Agenda item

(A)       The Council received a deputation from John Murray in relation to agenda item 7.1 - School Estate Plan Annual Update 2025.

Mr Murray advised that he was speaking on behalf of the Catholic Church. He reminded Members that he had addressed the Education and Children’s Services Committee on the same issue on 17 September 2024 and Full Council on 2 October 2024, and reiterated what he had said then - it was the view of the Catholic Church that Catholic education could only be successful in Aberdeen if it was a joint enterprise based on mutual trust and respect between the Council and the Church. The Catholic Church did not want to be at loggerheads with the Council, Mr Murray wanted to avoid the acrimony from last year and to focus on the compelling case for a Catholic secondary school in Aberdeen.

Mr Murray stated that he was here because the Partnership lost the vote at committee regarding a consultation on the possibility of a Catholic secondary school in Aberdeen. He believed the Partnership lost the vote because they lost the argument, as had been the case last year, and that all of the external members present voted against the Partnership having listened to both sides of the debate. Mr Murray stressed that he had not canvassed or lobbied the external members at any point.

Mr Murray emphasised that what was currently in place with regard to Catholic education in Aberdeen was very inadequate compared to the rest of Scotland and this was not just in relation to secondary education. He noted that there were three Catholic primary schools in Aberdeen, which was one for every 6,400 Catholic children in the city; if it was reduced to two schools it would be one for every 9,600 Catholic children. Mr Murray compared those statistics to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee - Aberdeen had more school aged Catholic children than Dundee yet Dundee had two Catholic secondary schools and ten Catholic primary schools.

Mr Murray referred to the consultation that had taken place last year which yielded a high level of responses, with 82% of respondents in favour of a Catholic secondary school within the city - he believed that it was a remarkable conclusion for the Council to then reject that. He added that the consultation had excluded people from Aberdeenshire and stressed that they must be included and invited to join discussions with the Council and the Catholic Church.

Mr Murray highlighted the high level of cynicism in the community which was compounded by the Council repeatedly ignoring the views of its external members. He added that there was an erroneous belief that Catholic schools were just like any other school with the exception of the religious curriculum and underlined that the many thousands of non-Catholic families in Scotland who chose to send their children to Catholic schools were seeking a distinctive ethos and educational environment, not just a different religious education curriculum. Mr Murray concluded that the onus of proof must always lie with those who wish to deny people equal opportunities and he believed the Partnership had failed in this respect over the past three years - this was an opportunity to set a new course.

Members asked questions of Mr Murray and thanked him for his deputation.

(B)       The Council next received a deputation from Elizabeth Spencer, also in relation to agenda item 7.1.

Ms Spencer advised that she was a community leader for ethnic and religious minorities in Aberdeen. She reminded Members that she had previously spoken on this issue at the Education and Children’s Services Committee and Full Council last year and had been disappointed in the outcome. Ms Spencer stated that she started an online petition with the Scottish Parliament which had received over 1,000 signatures - it had been rejected twice but was accepted at the third time of asking and had been considered by the relevant committee, which was due to meet again to consider it further.

Ms Spencer summarised her own experience of Catholic education in Aberdeen, which began when her daughter started school at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic School in 2021. She expressed her disappointment that there was no Catholic secondary school in Aberdeen which meant that there was no pathway for children after primary school. Ms Spencer touched upon instances of racial discrimination in the community, however she stated that she had not experienced sectarianism in Aberdeen.

Ms Spencer believed that this was no longer a local issue, by virtue of the matter being considered at the Scottish Parliament and that the Council had lost its way. She felt that people’s voices were being excluded and that this was evidence of bias, not democracy.

Ms Spencer explained her own personal and family history and that she was not a typical Catholic. She appealed to the Council to not let history repeat itself - she believed that this was not about Catholicism, it was about Christianity and the values it had given society - dignity, community and hope. Ms Spencer stated that they were not asking for privilege, they were asking for fairness and ultimately a consultation on whether Aberdeen should have a Catholic secondary school.

Members thanked Ms Spencer for her deputation.

(C)       The Council next received a deputation from Tony Steppie, also in relation to agenda item 7.1.

Mr Steppie advised that he was Chair of Holy Family Primary School Parent Council. He noted that the School Estate Plan referred to the refurbishment of St Peter’s School and that monitoring of the three Catholic primary schools in the city would be delayed until that refurbishment had been completed in November 2027. Mr Steppie was concerned that this suggested the Council’s intentions had not been revealed and he sought assurances that there was no plan to close Holy Family school.

Mr Steppie advised that Holy Family had a steady occupancy of 75%, with 78% occupancy predicted for 2026 - if there were doubts over the future of the school, some parents would choose not to send their children there. He emphasised that morale and certainty over the future was very important for a school. Mr Steppie explained that the Education Convener, Councillor Greig, had attended a school meeting in May 2025 and had said there were no plans to close Holy Family, however there was no explanation regarding the excess capacity and no guarantees had been provided in relation to the city’s three faith primary schools.

Mr Steppie acknowledged the School Estate Plan focused on physical resources, however he emphasised that the most important factors in relation to education were pupils, parents and teachers. He believed that any threat to close Holy Family would be educational vandalism and would be an attack on parents’ rights to choose. Mr Steppie advised that many people from other faiths chose to send their children to Catholic schools - approximately 22% of children in Catholic schools in Scotland were not Catholic.

Mr Steppie stated that he would not give up the fight to protect Holy Family and the school community and that he was puzzled that the Administration was going to such lengths to deny the public a consultation on a Catholic secondary school in the city, which he believed was a reasonable request that would be well supported.

Members asked questions of Mr Steppie and thanked him for his deputation.

(D)       The Council next received a deputation from Oyewumi Olalekan, also in relation to agenda item 7.1.

Mr Olalekan advised that he spoke not just as a parent but as a voice for children and that his children attended Holy Family. He noted that the school was part of the city’s heritage and children were inspired to learn; his children were excited to go to school every day. Mr Olalekan underlined that the school brought families from different backgrounds together and they were bound by faith and unity - closing the school would not only break such a bond but would take away a safe space where children could flourish.

Mr Olalekan understood concerns regarding budgets but emphasised that the value of a school such as Holy Family could not be measured by money. He noted that Aberdeen was the biggest city in Scotland without a Catholic secondary school and questioned why Aberdeen should stand apart. Mr Olalekan highlighted that the Education and Children’s Services Committee had twice voted in favour of a consultation on a Catholic secondary school, but the Administration was refusing to act. Mr Olalekan called on the Council not to leave Aberdeen behind and to protect Holy Family school, not just for today but for future generations.

Members thanked Mr Olalekan for his deputation.

(E)       Lastly, the Council received a deputation from Victoria Towns, also in relation to agenda item 7.1.

Ms Towns explained that she was a non-faith parent who chose to send her daughter to a Catholic school - Holy Family. She explained that she had researched other schools in her area and came to the conclusion that Holy Family was the best option for her daughter. Holy Family was providing a great education and opportunities for her child - it was giving her a great grounding and understanding of other cultures and faiths and helping her to look at other children without labels. Ms Towns advised that she worked for the Council as a City Warden and had attended the Council’s corporate induction which touched upon equality and diversity - she accepted that everyone was different.

Ms Towns questioned what the problem was with having a consultation on a Catholic secondary school. She summarised her own experience of education in Liverpool and underlined that her daughter had a good understanding of the world and its many cultures. Ms Towns concluded that she was proud to work for Aberdeen City Council and to speak to the many individual communities across the city - the Council needed to listen to their voices and give them a chance to speak.

Members asked questions of Ms Towns and thanked her for her deputation.