A Perthshire primary school that faced closure looks set to win a reprieve.
Dwindling pupil numbers threatened the future of the school but a recent reversal in fortunes and a vigorous campaign by parents has pulled it back from the brink.
At a meeting of the council’s lifelong learning committee on Wednesday, councillors will consider a paper on the future of the school, which recommends it should remain open.
Previously Logiealmond had been identified as one of four schools with a roll below 15 pupils the future of which was in the balance.
In his report recommending the school stay open, John Fyffe, council executive director (education and children’s services) outlines the turnaround in the school’s fortunes.
“While the pupil roll at Logiealmond Primary School has been in decline between 2002 and 2007, it had begun to rise to a total of nine pupils at the September 10 census,” said Mr Fyffe.
“There are 14 pupils registered for August 2011 and the rising trend is expected to continue through to 20 pupils in 2017.”
Councillor Barbara Vaughan, Conservative spokesperson on the committee, has been delighted by the recent turn of events.
“As a local councillor for the ward that includes Logiealmond Primary School I am delighted that the recommendation to the lifelong learning committee is for the school to remain open. I will be supporting this recommendation.
“This is a school that received a very good inspection report and has published its improvement report that shows it has made even further progress since then.Difficult”It is always a difficult and a sad decision to move towards the closure of any school, especially a rural primary. Such a closure makes a community less attractive for families with young children to settle in the area.
“A deputation of parents of Logiealmond pupils made a very eloquent plea for the retention of their school to the lifelong learning committee last August.
“In May 2009 there were only six pupils attending the school. Since then there has been a continual rise in numbers with a projection that there will be 20 pupils attending in six years’ time.
“I suspect some of this increase is due to the enthusiasm parents of existing pupils have shown for the school and their persuading other families to enrol their children in the school.
“There is, however, a worrying element to the report. There are still 20 pupils who live within the catchment area for Logiealmond and do not attend the school.
“The report on the future of Logiealmond makes it clear that were the school roll not to meet the projections then its future may well have to be reconsidered.
“There may be several practical reasons for parents to opt to send their children to other schools. Many parents also express concerns about wishing their children to have more social contact with other children of their own age.
“One of the most important factors for parents choosing a particular school is the quality of education the school delivers.
“Where the quality of education is good, as it is at Logeialmond, it can only be hoped that a sufficient number of parents will enrol their children in rural schools to justify their retention on education grounds.”