on people (not just school children) who want to use these subsidised bus services. Tobermory Salen – road link to Dervaig and Tobermory and the south – may be a good location. Located to suit the whole island. Tobermory Welcome a new school designed for neurodivergent pupils. Tobermory Want a play and sports area. And future growth area to build for a growing population – bigger than existing school. Tobermory Wrong way round – should have asked for community priorities before LEIP bid submitted. Tobermory Offset an inconvenient location to get a quality school. Tobermory Comparison to Lewis with kids (primary) can travel long distances but road structure is much better on Lewis. Tobermory Craignure would be good location. Getting staff from mainland good at Craignure. Tobermory Keen to have central location. Island equity – all kids mixing is important. Tobermory Accessibility – access road, congestion in mornings. Sloping site. Tobermory In or close to Tobermory – travel, especially for younger children. Travel for teachers. Roads single track, increased volume of traffic. Tobermory Losing ELC and primary from the capital and largest town on Mull is insane!! Tobermory Loss of primary and ELC in Tobermory is a huge, if not the main, issue. I'm supportive of a centralised high school only. Tobermory Parking. Tobermory I'm in support of a centralised HIGH school to benefit the whole island and bring together small communities. Tobermory should not lose its ELC and primary. Makes no sense to do so! Tobermory The sensible option is to build the new campus in Tobermory as this is the highest population of children. Outdoor and after school activities need to be upheld here. Tobermory Tobermory is the social hub therefore I feel they would miss out on opportunities. Tobermory It should remain where it is – in Tobermory. There are plenty of people who can offer 'storm addresses'. There are businesses that benefit from the school children at lunch time. If the school is lost, Tobermory will feel the impact. How many more pupils need the bus? Tobermory As a location, a high school should be placed in a spot where the largest amount of children will have access to it. Tobermory Space for a running track.
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86 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory I think it's important for the site to be able to have good outside grounds for sports and social areas for the children, and safe and easy access for walking to. Tobermory Is it true that if the 2-18 campus is moved from Tobermory, our ELC children will not be transported by bus to the new campus? If so, that is dreadful. Tobermory I think it should be Tobermory based because travel time would / could be hard going on the youngsters. And Tobermory is the capital of Mull. Tobermory Tobermory – the bulk of population is in the north part of the island. Tobermory Keep it in Tobermory, please. Tobermory Should be in Tobermory. Would be obvious. Tobermory Somewhere we can drop off and pick up that is safe. Tobermory We simply cannot NOT have a primary / ELC in Tobermory, with the population. That is a non-starter. Can we use the current site and build into the pitches? Tobermory I feel it should be sited in Tobermory as it is the biggest place on the island. The town and school at present both benefit – socially, economically, and by community involvement. Tobermory Safer parking with more space for volume of cars. Tobermory I feel splitting high school from primary and ELC would make more sense, small children commuting on buses and extra cars on roads would not be sustainable. Tobermory I am aware there is funding for ASN department now – will this campus work delay this? Should be spent now? Tobermory Location – travel options for the youngest children in the school. Worried about not splitting! Tobermory Has Education Scotland approved this joint ELC / primary, learning outcomes? Tobermory Tobermory is the highest population point. If it isn't here, there will be no school at all in Tobermory. Particularly affected will be pre-school children – no transport will be provided if it is moved. Tobermory [...] Should we have to introduce two journeys to and from Craignure to drop our son off to an ELC in Craignure or further, this will be detrimental [...] and introduce a host of other childcare problems for us, and many others. Tobermory Not an environmentally friendly option to have all that traffic up and down every day. Tobermory Huge kick-back if move ELC. Don't move nursery. Tobermory Getting kids together in central location (primary and secondary) is optimum position. Tobermory [If central], sports can get a critical mass to perform and close to ferry. If you get a central site, could then get 25% more critical mass. Anywhere in Tobermory, won't get big enough site for playing pitches. Tobermory If you move the school, shops will lose trade. Tobermory Magic wand solution = central high school (improved road network) and primary and ELC to stay here. Tobermory Having no education provision in Tobermory is not acceptable – all need to travel.
