A remote Perthshire primary school, mothballed last summer, faces imminent closure.
Members of Perth and Kinross Council’s lifelong learning committee will be asked to approve plans to shut Strone of Cally Primary School for good at a meeting on Wednesday.
The issue will then be put forward for public consultation, including discussions with residents and other interested parties.
The pupil roll at the village school has declined steadily for years, with just one child due to attend in 2010/11. A total of 10 pupils who live in the catchment area attend neighbouring schools.
A report by the executive director of education and children’s services, John Fyffe, concludes that, for the long term, children’s learning and social needs would be met “most effectively” by attending Kirkmichael Primary School, seven miles away.
Kirkmichael Primary is currently a two-teacher school with 39 pupils. High standards in English language and mathematics have been maintained over the last three years.
“The children and parents of Strone of Cally Primary School will have access to an educational establishment which meets the needs of all children and which has a comprehensive and well-planned approach to taking forward improvement,” the education chief says.
“There is more than enough capacity at Kirkmichael Primary School to fully meet the needs of the Strone of Cally Primary School children without disrupting the learning of the Kirkmichael Primary School children.”‘Agreed’Mr Fyffe says the majority of parents in the area “agreed” with the proposal and it would not adversely impact on local, social or economic activities. All staff previously employed at Strone of Cally Primary have been redeployed.
He adds that savings from closing Strone of Cally Primary would amount to £86,342 a year mainly staff and building running costs. If left “mothballed,” it could become a target for vandals and would deteriorate, meaning rising maintenance costs.
Councillors will be asked to agree that formal consultation takes place, with public meetings held. The feedback from the consultation process will then inform a further report to a future meeting of the lifelong learning committee.
Convener Liz Grant said, “This is the next stage in the process which began in August. As this is the first time we have carried out such a consultation under the new national legislation, we want to ensure we have an effective approach in place from the outset.
“Our focus in doing this is, and always has been, on the learning experience for pupils we want to provide the best possible educational environment for them so they can achieve to their fullest.”
Tory councillors attacked the move to mothball the school back in August, claiming education chiefs had their priorities wrong.