Seafield school in Ardrossan set to close

Paul Moore, Chief Executive of the Quarriers said in a statement: “We have reluctantly taken the difficult decision to propose the closure of Seafield School in Ardrossan.

“We do understand this will be an extremely anxious time for everyone associated with the services.” Seafield is an independent school providing care and learning for children and young people with complex needs some from troubled backgrounds. It is owned by the charity Quarriers.

Quarriers receives its funding from local authorities who place children and young people in its homes, but have blamed the closure on a fall in demand for residential style care.

Mr Moore said: “Demand for places at Seafield has been decreasing and is also forecast to continue to do so – there are currently 14 pupils in an education provision which has the capacity to take 25 – and it is no longer financially viable.

“We have made every effort to put Seafield on a more sustainable footing – including reconfiguring the provision. However, it has continued to lose money and is forecast to have a significant deficit over this financial year. As a charity, we are simply unable to continue absorbing such financial losses.

“The proposal to close Seafield impacts on Merton House as well as another home in Irvine as they support some residential pupils at the school. If the school does close, it will not be viable to keep these children’s home open.We are committed to ensuring all the children at the school and in the two children’s homes receive the highest quality care and support during this difficult time.

“If the decision is taken to close the services then this would not happen until the end of the current academic year, and we will work closely with other providers and placing local authorities to ensure the children and young people were supported during their transition.“ “Quarriers will also be consulting collectively with the trade unions as representatives of the staff potentially affected. In the event the home does close, Quarriers has a policy of redeploying staff and every effort will be made to support those that might be affected to find other opportunities within the charity.” The Grade B listed building has been on the market for 18 months. The estate agents schedule notes ‘North Ayrshire Council have advised that they will consider a range of uses for the buildings and on the wider site. However, they have a policy that seeks to safeguard the retention of the Listed Buildings’.

Mandy Fitzpatrick, whose 12-year old son Jackie was a resident at the school due to not being able to settle into mainstream schooling, had to move him to a facility in Edinburgh.

She said: “All the staff were good with him. They should build a new school on the land that is there. Its.shocking that my son has to go to Edinburgh for school as its only school close to us that deals with his behaviour needs.” A neighbour of the school and a former employee there who did not wish to be named, commented: “Residential care is an outdated format and they have to move with the times. I would’t be concerned if the site was developed.

“It would be a shame to lose the new sports hall though as that’s only a few years old.” Katy Clark, MP for North Ayrshire and Arran, said the announcement was ‘devastating for all involved and more bad news for the local economy’.

She continued: “I hope a way can be found to persuade Quarriers to keep these facilities open. Staff have previously agreed to cuts in wages and other terms and conditions to keep their jobs and the facility open.” “I am deeply troubled that the announcement which, gives no guarantee as to whether staff can be redeployed to avoid job losses, or whether the children attending the facilities will be provided with suitable alternatives and I call on all, particularly those who provide funding to Quarriers, to work together to put together a rescue package.

“This announcement is potentially devastating for many in the local community. Not only is there the very real prospect of significant numbers of job losses of people who live in the local community, but the support that the children who attend both Seafield and Merton House may not be replaced with a comparable service.

“The children who attend these facilities may have significant additional support needs, and the potential disruption could have a major impact on their well being and I cannot see how it is in their interests.

“I am talking to Quarriers urgently to explore what can be done.” Seafield School was built as Seafield House in 1820 for a Mrs Bartlemore, then substantially rebuilt in the Scottish Baronial style in 1858. It was owned around that time by Archibald Douglas Bryce-Douglas (1841-1891) a marine engineer and shipbuilder. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, it became a hydropathic hotel. From at least the 1950s to around 2000, it was called Seafield Residential School owned by Glasgow Corporation then Strathclyde Regional Council and later North Ayrshire Council. NAC initially leased it to Quarriers. In late 2004, North Ayrshire Council sold its interest in the building and land to the charity who renamed it Quarriers Seafield School.