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Appendix Three – Comments 87 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory Potential for hostel in Tobermory – to give choice for Ross of Mull / Oban. Tobermory Increase in buses and cars to transport children and staff to new location – green impact. Tobermory Bulk of population is in Tobermory – makes sense for it to be here. Tobermory Ample parking for safe pick up and drop off. Lollypop person. Tobermory The building should be an investment. Quality building in Tobermory. Tobermory Site selection should include the economics of the site. Tobermory Travel options must be provided and available for 2-18 years. Safe and easy parking for drop off and pick up. PRIORITY TO ELC. Tobermory Better quality pitches and sports facilities. Tobermory If ELC and primary have to be part of it, then it have to be in or very near to Tobermory. Ideally with boarding facilities to enable Bunessan / Iona to have a choice. Tobermory Tobermory needs ELC and primary to be in the town. Tobermory Important to give the whole island(s) including Iona, Ulva, the option to go to high school without ferry and staying away from home. Neurodivergence a significant factor – access to home support not available when boarding. Tobermory Concern if outside Tobermory. Primary school would eventually close / amalgamate. Tobermory I agree that a central high school would be good for all the island, but not about the Tobermory primary kids being moved. Tobermory Won't be able to please everyone – can't be done. Tobermory Pipe band – parents and kids less likely to travel further afield. Access to wider out of school activities better in Tobermory. Tobermory We need a solution that suits the communities affected. If the current site is used for building there must be new playing fields / pitch provided before any building starts. Tobermory Too long a commute for ELC. Would impact on family life. Tobermory All for a central high school if Ross would use it. Tobermory Site of sufficient size to accommodate full size pitch with proper lines (hockey, football, tennis, etc). Tobermory ELC / school MUST be in Tobermory as majority live here! If not a CENTRAL location on Mull. Tobermory What happens to after school clubs. Need improved school hall and outdoor facilities. Tobermory Want the Ross of Mull to have the same opportunities as the larger towns and villages – equity of provision. Tobermory Consider a hostel in Tobermory – parents could collect children if unwell / not reliant on ferries. Tobermory Hostel in Tobermory for kids from Ross would be good.
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88 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory Has to be in Tobermory. Services and hospital in centre. Tobermory Don't think moving the school elsewhere is a good idea. The school is the heart of the community. Impact on local shops if kids don't go out for lunch. Tobermory Bus kids around not an issue. Tobermory parents freaking out unnecessarily. Tobermory Would seem very strange not to have a school in major centre of population. Tobermory If you had to choose not to build the new school in Tobermory, what will be the effect on the town (largest settlement on the island) if all children are based away everyday, and do not get to spend the majority of their time where they live – how will they ever integrate in their community? The school and children are the heart of Tobermory. Tobermory Businesses will be impacted in Tobermory if the school and children are removed. Many of the high school children go down the street at lunch times and spend money in shops such as the Coop, bakery, Sarah's, Hook'd and the chip van, Pete's sweet shop. During the winter when there are no tourists, the school children provide regular revenue. This would no longer be the case if the school was moved to Tobermory. Tobermory If the school is moved to Garmony / Craignure and ALL pupils are bussed to school, what will happen if it snows or there is a gale and it is not safe for pupils to travel home? At the moment, in Tobermory pupils who do not live in Tobermory have a pre-arranged 'storm buddy'. This is someone they stay with if they are unable to get home. This could not happen in Craignure as there are less than 10 pupils who live there. What would happen? Tobermory If the school is built in the middle of the island for pupils (no more than 39) to attend, in reality this would allow for the provision of possibly two more teachers in the new school, than there are at the high school at the moment. In reality are pupils from the south of the island who are used to the huge variety of subjects (including practice areas) at Oban High school, going to be happy to stay on Mull with a much reduced subject choice? – This would not improve as number of teachers depends on number of pupils. Tobermory Will there be a guarantee that pupils from the south of the island will go to the school on Mull? As if not, it is a massive upheaval for the majority of pupils and staff in the north of the island, which would be for no reason if the pupils from the South decide to still go to Oban. Tobermory Saying that if the school is built in Craignure would mean that staff could stay on the mainland and travel each day is absolute nonsense. The reliancy of the ferries is non existent and could not be depended on. Tobermory Could a hostel be built in Tobermory, if the high school was kept here. Pupils from the south of the island could then choose to stay, but still be able to get home. This could be rented out in the holidays to make an income.
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Appendix Three – Comments 89 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory After school clubs would be difficult to get home from if the school was in Craignure as parents would need to travel to pick children up – this might not be possible as parents work. Parents evenings, concerts, ceilidhs etc would also be likely to be poorly attended. Tobermory At the moment, 84 pupils attending this stay in Tobermory, and 73 are based here and home. If the school is sited outwith Tobermory, that would mean that Argyll and Bute Council are committing to bus 157 pupils to and from school everyday. (If adding primary + early learning childcare = 90 pupils to bus). How on earth will the money be found for this? What happens in the winter when the roads are icy? No pupils will get to school? How as a council can you justify bussing every pupil to a school rather than half the pupils? The roads are not fit for this number of busses on them twice a day. It would be an accident waiting to happen. Tobermory Is the Mull campus going to include all primary school if it is resited to Craignure? If not, but the high school is relocated to Craignure, where will Tobermory primary and early learning childcare be sited? Tobermory Firstly, I would like to say that I do not envy you with your position. Covering this topic will bring many passionate reasons on why people feel the new campus will need to be in their preferred location. I wish you all luck. I will start by saying that I feel 100 percent that this new campus MUST remain in Tobermory. I will list my following reasons and concerns of the campus was to be built in any other location on the island. These are in no order. To state the obvious Tobermory is the biggest town in the island. The new hospital recently built in Glasgow wasn’t built in Stirling because it was most central. The same when the high school in Oban was rebuilt a few years ago – it wasn’t erected in Connel. I would imagine the same common sense would need to be applied here. If the high school was removed from Tobermory what would be the economic and social impact on removing such an integral part of the community? Would I be correct to assume that an impact assessment would need to be carried out before an alternative site was committed to? As someone with two children currently attending the school, my wife and I would, more than likely leave the island, as this wasn’t why we decided to life on Mull. Have the council considered the de-population effect moving the campus out of Tobermory could have? Especially when the majority of pupils in the school have parents who work in and around the school catchment. If the campus was removed from Tobermory, the high school students would lose all independence that this allows. No other proposed site will allow them access to local shops, job opportunities or benefits of being in the biggest town on the island.
