Education bosses at Dundee City Council have defended their proposed number of reserved school places for the next academic year.
The council’s children and families committee met on Monday to decide how many places are to be reserved for new children starting after August 2021 at each school in the city.
This includes reducing the number of reserved places at Ancrum Road Primary School from three to just two, and completely removing reserved places at both Fintry Primary School and Clepington Primary School because they are “not required”.
The number of reserved places at each school in 2021/22 will be:
- Ancrum Road Primary School – two (down from three in 2020/21)
- Barnhill Primary School – nine
- Blackness Primary School – three
- Claypotts Castle Primary School – two
- Clepington Primary School – zero (down from four in 2020/21)
- Craigowl Primary School – 11
- Downfield Primary School – three
- Eastern Primary School – nine
- Fintry Primary School – zero (down from two in 2020/21)
- Forthill Primary School – 11
- St Joseph’s RC Primary School – three
- St Mary’s RC Primary School – two
- SS Peter and Paul RC Primary School – two
- Victoria Park Primary School – three
- Grove Academy – 12
- Harris Academy – 12
- Morgan Academy – 12
- St John’s RC High School – 12
At the meeting, concerns were raised about the number of reserved school places allocated at both Ancrum Road Primary School and Grove Academy by councillors.
Paul Clancy, executive director of children and families at Dundee City Council, said: “We review the number of reserved spaces on an annual basis in the knowledge of what has happened in previous years.
“For this reason it was assessed it was possible to make a small reduction at Ancrum Road Primary School this year based on the last two years of data.
“This allows families to have the opportunity to place their children in accordance with their wishes.
“There is no exact science but the numbers for Grove Academy are based on the patterns we have seen in previous years.
“For the people who arrive after the places are already set, the number should be ample and sufficient for new families in Broughty Ferry.”
Moira Leck, the Roman Catholic Church representative on the children and families committee, added a number of parents at St Mary’s RC Primary School and SS Peter and Paul’s Primary School had raised concerns about how the two schools would cope with an influx of new pupils from nearby housing developments.
Mr Clancy replied: “These reserved spaces are for families moving to the catchment during the school year.
“Anyone in the catchment when the school roll is set will receive a space at the school.
“This is based on families coming to the catchment through the year and in our past years’ experience, it has been sufficient and that is why the number is set at two.”
The proposed numbers for 2021/22 was approved unanimously at the meeting.
