Councillors in Angus have agreed to cap the pupil roll at five schools in the region due to “considerable pressure for space.”
At a meeting of the children and learning committee on Tuesday March 30, members agreed to cap the pupil roll of Glamis, Liff, Mattocks, Seaview and Woodlands primary schools for the new school year.
Councillors also agreed to continue to limit the number of incoming S1 pupils at Monifieth High School.
The maximum S1 intake is temporarily capped at 170, which will now be continued for 2021/22.
The approved proposals will mean that:
- Glamis Primary School – the current cap of 70 will be retained for 2021/22
- Liff Primary School – the pupil roll will be capped at 118 for August 2021
- Mattocks Primary School – the roll was previously capped at 70, which will continue in 2021/22.
- Seaview Primary School – the school roll is to be capped at 407 for the 2021/22 school year
- Woodlands Primary School – the current cap of 207 is to be retained.
A report which went before the committee detailed how a “small number of Angus schools are under considerable pressure for space due to high rolls.”
Each of the five primary schools whose pupil roll has been capped has a projected capacity of 95% or above from August 2021.
Under the approved capping, reserved places are retained for children who may move into the catchment area over the course of the year.
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Speaking at the committee meeting, Beth Reader, Angus Council support services manager, gave reassurance that those currently attending these schools would not be disadvantaged by the decision to cap the pupil roll.
The report also detailed how demand for places at Monifieth is high, with the school also receiving a large number of placing requests for children outside the catchment.
The current projected S1 intake for August is 197, including placing requests. The overall school roll is projected to be 1,110.
Angus Council has secured funding to construct a replacement Monifieth High School. The new facility will open in August 2025.
In addition to capping the rolls of these schools, councillors have also agreed to remove the cap at Warddykes Primary School and Whitehills Primary School.
The rolls were previously capped at 305 and 420 pupils respectively.
Councillors also agreed to raise the pupil capacity of Edzell Primary School to 160 pupils.
This is due to additional classroom spaces being created as part of an extension to the school building.
Angus Council’s policy is to encourage parents to enrol their children in their local school but otherwise to agree to all placing requests wherever possible.