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90 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption (Cont’d) Surely, we are removing any sort of experience the children would get before heading off to further education off island ? The cost of busing children to and from Tobermory will do nothing but dwarf any other costs that would come with travel. Also, Mull is predominantly a tourist island – are we saying we are happy for our children's time away from school to be dedicated to sitting in buses due to the single track roads on the island? Also, with the majority of children needing to attend school by bus, this will only add to any CO2 emissions we are desperately trying to reduce. Is this something that the Scottish government are happy to be associated with, whilst at the same time desperately trying to reduce our harmful emissions? This is not even taking into account the additional travel you would need to take the primary/elc children to Salen if the catchment area was moved. The campus in Tobermory has recently struggled to attract the best teachers to the area. Moving the school to a more remote part of the island will only add to these struggles. Would this then lead to more teachers from Oban having to take on the strain of more pupils with online learning, or would they have to split their time between the two sites? What would happen in the winter if teachers couldn't get over to the island- would this create more cost as well as inconvenience to our children's learning. What consideration will be given to the school teachers who commute over from Kilchoan on a daily basis? Also, I'm led to believe that several families are exploring the option of sending their children over to the Tobermory high school from Ardnamurchan. This would need to be factored into any new campus outside of Tobermory. Currently all children out with Tobermory have to have a ‘buddy’ they can stay with if any unfortunate events were to occur – road closures, school building issues. I would hate to think how we would have to cover for all the children who would be attending from Tobermory. The biggest population group. I believe many parents in the south of Mull are insisting that children from the Ross be allowed an option of Garmony/Loch Don or continuing to be allowed to commute over to Oban. I feel this is a real slap in the face to the people of Tobermory – especially as this would mean we would of had to have moved our ELC and primary departments to new catchment areas to facilitate this. If Tobermory wasn’t the preferred site, then surely major investment would be needed in Salen and Dervaig to accommodate the additional pupils who would be attending from the Tobermory catchment area. This would only add more financial pressure on the council to undertake these upgrades, which defeats the point in building a new campus.
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Appendix Three – Comments 91 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption (Cont’d) The high school in Tobermory is a huge part of the fabric to the community within the town. If you were to remove this, you will be challenging any future successes – not just short to medium term, but long term also. Would the other proposed sites take so much benefit for this sacrifice, especially when no one of the other sites has a fraction of the infrastructure that helps to support the high school currently? I don’t see Garmony or Loch Don with planning applications to bring new infrastructure to their respected areas in the near future. If the campus was moved elsewhere would the council accommodate all the extra outlays that would be incurred to allow all pupils fair access to after school activities? Would extra buses/taxis be put on, an increase to timetables to allow pupils from out with the area to partake in these programmes. Or are we saying that we are happy for our rural school children to go without such things? One of the proposed sites in Tobermory is about to open an all year round out door weather training facility. The council could use this asset as possible sources of funding from the Scottish government. As far as I’m aware none of the other proposed sites offers an opportunity for our door learning as exciting as this. Not to mention the benefits that come from being part of such a prosperous town like Tobermory. Are the current staff happy to move campus, and with Tobermory offering the only real housing to staff, are they happy to take on the extra charges their potential new commute will bring( not including extra C02 emissions)? I know the Scottish government are currently promoting ‘20 minute neighbour hoods’. If the site was removed from Tobermory, you would be removing 90 percent of your pupils from being part of this programme. Would this then have a negative effect on any potential funding? I could keep listing for days reasons why I feel that the new campus needs to be in Tobermory. I’m having to stop myself getting excited by it, as I feel the benefits it could bring to the whole island could surpass anything our children have ever had in their learning journey. If you would like to discuss anything any further please do not hesitate to contact me. Good luck with the process.
