Latest news with #StewartonAcademy
Daily Record
17-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Councillors to decide on £100m East Ayrshire school investment
The programme of refurbishment, extensions and rebuilds would cover more than a dozen East Ayrshire schools. East Ayrshire Council has unveiled a five‑year investment £100 million plan to refurbish, extend or rebuild more than a dozen schools, as well as delivering Scotland's first EnerPHit‑certified primary in Galston. The blueprint is set to go before the council's Cabinet on Wednesday ( June 18) as part of its Learning Estate Management Plan 2023‑24. The 85‑page report shows all but one of the area's 54 learning establishments are now in A‑ or B‑rated condition (13 'good', 40 'satisfactory' and only St Sophia's temporarily classed C while its deep‑retrofit is completed). Suitability has climbed too, with 26 schools rated 'excellent' and 18 'good'. However, pupil numbers remain below the council's 85 per cent occupancy target, averaging 78.8 per cent in primaries and 75 per cent in secondaries. The increasing population in the north of the authority is seeing the greatest pressure on schools, with Annanhill in Kilmarnock, Lainshaw and Stewarton primaries all above 90 per cent. And Stewarton Academy has hit 87 per cent — pressure the council hopes to ease with a £20.5 million extension and ASN wing due to start next year. Further refurbishments are pencilled in for Logan, Dunlop, Mount Carmel, Nether Robertland and Loudoun Academy, while Lainshaw Primary will gain a four‑class extension and new drop‑off loop to meet 'unprecedented' housing‑driven growth. The plan flags a 'rapidly changing profile' of additional‑support‑needs pupils: with 31 per cent of East Ayrshire children having an ASN record, and specialist placements up 153 per cent since 2017. Officials say every major project will follow Scotland's Learning Estate Strategy and the council's own net‑zero roadmap. St Sophia's EnerPHit pilot, which has received £4.3 m in Scottish Government funding, is expected to cut heating demand by up to 80 per cent and provide a template for other retrofits. If Cabinet approves the priorities, detailed design work will begin over the summer so contractors can break ground early in the 2025/26 financial year.
Daily Record
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
East Ayrshire pupils hit the high notes in Young Musician of the Year competition
Ten musicians battled for the top prize. East Ayrshire youngsters hit the high notes as 10 talented musicians battled it out for in the Music Service's East Ayrshire Young Musician of the Year competition. Held at Grange Academy in Kilmarnock, the competition was adjudicated by Laura MacMillan, Principal Teacher of Music at Belmont Academy, and Graeme Barclay, owner and founder of Beat Buddies Music. Competing in the final were – Gregor from Stewarton Academy (marimba), Max from Loudoun Academy (saxophone), Matthew from Kilmarnock Academy (piano), Eilidh from Grange Academy (voice), Jai from The Robert Burns Academy (bagpipes), Ben from Loudoun Academy (guitar), Mariella from Kilmarnock Academy (voice), Lily from Stewarton Academy (clarinet), Ethan from Grange Academy (piano) and Sophie from Doon Academy (cornet). And it was Gregor from Stewarton Academy who won the competition playing a beautiful piece called Ney Rosauro's Marimba Concerto. Sophie from Doon Academy and Ethan from Grange Academy were runners-up. Gregor will now also be representing East Ayrshire at the Scottish Young Musician national final at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland next month. Provost Claire Leitch attended the competition with Councillor Elaine Cowan, and was on hand to present the winners with their awards. She said: 'What an honour to attend the East Ayrshire Young Musician of the Year competition, to hear the incredible talent of our young people and congratulate our winner – Gregor and runners-up - Sophie and Ethan. 'Heartfelt thanks go to the judges Laura MacMillan and Graeme Barclay, they really did have a tough job; the standard of performance was exceptional. 'For musicians, there is nothing like performing to a live audience so thanks go to the Music Service, led by Dr Julie Carrie, for giving our young people this wonderful opportunity.'
Daily Record
25-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Stewarton youngsters to compete at Young Enterprise Scotland National Finals
A team of pioneering young entrepreneurs from Stewarton Academy will represent Ayrshire at the Young Enterprise Scotland National Finals. Four teams from Robert Burns Academy, Stewarton Academy, Garnock Community Campus and MArr College took part in the Ayrshire Regional Final for the Company Programme at the University of West of Scotland Ayr Campus. Stewarton Academy took the crown with their business PAWS, which is high-quality, sustainable pet products. The Young Enterprise Scotland Company Programme is an immersive programme which provides a real-life learning opportunity that introduces young people from S5 and S6 to the realities of the world of work. Participants are required to start their own company, running through the key milestones of developing an idea, conducting market research, creating the product or service, promoting that product and ultimately trading it. Over 2,000 young people take part in the Company Programme every year in Scotland. The winning team will now go on to represent the Ayrshire region at The Young Enterprise Scotland Company Programme Finals on Thursday, May 29 at GTG Glasgow. Young Enterprise Scotland, Chief Executive, Emma Soanes said: "The PAWS team is an inspiration and I wish them every success in the Scottish finals later this year. "Setting up and running their own successful company is a wonderful experience and will have given them new skills to take forward into their learning and future careers. So whatever happens at the finals, they are all worthy winners." The Ayrshire Company Finals were sponsored by UWS Student Union, Booth Welsh, Rivergate Shopping Centre, Dains, UWS, DYW Ayrshire and UK Steel Enterprise. Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter
