Pupils and their families of Campsie View and Merkland schools are being asked to choose a name for East Dunbartonshire’s new state-of-the-art Additional Support Needs (ASN) school.
The £34.9m school, which is due to open in 2023, will give 200 children and young people across the area a richly enhanced educational experience.
Accommodating children from ages 2- 18 who currently attend Campsie View and Merkland schools, the building is designed to be both practical and stimulating for pupils who have a broad range of additional support needs.
With construction progressing well, thoughts have now turned to what the school should be called.
Pupils, families and staff of both schools along with Councillors and Waterside Community Council can vote for their favourite name from a shortlist chosen by the school’s Interim Parent Council.
The four potential names are:
Antonine School
Chosen as a name that represented the whole of the authority due to the Antonine Wall running from Bearsden all the way through East Dunbartonshire to Twechar. The link to the wall and the influence of Romans across East Dunbartonshire through naming of roads and streets, as well as access to Roman relics, meant this name could mean something to all the children and young people. The forts on the wall range from the most westerly point of EDC at Castlehill through to Bar Hill near Twechar, meaning all learners, and learner families are able to identify with this name.
Collier’s Brae School
Chosen as a name that represented the mining history of the local area, as well as across the wider authority. Again, mining existed from Baljaffray and Bonnaughton in the west of East Dunbartonshire to Twechar in the east. The location of the school, itself, is in close proximity to a former mining village.
Woodland View School
Chosen as a name that represents the wide range of diverse woodland in the local authority. Other names, which were tree related, were also considered, but it was felt that this represented the whole authority, and also the view of a number of woodland areas that can be seen from the site.
Kelvin Valley School
Chosen as a name that includes the Kelvin – one of the tributaries of the River Clyde which provides a border between East Dunbartonshire and North Lanarkshire, then East Dunbartonshire and Glasgow. The river flows from Kirkintilloch through to Milngavie and Bearsden. The Luggie Water, which runs alongside the new school, feeds into the Kelvin. Again, it is a name that is familiar to children, young people and their families.
Councillor Lynda Williamson, Convener of the Council's Education Committee said, “This is an important milestone and one that everyone connected to the school will be keen to get involved in. We have four fantastic names to choose from thanks to the Interim Parent Council and I’m excited to see which one comes out on top.”
The new school will have plenty of open spaces, a sensory trail leading from ground to first floor and extra wide lifts for wheelchair users. Bright colours, natural materials and garden spaces contribute to creating a happy and nurturing environment throughout.
All relevant stakeholders will receive an email with a link to the vote from today (Monday 22 August) and will remain live for two weeks.