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92 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory Replacing the school on its current location would have the least environmental impact as it would require no new land take. It would also maintain the current social draw of Tobermory as a township and allow local residents to have easy access to facilities. Additionally school pupils would retain easy access to the main street and the associated amenities. Moving the school elsewhere would be change to the status quo and would result in negative impacts which I am not convinced can be balanced by any benefits given that the plans are for a like for like replacement rather than expansion. Tobermory Pre-school and primary children in Tobermory must be able to attend school in the village in which they live, so that they can walk to school, parents can drop them off and collect them without travelling long distances. Unfortunately this has to trump all the potential benefits of locating a new school more centrally (which would likely benefit secondary pupils). It is really unfortunate that a consultation about location wasn't made *before* the bid was submitted as maybe it would have then been possible to unpick the needs of primary and secondary age students. What consideration has been paid to the impact of redrawing catchment areas from the point of view of the physical capacity of existing schools – presumably this would mean Dervaig or Salen? Transport times need to be taken into consideration: although young children do travel to Gaelic medium, this is a decision their parents have made. Other parents have decided that they *don't* want to send their children to a school which will require them to travel by bus. Decisions about education have a critical impact on the whole community. Young families are our lifeblood, and if Tobermory primary school is closed, the community will become a hollowed-out retirement village, full of AirBnBs and nothing else. This is not a positive result for promoting island communities. Tobermory Primary school in Tobermory must stay in Tobermory! Tobermory I believe it is necessary to provide an ELC and primary school in Tobermory no matter where the new campus for the high school is located. The number of cars on the (inadequate) roads between Tobermory and anywhere else would cause problems, particularly as children who are not old enough to be on a bus would need to be driven by a parent. It does seem ridiculous that an ELC and primary would be removed completely from the largest settlement on Mull. Tobermory There absolutely must be a long term plan for a primary school and ELC in Tobermory. The high school should be central on the island to allow children from all areas to access it but there must be a primary and ELC in Tobermory. It is quite ridiculous to consider a high school anywhere other than Craignure – it sounds like you have already decided it will be in Tobermory but this is not viable for the rest of the island's children..
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Appendix Three – Comments 93 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory The demographics of Mull are what they are, and Tobermory has always had the largest population of people, and children. My concerns are that there would be a huge move for the majority of kids if the campus is not built in Tobermory. Similarly the infrastructure around the campus in Tobermory is vast, shops, local businesses, so many more opportunities for our children to engage with the wider community and forge partnerships ready for leaving school. We already struggle as an island with the road conditions especially in winter, and to have the largest of the islands population going up and down the roads to drop children off is going to be difficult. I would be so supportive of the high school being somewhere else, but not the Primary or ELC. Tobermory I’m not supporting a new campus to cover the 3-18 of Tobermory high school. I feel very strongly about this as the upheaval doesn’t make sense. To shut down the whole school in Tobermory would be a disaster in my eyes. Tobermory As with other schools, the facilities are used by the community, the only sensible site would be in Tobermory for the catchment area being the most densely populated. As for transporting young children that distance from the Ross and Tobermory is not viable. Tobermory A new campus if built outside of Tobermory will take the heart out of the local community. The majority of pupils live in the north of the island and especially around Tobermory the largest town in Mull. The transportation of children to another part of the island opens to its own problems. How are the pupils age two years to 18 to be transported elsewhere in the island? Not only would this add pressure on the roads (which are busy at the best of times) there is also the cost involved – buses, fuel, drivers and escorts for young and vulnerable children. [...] I think to remove the high school from Tobermory would be a disaster to the health and well being of pupils as well as the financial strain on already depleting budgets. It would be like building Oban High School in Taynuilt and transporting the majority of pupils who live in Oban out of town. People who live in the south of the island, if they have done their homework, know that pupils from there go to Oban High. Pupils I’ve have spoken to are happy to go there. Maybe, as was suggested years ago, a hostel in Tobermory to support pupils that want to stay on the island. Tobermory Moving a school from the mostly populated area of Mull is ridiculous. If you were a business which was successful and people came from far and wide, would you move it? No? So why move a school that upsets the masses, to please the few? Unfortunately people decided to move out in the sticks and should understand that that's the life they have chosen to have to make some sacrifices, people live in Tobermory to make it easier on the whole family and school life. People who decide to live far away, that's their choice.
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94 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory An island central high school would be a benefit to the community as a whole but the potential loss of an ELC and Primary School in Tobermory would force people out of the community and away. Tobermory The proposal to have the new school based in Craignure and keep the primary schools open across the island apart from Tobermory, appears to be a strategy scupper the option of a new school campus on Mull. How is it practical or economically and environmentally justifiable to expect the Tobermory pre school and primary aged children to commute these distances every day? If the plan is to keep other primary schools across Mull and Iona open then there is little logic or reason to not keep the primary and pre-school in Tobermory. Tobermory I think it would be crazy to move away from Tobermory, which is by far the largest village on the island and say for instance Craignure was chosen then 95% of the population of children would have to travel each day and those in villages like Salen and Dervaig would still have the same distance to travel as they currently do, so the only ones to benefit would be a small amount in Craignure and the Ross of Mull, which may still wish to put their children to Oban rather than do a 60 mile round trip every day on roads unfit for purpose, especially during the winter months where this could end up in missed days of education for the vast majority of the island. Tobermory Having a campus built in or close to Tobermory is the only sensible option with scope of a hostel further down the line? Losing ELC and primary schools in Tobermory seems ridiculous when Tobermory is the most populated. Tobermory losing ELC and Primary will have a huge negative impact on family life for most families in Tobermory. If the school was further south than Salen the children would be passing a school closer to home to travel to another? Ideally a centralised high school would be the best option but Tobermory to keep ELC and Primary but if that means losing the funding I don’t think it’s a risk that should be taken. We need to put first the children who currently attend Tobermory High School and are proud to be pupils here. We don’t want our school to close and have to wait longer for our new one. Tobermory I have two small children attending Tobermory ELC and Primary School and I think the funding should go on building a better school on the original school site and set up a temporary school during the building work. I strongly disagree with the school being moved out of Tobermory. I think this will have a negative impact many families. Tobermory Surely the pre school and primary kids have the right to go to school in Tobermory and then have a high school more central on the island so kids from the Ross of Mull and outlying areas aren't forced to go to Oban and stay away from home? The site in Tobermory could be used for adult education and sports facilities such as a much needed gym as well we pre and primary school.
