Councillors have been advised to sign off on plans to add a nursery to a growing Highland Perthshire primary school to secure its long term future.
Education bosses have recommended proposals for nursery provision at Logierait Primary in Ballinluig should be approved as part of an investment in Perthshire schools of more than £175 million over the next decade.
The local authority’s lifelong learning committee will convene on Wednesday and decide whether to give the plans the green light.
Logierait Primary started the new term last month with a school roll of 18 – just 36% of its maximum capacity and less than 50% of the pupils living within the catchment area.
Since being listed in the School Estate Review’s first phase in 2016, the roll has fluctuated around this figure.
Following a consultation at the school in November, Perth and Kinross Council has published a report which states many parents identified a lack of childcare options as encouragement to send their children elsewhere.
Following analysis in April, the council has identified eight pupils would be likely to start nursery in at Logierait in 2020 and seven more the following year, figures listed as “sufficient” by education bosses to merit having a nursery class.
In order to proceed with setting up the class, council officers had looked at shrinking the footprint of the school hall but have instead recommended investing around £70,000 to revamp an existing ground floor room, along with £36,500 per year on staff.
By investing in this class, the council predicts the school roll could rocket by 46% within the next three years and as high as 70% by 2029.
Logierait Parent Council has fought for Nursery provision since the school was put on the review list.
Th investment has been welcomed by Highland ward councillor Xander McDad, but the lifelong learning committee member is unhappy with a clause set to be included to review the school’s status again in five years time.
Mr McDade said: “I’m very pleased that after considerable campaigning by Logierait Parent Council and myself, the committee recommendation is to establish a nursery provision at Logierait, which should secure the schools future.
“However, I will not support the administration proposal to prolong the uncertainty over the future of Logierait Primary any longer by including a further review in five years time.”
The meeting is set to be held at 1pm at 2 High Street, Perth.
