The Highland Council has recommended the replacement of Wick's four primary schools with two new purpose built facilities.

The report, which follows a period of statutory consultation, recommends the Education Culture and Sport Committee spend £20 million on two new community schools – one to the north of the River Wick, one to the south.

This will complement the £37 million earmarked for the replacement of Wick High School, which will also include a replacement community swimming pool and community library.

Once the go-ahead is given and a contractor sourced, the Council proposes to amalgamate Hillhead and North Primary Schools in a new school building on land available within North Primary School, estimated to cost £10.5 million, and catering for approximately 360 pupils.

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To the south, the Council proposes to join the South and Pulteneytown Academy Primary Schools in a new school to be built on the site of the existing Wick High School playing field site and the site of Pultneytown Academy Primary School. The new school would cater for 360 pupils at an estimated cost of £9.225 million.

It is proposed that the new Primary School, which would also house the existing Caithness Early Years Autism unit, will be co-joined to the new Wick High School building thereby creating a purpose-built 3 to 18 campus.

The report concludes: "Taken with the proposed development of the new Wick High School, these proposals will place every pupil in Wick in excellent new education facilities within four years, something few comparable towns in Scotland can offer."

(JG/BMcC)