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Appendix Three – Comments 95 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory The ideal scenario would be a centralised Mull high school campus, but with early years (ELC) and Primary provision provided in Tobermory. It seems incredulous that the most populated settlement on the island would lose primary and early years provision if the new campus was sited elsewhere. If early years and primary provision cannot be provided in Tobermory, then I would support the new campus being sited in Tobermory, to allow younger children access to education without a lengthy bus journey. I would hope that consideration also be given to those who live in Kilchoan and commute to high school, siting the high school in Craignure would restrict their access to high school education. If the new campus was to be built in Tobermory, I don't think development on the current site is practical. Access is terrible and I would question the feasibility of a large scale building project given the road infrastructure around the current site. Also, if the new site replaces the old, how would the pupils access their education? The numbers surely couldn't be sustained by other schools on the island. Tobermory Hello, me my wife and two kids [...] live in Tobermory. [...] It is a great set up and no hassle for getting them to and from school. To send them one hour each way every day seems crazy. Also will have a impact on [us due to work, as we] would not always be available to collect them if needed. I understand the need for a new central school but I think to close primary and ELC is not a good option. If anything could they not invest money in the Tobermory campus to make it better. I hope they come up with a fair solution for everyone. Tobermory I think a secondary school should be more central in the island so that the kids from the Ross don't have to go to Oban every week. However losing a primary school in Tobermory would come at a huge cost to the community. The secondary school needs to be central. Tobermory Tobermory children should not have to travel out of the village for their primary education. Tobermory I would like I see a high school that is accessible for all children who live on the island from the both the North and the Ross of Mull. Not only will help the decision for families to move and stay in the Ross of Mull but it will also help create a better relationship with the people of the island as at present there is a clear divide. It would make sense to have the school in a central location, like Craignure where it is closer to the ferry for school trips, the hospital for any emergencies as well as facilities such as the the pool and the sports facilities at Garmony.
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96 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory A Craignure or more centrally based SECONDARY school would make perfect sense. It would mean families in the south and south West of the island are not split up, with children boarding in Oban all week. For all children to attend secondary school on the island would be a fundamental step forwards and is essential for communities on the Ross of Mull to thrive, and not suffer local depopulation, in my opinion. However, it does not seem to make sense to move Tobermory primary to Craignure or a more central location too. While funding was granted for one 2-18 school, I understand it has been established TWO schools, one primary in Tobermory, and one secondary at a location to be agreed, is possible if funds can be raised. This has to be the answer in my opinion. Another secondary in Tobermory achieves no progress for the island as a whole. But making primary children travel from Tobermory to Salen, Dervaig or further daily seems ridiculous too. A more joined up approach is to replace the primary only in Tobermory, and build a centrally located secondary to benefit the island as a whole more centrally. Tobermory ALL primary schools on Mull should be closed and housed in one 2-18 facility in Craignure. The waste of money having building housing small number of children is ridiculous. There should be one head of the school [...]. The school needs to offer many more vocational courses. We need to educate for jobs we need in the future. There are so many more options other than Highers. Not every child wants/ needs to go to University. The school needs to be more inclusive. Tobermory High School has serious issues when it comes to diversity and inclusion. The children of Mull deserve a much better, cohesive education. The range of standards across the primary schools is shocking. We need a much higher standard of teacher, better SEND/SENCO. All schools are severely lacking in opportunities. We MUST keep our Gaelic education. This is crucial to the culture of the island. Tobermory Please keep a primary school in Tobermory. Tobermory It's ok the idea of a central location but when 75% of population live in the north of the island predominantly in and around Tobermory it should be in Tobermory 100% even if this means upgrading the existing campus rather than a new one. Bussing 75% of the children down to craignure is ridiculous and the roads aren't upto it. If you want one more accessible to the Ross build a smaller one in Craignure or further South and move teachers around. Just remember new shiny schools aren't always the best schools it's the teachers inside them that do. Personally I'd rather nothing change to the existing campus than have a new one down at Craignure. Small schools will close regardless of what they/you say, how can you have Lochdon when you've got a brand new school a couple of miles up the road and the same for others.
