Murray, Taylor and me

I had a great time at Lochdonhead Primary on Mull, opening the new "Science Shed".  

I promised to do it when I met the pupils in the Parliament when they collected their award in a national competition , the funding from which allowed them to build the shed.   

The school is part of a vibrant community and now has a Head Teacher shared with Ulva.   Both those schools were threatened with closure by Argyll & Bute Council  in 2010 and although the numbers are still small the new arrangements are allowing the communities to have confidence in the future for their children.  The local hard working councillor who had helped to save the school , Mary Jean Devon , was there today as were two senior Education officials as well as lots of community members.  

Confidence in continuity for their community services  is vital for people who live  in extreme rural areas and I was very struck by that continuity at this little school today.   The plaque above was placed two months and one week before I was born and commemorates the planting of an oak for the Queen's Coronation in 1953. 

The planting was done by the youngest pupil in the school at that time  and  today the youngest pupil (Taylor) was  part of the events too.  

Time have changed though .  She wanted not a plaque but a selfie, which we duly took.