Two classrooms within Troon Primary School could be reconfigured and converted to help expand South Ayrshire Council’s Additional Support Needs (ASN) provision.
Ayrshire Live can reveal that South Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet are to consider the proposals next week.
If approved, the classrooms could accommodate as many as 20 pupils who have additional support needs and be ready by August 2025.
A report from Lyndsay McRoberts, Depute Chief Executive and Director of Education, explained the background to the proposals, stating: “Educational Services currently operate three supported ASN learning centres situated within mainstream primary schools which offer a high level of support to young people who have significant additional support needs.
“Demand for placements within these centres has increased year on year with almost all primary centres now working at capacity. Educational Services ASN learning centres are situated in Girvan, South Ayr and North Ayr. This results in vulnerable young people, who reside in the north of the authority, having to endure a lengthy taxi journey to and from school each day.”
The report continues: “Through a falling roll and space subsequently becoming available at the school, Educational Services have identified two rooms within Troon Primary School that could be converted into ASN classrooms for the 2025/26 school session commencing in August 2025.”
The papers also reveal that Troon Primary School has a planning capacity for 483 pupils. However, the projected pupil roll for the 2024/25 school session at the school is 302 pupils, or 63 per cent of the available capacity.
This number is down seven pupils from the 2023/24 school session and down by more than 70 pupils from the 2019/20 roll of 374.
According to the council paper this has created “an opportunity” for two classrooms within the school to be converted into an ASN facility that could accommodate up to 20 young people, depending on their particular needs.
Proposed alterations to the school to support an ASN facility would include a new, dedicated, secure ASN play space and support accommodation, such as a sensory room and quiet room, not currently available at Troon Primary School.
The capital cost of making the alterations required will be funded from the local authority’s Schools Refurbishment Budget for financial year 2025-26, according to the report.
Subject to Cabinet’s approval, a public consultation on the plans would run from October 1 next month until November 20, with the public meeting taking place in the assembly hall of Troon Primary School- on the evening of Thursday 24 October at 7pm.
Cabinet will discuss the proposals at a meeting on Wednesday, September 25.
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