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Appendix Three – Comments 97 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory Although I think a more central high school would be a great benefit to the island I am totally against the whole 2-18 campus being situated outside of Tobermory. I have several concerns. Number one, the huge financial and environmental impact of transport. Number two, having an ELC and Primary unit out with the catchment area of Tobermory… what if something happens and I need to collect my child? Number three, does a like for like just mean 2-18? Or does it mean as basic as the current campus is? Will the new campus be an 'upgraded' version with better facilities? Number four, I am hugely concerned that if a new campus is built on a brand new site then what will happen to the old buildings? If they aren’t fit for purpose will they be knocked down and the land repurposed or will they just be left to become dangerous and decrepit. Number five, I’m concerned that there is too much of a 'battle' going on and as a result of that decisions will be delayed and ultimately we may lose the money? Number six, the 2-18 campus is such a unique and wonderful setting that it would be a real shame to lose that but I feel strongly that there needs to be a primary and ELC unit in Tobermory. Number seven, if the campus was to be built on the current site where would kids get decanted to? Tobermory I am a parent of [young children] in Tobermory. They both attend preschool and primary school and I want the school to stay in Tobermory. Sending young children from Tobermory to Craignure is really unfair to them. Such a long commute for little people to have to endure five days a week on top of an already long school day. Also for parents to drive everyday to leave them to school and have to get back to Tobermory for work at 9am. I think moving the school away from Tobermory, the most populated town on the island will have a negative impact on our kids, the parents and the town of Tobermory. Making such a decision to accommodate a minority of teenagers on the south of the island isn't really fair. People who live in rural areas of Mull made that choice knowing that there was no high school facilities nearby for them. I moved to Tobermory for the school and how easy it is for my kids to access. Another issue with moving it away from Tobermory is the main road. It is already below average and insufficient for the traffic at the minute. Can it handle more buses and cars during peak travel times? I heard Salen and Dervaig schools will stay open. So if the school is moved to Craignure my kids will have to travel another 15 minutes past Salen primary school to get to Craignure. That doesn't really seem fair. Have we taken into consideration the teachers. Do they want yo have to commute away from Tobermory each day? Will we lose teachers because of this?
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98 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory As my child is currently at Tobermory High School we are concerned about the impact any upheaval will make in them and others. If the current school is 'made good' or the new school is built on school grounds and students are moved into mobiles the current students education and mental wellbeing and health will largely be affected which isn't acceptable or fair to them. Tobermory has the largest population of children on the island which doesn't make sense to remove a school from Tobermory altogether. The roads will be impacted if there are school buses transporting children out of Tobermory more so than now. A new school has to allow for population growth. With all the new houses being built don't make a new school be too small in a few years time, build for the future not just the now. Tobermory As the main centre of population the school should be sited in or near Tobermory. This is important for sport and other after school activities. Tobermory How is the land to be procured? Will Argyll and Bute have authority for compulsory purchasing? There must be space for sporting activities and parking for staff and buses. If the council agrees to split the finance for a primary school and early learning centre to be built in Tobermory, this therefore will reduce the square metres for a 'like for like' campus size. It is inconceivable for children as young as two to be transported for a potential 42 mile round trip five days a week if the campus is not in Tobermory. If the campus is removed from Tobermory, the condition of the roads will pose a real hazard as the increased number of heavy buses needed to transport 100 + children on their already crumbling condition. On the whole increased transport will impact heavily on the environment, not just from buses but parents driving children. Tobermory, the largest most densely populated area on the island will lose its heart if all these children are transported out of the town everyday. The facilities the community gain by the schools presence in town will be lost to the communities of the far north of the island. This is the same argument that small Argyll primary schools have used to remain open when Argyll and Bute council attempted to close them. Tobermory not having at least a primary department creates a dangerous precedent for every primary school in Argyll which is in a place with a population of under 1,500 people. Communication has to be improved, as currently unless you use Facebook people know nothing about what is happening. It would also be useful to see all evidence that is being used for decision making.
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Appendix Three – Comments 99 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Tobermory We strongly support the development of a new campus for Mull and the improvement of facilities to future proof the campus.The main consideration should be the impact that a commute to school would have on the children and how many children would be affected by a change in campus location. With the main school already in tobermory, many families have choosen to live and work here so that our children can easily get to school without having to have a commute everyday. Placing the campus location outside of Tobermory would require better infrastructure between Tobermory and any new location to account for extra traffic leaving from Tobermory at the start/end of school. Given many have chosen to be within walking distance of the school for financial and environmental reasons, and the number of children that would need to commute from Tobermory to any other campus location on the island, funding and environmental transport options would need to be made available. We would support a new campus within or just outside of Tobermory. Ulva The 2-18 and like for like campus is the biggest flaw – you need to split it so the primary remains in Tobermory. It doesn't suit the communities, it suits your affordability. You cannot only base it on that. Ulva The 2-18 issue really makes it difficult to decide, and my opinion would probably change. The implications of moving it ALL from Tobermory mean it should probably stay there. But that's not the ideal outcome overall. Ulva We understand that you'll never keep everyone happy. Ulva "One site" effectively predicates it HAVING to stay in Tobermory. Which means you're not addressing the issues of Iona / Ross children having choice about their education. Ulva It's got to provide the best for the most people. Ulva The new houses at Craignure will shift the population / demographics which need to be factored in. Ulva What are the minimum age limits for bussing children, and what are the maximum distances? Travel times need to be a serious consideration Ulva We're talking about sites but we need to go back a step. We understood the driver for this was to bring children and communities together, which is being conflated with the driver of a poor condition school. Ulva Shouldn't have very young children travelling a long way out of Tobermory for primary school. Ulva The repercussions and fallout of moving 2-18 from Tobermory would be massive. It will be hugely divisive and damaging. Ulva Are there any other sources of funding available?
