Stracathro parents to fight school plan.

Families fear their concerns have been dismissed in the pre-consultation

Furious parents have demanded a showdown with Angus councillors ahead of a crunch meeting which could signal the beginning of the end for Stracathro Primary.

The school’s parent council has condemned a proposal to consult on its possible closure as part of a wideranging education re-think unveiled by the local authority this week.

The blueprint proposes shutting Stracathro, empty Tarfside and the already mothballed Lethnot school and sending pupils to an enhanced Edzell Primary.

However, it has quickly emerged as one of the most controversial elements of Angus Council’s shake-up plans.

Stracathro parent council vicechairwoman Lee Ann Waddell said local parents were “incredulous” to learn they might lose their school.

The body has condemned a preconsultation programme for failing to give communities a proper platform to offer any opposition.

It has written to councillors, seeking talks ahead of Tuesday’s meeting of the children and learning committee at which elected members will be asked to set the ball rolling on the shake-up.

Stracathro families say they fear their concerns have been “brushed under the carpet” in the pre-consultation process.

Stracathro parent Lianne Mclennan said: “We are absolutely outraged at the possibility of the closure of our rural school – not to mention that the first we heard of this was a general distribution email four working days before the proposed meeting.

“The school is a vital part of its community and is more like an extended family, not only to us but to many of the other children and parents.

“How will the closure impact emotionally and physically on kids who have already bonded strongly with their peers and possibly be split up to redistribute around the area?”

She continued: “The consultation act states that a clear overall benefit for the communities involved must be identified – how can that be when the children directly involved will be emotionally and physically affected by the move, as well as members of the community?”

Brechin mother Lynne Massie has already said she fears increased class sizes at an expanded Edzell Primary could have devastating consequences for her son, Carson, who is battling brain cancer.

She has heaped praise on the rural primary after the five-year-old was diagnosed with brain cancer following the removal of a tumour last June.

He is undergoing chemotherapy and responding well to treatment but Ms Massie fears vital issues such as infection control could be affected by larger class sizes in a bigger school.

“Weare absolutely outraged atthe possibility of the closure ofourrural school.

LIANNE MCLENNAN