Century-old Fife primary school to be mothballed in January

Council officers have requested the temporary closure of Kirkton of Largo Primary.

By Claire Warrender

December 27 2024, 7:00am

Kirkton of Largo Primary in Upper Largo. Image: Google

A century-old Fife primary school could be mothballed in the new year.

Kirkton of Largo Primary, in Upper Largo, has had no pupils since August 2023.

Most of the 21 children in the catchment area attend nearby Lundin Mill Primary, with the rest travelling to Colinsburgh.

Fife Council education officers will now ask councillors at a meeting on January 9 to mothball the school with immediate effect.

Mothballing means a temporary closure which does not need a formal public consultation.

However, if approved, the decision will be reviewed within a year.

The council could then propose a consultation to permanently close the school.

The recommendation follows the closure of Milton of Balgonie Primary School in August, three years after it was mothballed.

Furniture and resources will be removed

Head of education Shelagh McLean said any children wishing to enrol at Kirkton of Largo during the mothballing period would be offered a place at Lundin Mill, in Lundin Links.

Free transport will be provided for those who meet the distance criteria.

Fife Council head of education and children’s services, Shelagh McLean.

Meanwhile, all furniture and other resources will be removed to cut the risk of vandalism and fire.

Ms McLean said there are no staffing implications as the only teacher moved to a new post in 2022.

The pupil support assistant then moved to Lundin Mill and an administration vacancy was not filled.

School roll expected to be fewer than five

The proposal to mothball Kirkton of Largo Primary School follows a decline in the school roll.

In 2022-23 there were no children in P1-4.

And the one class teacher taught 13 children across P5, 6 and 7.

The following year, the teacher left and parents of the remaining six pupils made placing requests to Lundin Mill.

And the school roll for August 2025 is expected to be fewer than five.

A meeting was held with parents in November to discuss the proposal.

And Ms McLean said: “This report includes a recommendation to members to mothball Kirkton of Largo Primary School with immediate effect.

“This is based on the current position and the absence of any negative feedback from parents or any reasons sufficient to justify failing to recommend mothballing at this stage.”