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100 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Ulva From the island's point of view, central site would be much more sensible and equitable. But it does not do good for Tobermory to be left without early learning and childcare and primary. Ulva Removing it from Tobermory would have an economic impact on the local shops / café's at lunch time. Ulva It's not really a community if there's no school. It should be the heart of the community. As many people as possible should be able to access a school. Ulva Children should have the freedom to CHOOSE to board or stay at home. Being away does not suit every personality but now they have very little opinion. Ulva Sending children away to school really inhibits the developments of communities and social cohesion. Ulva Kids in Tobermory use the local businesses – they may lose out if the high school moves, but businesses somewhere else would gain. Ulva People on Mull choose where to live based on where the schools are. This is important to them. Ulva If you split the campus it will cost more, but putting it somewhere else like Craignure would increase the social and economic opportunities there. The impact on the location and the wider island will be felt for generations to come. Ulva The funding mechanism is so restrictive! We should be questioning / complaining at Government level. Like for like will NOT work for Mull. Ulva Plenty of space for sports, library etc. Ulva High school children are perfectly able / used to travelling a fair way to school. Ulva Somewhere nearby shops and cafés so the children can eat at lunch – the cafeteria isn't really big enough to feed everyone. Ulva Could you have a facility for boarding in Tobermory for Ross children who want to at least stay on the island? Flexibility to come home occasionally if they want. Ulva Is there any possibility of rebuilding on site – is that one of the locations being considered? Ulva We live here knowing they will have to travel for high school, so Tobermory or Craignure would be roughly equal distance. But for the island wide context, you couldn't leave Tobermory without a primary and early learning and childcare. If it HAS to be 2-18, Tobermory is the only real option. But the ideal solution would be primary / early learning and childcare in Tobermory and high somewhere central. Ulva Split campus? Ulva Impact study? Cumulative travel time study? Back of envelope calc gives Salen as most efficient location in terms of minimum total student travel time (inc. new Craignure development). Ulva Curriculum development, a campus and curriculum that supports both academic and vocational learning like environmental sciences, agriculture, trades etc.
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Appendix Three – Comments 101 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Ulva Ensuring measures to ensure small class sizes, and supporting personalised learning. Ulva Teacher support, i.e. onsite accommodation? Ulva Supporting extracurricular opportunities, arts, sports, community services. Ulva Opportunities for outdoor education. Ulva Access to modern learning resources. Ulva Sustainable campus design and function, ie highly insulated fabric-first approach, with more passive services (eg natural vent and light etc). Ulva Partnerships with local businesses and organisations, providing work experience or apprenticeships. Ulva Key points: a campus that supports Mull-oriented skills, flexible learning, good access / transport for all, personalised learning support / inclusivity, cultural heritage of Mull and Gaelic. Not stated Sorry I did not manage to attend the recent consultations. [...] I think it would be much fairer for children of the Islands involved if the Campus were centrally located. Craignure has increased in status in recent years and many new houses are planned for the area. It would be great to see the children from the Ross of Mull etc able to attend school on Mull if that is indeed what they and their parents want. I would have been very unhappy to send my children away for a week to school. I also think it’s so unfair that the terms of the funding include a joint campus. Surely it’s not impossible to create the new preschool and primary locations in Tobermory on (part of) the existing site ? This would allow for less travelling by primary children. It would be good to see facts and figures on the total amount of miles travelling involved if the secondary school was placed in say Craignure or Salen. Perhaps an Island based hostel could be provided for those travelling furthest, to offset the cost of this in Oban. Parents could then more easily see their children midweek. I wanted to send these thoughts as my children travelled daily around 1 hr 45 mins each way on transport which was indirect [...] and extra curricular activities were not always easy for them, or me. Not stated A primary school should remain in Tobermory, the main centre of population.
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102 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Not stated I attended the Mull Campus consultation event in Tobermory yesterday and said I would email in my feedback (too much for a post it note!). My thoughts are: - The easiest and most feasible option is to replace the whole campus, like for like, on a new site in Tobermory, however this discounts the potential opportunity to bring the island together with a more central location - The option to split the campus, with a pre-school and primary in Tobermory, and a secondary with the option to be elsewhere, MUST be considered; the feedback from Council staff yesterday was ambiguous: it is not possible under the current funding to split the sites, however if Councillors agreed and more funding were available then it would be possible – that needs to be clarified and communicated - For me, the benefits of a central high school would outweigh the negatives: the opportunities for Ross of Mull pupils to come home every night, for children from across the island to mix and socialise, to attract more resources with more pupils, potentially offering more subjects and more class teachers; with 90 houses to be built in Craignure there would be more pupils living locally and more housing options for new teachers; overall I think a central high school would significantly improve the sustainability of our island in the long-term - I don't see how removing the pre-school and primary from Tobermory would work and I imagine the lobbying against such a proposal would be very significant and high profile; there would be justifiable concerns regarding the upheaval of moving the school, and long travel times for young children - My suggestion was that the primary and pre-school should remain in situ until a new facility is built in Tobermory, meanwhile the high school is moved to a more central location. The current site should then be sold to contribute to the funding costs, i.e. a phased development - I would not be in favour of an on-site rebuild as the disruption to school life would be significant; my son has already had to live through such a disruption and decant through pre-school and primary at Salen and it would not be fair for him and his contemporaries to live through that again My questions are: - What weighting does the community consultation feedback have in the site selection? eg if the top three most suitable sites are in Craignure but the community feedback is overwhelmingly in favour of a 2-18 campus in Tobermory – what takes precedence? - Can you please clarify – publicly – whether it is possible to split the campus or not? I have heard conflicting answers and people need to make informed decisions.
