Expanding the catchment area for a Carse of Gowrie school may hold the key to its survival, according to local councillors.
Labour’s Alasdair Bailey and Conservative Angus Forbes are united in welcoming a possible review of the catchment for Abernyte Primary.
This avenue is among recommendations on a wider school review to be put to members of the lifelong learning committee on Wednesday March 21, though both expressed regret that a review hadn’t been carried out in the past.
“Abernyte School has suffered from having a catchment area that was simply too small given the unfortunate decline in the numbers of young families choosing to live in rural areas,” said Mr Bailey.
“When nearby village schools closed many years ago, their catchment was rolled into Inchture which is now a sizeable school.
“A review of the catchment area is the only option I can see which stands a chance of re-establishing Abernyte as a sustainable rural school.”
The school currently has only five pupils, all of one sex, and he described it as “a crying shame” that no action was taken in 2012 when the parent council made a request for a review which was turned down by the then administration.
“At that time the school had 15 pupils of mixed sexes making it a far more appealing proposition for new parents,” said Mr Bailey.
“I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to proceed with the formal catchment review after Wednesday’s meeting and that the outcome of the consultation will point towards a sustainable rural school thus saving Abernyte for future generations.”
Mr Forbes said there was no doubt in his mind that if the review had been agreed to five years ago that Abernyte wouldn’t be in the position is now.
“I was delighted that the Conservative-led administration have looked again at Abernyte school and the recommendation is to perform a catchment review, I sincerely hope my colleagues on the committee vote for this option,” he said.
