Parents call for changes to schooling

Survey reveals overwhelming opposition to closures plan

Overwhelming opposition to the closure of schools in Highland Perthshire has been confirmed in a council survey.

Parents of Pitlochry High pupils have rejected proposals to shut the secondary school and instead want to expand it by introducing fifth and sixth years, a lengthy review has revealed.

But there are fears this will lead to a loss of pupils at Breadalbane Academy in Aberfeldy, where senior pupils currently attend.

The results also showed overwhelming support to protect under-threat Logierait and Grandtully primaries.

Councillors will consider the review in the coming weeks.

A council survey has confirmed overwhelming opposition to school closures across Highland Perthshire.

Parents of pupils at Pitlochry High are rejecting proposals to shut the secondary school, the findings of a lengthy consultation have revealed.

Instead, they want to expand the school by introducing fifth and sixth years.

Such a move could have a damaging knock-on effect for Breadalbane Academy in nearby Aberfeldy.

The parent council there believes an expansion at Pitlochry could see a loss of between 50 and 60 pupils at Breadalbane which could, in turn, lead to a drop in teacher numbers and funding. It could even result in the school being unable to offer Advanced Highers.

Perth and Kinross Council officers spearheading the school estate review will meet with members of the parent council to address concerns this week.

A spokeswoman for the Breadalbane parents’ group stressed they did not support any plan to close Pitlochry High, but had great concerns over the estate review process.

“The expansion would create two relatively small secondary schools, neither of which would be able to offer the depth and breadth of curriculum available at Breadalbane,” she said.

“The council process is totally flawed, in objective and process.

“We feel that all communities have been let down by the estates review process, which has created stress and uncertainty for schools.”

She added: “We are working to challenge that process, which we believe should be stopped, and to seek assurance that this process will not be repeated in the foreseeable future.”

Pitlochry High School Parent Council has led a campaign to save the school from closure. Chairman Andy Charlton has thanked everyone who took part.

The results of the three-month consultation have been released online, as SNP MP Pete Wishart called for the review to be scrapped.

Elsewhere in the consultation findings, there is widespread support to safeguard the under-threat primaries at Logierait and Grandtully.

Local SNP MSP John Swinney has written to council calling for both schools to be retained.

Independent councillor Xander McDade has also spoken out in a bid to save all three schools.

Writing in support of Logierait, he said: “The area is booming economically and requires the council to invest and enable rural affordable housing in the area to allow younger people and families to move into the area.”

The results of the consultation will be brought before members of the council’s lifelong learning committee in the coming weeks.

We are working to challenge the process, which we believe should be stopped

Picture: Steve MacDougall. Parents have hit out at Perth and Kinross Council’s school closures plan. MP Pete Wishart is seen addressing a public meeting called in November to explore the issue.