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Appendix Three – Comments 103 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption (Cont’d) - If the school needs to be replaced ‘like for like’ does that allow for an increased population, a bigger gym hall, number of classrooms etc? - The opportunity for partner organisations to secure funding for aspects of the project was discussed last night - is that currently being explored? Are such organisations (e.g. MICT) being actively approached via the stakeholder meetings, or separately? I appreciate the amount of working being put into this project and the opportunity for community feedback. It is essential we have a new, fit for purpose school on Mull, as part of an integrated approach to attract and retain working age people and ensure the future sustainability of our island. My greatest concern is how the Council will afford to ensure this happens, and deliver a school that is supported by the majority, against a very difficult financial background of spiralling build costs - and issues such as island uplift costs, SSE connection charges etc need to be taken back to the Scottish Government. Not stated Removing all education facilities from Tobermory will destroy what is left of the town. The road infrastructure to transport at least every child over 12 to school is not there. Road between Tobermory and Salen is still not fit for purpose. If site chosen outwith Tobermory, how do you transport a two year old for half day sessions to nursery? What is the cost of transportation? Misguided comments on range of subjects taught when the total number of pupils will not be enough to hire more teachers than are currently employed. If Tobermory loses its primary, Argyll and Bute will close all the rest, you cannot have every child from the largest conurbation being made to go elsewhere for their education and justify maintaining schools with single digit numbers. That is not cost effective for such an extremely cash strapped council who currently cannot even afford to fix the death trap pier in Craignure. The funders saying the money can be split for two campuses and Tobermory getting a brand new primary school, which does not currently exist, is not the same as Argyll and Bute council committing to this before a decision is made on any sites. Iona children will never be in school in the wintertime as the ferry often does not sail due to weather and tidal conditions. Rumours are that they will not be part of this. This feeds into the lack of clear and definite information that is being passed on. Unless you use Facebook there is no information, meaning rumours are all anyone is privy to. What is needed is a mail shot to every household with pertinent information on exactly what is happening with no ifs or maybes and actual decision making strategies. There are no figures anywhere that I can find of numbers of children at all the schools across Mull and Iona which would help everyone understand what having a Mull Campus would actually entail. There has to be honesty that if the Iona kids aren't going to be included, the only change is that the kids who go to Bunessan School are the only ones who are going to be affected.
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104 Appendix Three – Comments Image captionImage caption Other [Our journey] is already a significant travel time so we are keen to see the site is as close as possible to Tobermory. Other Surely there is rural funding and rural impact assessments that can be used to (in my view) achieve the most beneficial outcome for the whole of Mull, ie keep a Primary School and ELC in Tobermory and build a new High School more central so all of Mull’s (and Iona’s) children can access it. [I have moved off the island as family time was very limited due to school and work commitments.] The sad likelihood now is that probably none of my children will settle and subsequently have families in the Ross of Mull (or anywhere on Mull for that matter) and therefore unlikely that we will move back because of this. There are also numerous other families that have done the same because of the High School situation, or make the decision not to return to the Ross for the same reasons. That does not bode well for Mull’s population (especially the Ross) as a whole to lose young families. It won’t affect me now, sadly, but think long and hard before you lose the opportunity for an island wide High School and all the benefits that that would bring to the whole island. I personally think it is a great opportunity for the island to have an all island inclusive 'Isle of Mull High School'. It is long overdue, in my opinion, from when I went to stay in the Hostel/Oban High School in the early 80s. Also at this time [other family members] left the Ross of Mull because of this issue – subsequently none of them returned to live on Mull with their families. I also think the positives would far outweigh the negatives for communities throughout Mull and possibly be a catalyst for progress and pressure in much needed road infrastructure improvements/ upgrades Island wide (I’m acknowledging comments on travel times etc). It would be easier/more inclusive, I would think, for more Mull Sports clubs, School Pipe band (personal interest) music groups, all sorts of educational activities to engage and attend things in Oban and further afield but equally so for all those things mentioned to come over on the ferry to Mull. I 100% agree that Tobermory should not be without a Primary School and ELC (and I hope that this is not effectively being used as a tool in order to achieve an already pre desired outcome) I also completely understand residents who would prefer the High School to remain in Tobermory but I think it would be short sighted for Mull as a whole island not to have a more accessible facility for all the children of Mull to have an 'Isle of Mull High School'. Other I think it should allow all children to attend whether they live Iona, Bunessan or Tobermory.
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www.ryderarchitecture.com Appendix Three – Comments