Defiant parents have written to the Scottish Government to protest against Fife Council’s proposed closure of Dunino Primary School.
And they are now hoping Scottish ministers will call in and overturn the decision.
The chairman of Dunino Primary School Parents’ Association, Peter de Wolff, has written to the Government’s School Infrastructure Unit on behalf of parents.
In his letter, he claims Fife Council’s decision is “deeply flawed” and violates the Scottish Government’s presumption against closure of rural schools.
It is also claimed the closure decision “makes a mockery of local democracy”.
The letter says: “The Dunino Primary School and community has unanimously rejected the closure proposal as flawed, destructive of a way of life and their right to have their children educated within their community.
“Fife Council’s proposal is not only deeply flawed, but…has certainly not involved the local school community in any meaningful way in its process.”
Following a lengthy consultation process, Fife Council’s Executive Committee agreed by a majority on February 11 that Dunino Primary should close in August along with Tanshall, New Gilston, Wellwood, and Rathillet.
The closure decision, made as part of a school estates review, was ratified at the Fife Council Education Scrutiny Committee on February 25.
Fife Council is also recommending the closure of Pitcorthie Primary School in Dunfermline, which will be discussed at the scrutiny committee on Tuesday.
The council’s Labour administration has said the decisions have to be seen in the context of more than 18,000 vacant school places across Fife at a time of a £92 million budget gap.
The council’s executive spokesman for education, Bryan Poole, has said there are clear educational benefits from a sustainable school estate.
Council officials have described Dunino Primary as “educationally restricted”.
They say it was also difficult to attract and retain teachers. The closure of Dunino would, officials say, safeguard the rural school at Kingsbarns.
However, parents in the largely rural catchment area have made it clear they would consider taking their children to St Andrews rather than Kingsbarns due to transport issues. They have also described the financial information and roll projections used by Fife Council to justify the closure as “flawed and inaccurate”.
Parents have also challenged predicted savings in staff costs.
The submission adds: “A saving in staff costs of £91,695, is claimed, along with £16,500 or so of other costs. But as has been pointed out and not adequately refuted, staff costs are unaffected by closure. Salaries continue to be paid.”
Defiant parents at closure-marked Tanshall Primary in Glenrothes have also called on the Scottish Government to call-in the Fife Council decision to close their school.
Community group CHAT (Community Help at Tanshall) claims the council has failed to prove there would be educational benefits by relocating their children to other Glenrothes schools.
The call-in procedure is their last chance to save the schools.