Catchment areas in shake-up

Part of the catchment area of Langloan Primary is to be rezoned to the closer Bargeddie Primary.

The move was unanimously approved by members of North Lanarkshire Council’s education committee at their latest meeting – as was the rezoning of Kirk O’Shotts Primary in Salsburgh to Calderhead High in Shotts instead of the current Airdrie provision at Caldervale.

Developments at Oakridge Road and the Drumpark area – totalling up to 830 properties – will in future be included in the catchment of nearby Bargeddie Primary, replicating that of campus neighbour St Kevin’s.

A majority of respondents to a public consultation carried out with both school communities earlier this year favoured the change, which North Lanarkshire officials say will “ensure that all pupils from the same estates will be within the same catchment school [ and] will accommodate rising housing developments”.

The new arrangements will come into effect in August, with the council adding that they will “promote community integration between residents of the new developments and the Bargeddie community with which they are most closely aligned geographically” and “improve health, wellbeing, and air quality through a reduction in school transport”.

Education Scotland assessors agreed that the plan had “educational benefit”, noting: “It is evident that if the catchment areas are not altered, neither school will have the required capacity to cope with the increase in pupil numbers.

“All stakeholders are keen to know more about the council’s plans for addressing the significant increase in the longer term; the council should provide further detail about its intentions to provide further reassurance for parents that plans are in place to address potential overcrowding.”

The report for education committee members responded: “As a matter of priority, the council will develop proposals for consultation on its plans for developing the primary school estate so that stakeholders will be informed of plans at the earliest opportunity.”

Councillors had been informed when approving the launch of the consultation period that both schools are due to exceed their planned capacities within seven years.

Meanwhile, the Kirk O’Shotts secondary rezoning was also approved, meaning that from next year Salsburgh pupils will be zoned to transfer to high school in Shotts.

The Advertiser previously told how a 266-signature petition opposing the change had been submitted, while the majority of public and pupil responses were also against the switch away from the traditional link with Caldervale High.

It also takes effect from August, with the first affected pupils – numbering an average of 11 per year – transferring to high school in 2019; younger siblings of existing Caldervale pupils will still be able to transfer to the Airdrie school during a five-year transition period, when school transport will be provided at a cost of £15,000-£20,000.

Education officials say that the move to align the Salsburgh school with the Shotts and Wishaw school cluster areas will “link the school with its natural hinterland”.