Plan to rezone school catchment areas to balance pupil numbers

Aberdeenshire Council is to consult councillors on a proposal to rezone schools in Stonehaven next year.

Officers are currently looking at the school network due to the number of homes poised to be built in the seaside town.

Planned new homes fall within the zone for Dunnottar Primary School, which is already over-capacity.

Officers will bring their consultation report to elected members of the Kincardine and Mearns area committee at their meeting next week.

Stephen Archer, director of infrastructure services at Aberdeenshire Council, said in the report to councillors there are three options for addressing capacity issues.

Option one for the schools is to realign the catchment areas of the three primary schools and redistribute the rural elements of the Dunnottar catchment to Arduthie and Mill o’ Forest Schools.

It would mean pupils who stay more than two miles from Dunnottar, and were eligible for free transportation, would become pupils at the two other primaries.

Another option being considered by the local authority is to retain the rural element of the Dunnottar catchment area.

The last option is to retain the status quo with current zoning arrangements kept for the school network.