Under-threat school wins surprise reprieve

Councillors agree to keep Logiealmond Primary open

A threatened Perthshire school has been saved.

Councillors unanimously agreed to keep Logiealmond Primary open, following pressure from parents who claimed closing it would “tear the heart out of the community”.

The primary, which has a roll of 14, was recommended for closure by Perth and Kinross Council officers as part of a widespread estates review.

Members of the lifelong learning committee had been urged to push ahead with plans to close the school and transfer children to Methven Primary.

However, the committee agreed to retain the school, and make improvements at Methven.

However, members voted eight to six in favour of carrying out another review at Logiealmond in 2022.

SNP councillors argued this was counter-productive and parents are unlikely to enrol their children at a school which has a question mark hanging over its future.

Keesje Crawford-Avis, chairwoman of the Logiealmond Parent Council, told councillors: “We are only just now recovering from the last review that the council carried out at the school.

“Our parents have been very vocal in their support of the school and we are delighted it is being kept open.”

She added: “The school is actually a really warm, comfortable and welcoming place where our children really enjoy learning.

“We believe that both schools should stay open and be allowed to flourish.”

Mrs Crawford-Avis outlined problems with moving children to another school. “If you look at a map, Methven may look like its only five miles away,” she said.

“But these are very small and complicated rural roads. It would take us half an hour to drive to Methven by car, but if my son was to go on a school bus he could be travelling for up to three hours a day.”

The committee heard that there were 17 under-fives in the Logiealmond catchment zone. If they all enrolled at the school, an extra teacher would need to be recruited.

Committee convener Caroline Shiers raised a motion to keep the school open, but review occupancy again in five years’ time.

The Conservative councillor said: “This is simply good management of our school estate and a way of getting the very best for our children.”

John Rebbeck, the SNP’s education spokesman, disagreed. “We believe setting a review in 2022 will be a death knell for the school,” he said.

“We believe that parents will vote with their feet and take their children elsewhere.”

The committee heard Logiealmond Primary was in good condition (class B) although its surroundings were in need of repair.

The school is actually a really warm, comfortable and welcoming place where our children really enjoy learning. KEESJE CRAWFORDAVIS

Picture: Steve MacDougall. From left: Councillor John Rebbeck alongside parents Sarah Draper, Claudia Massie, her son Magnus Gibson (in pram), Keesje Crawford-Avis with son Ethan and husband Oliver Crawford-Avis, and councillor Grant Laing.