School catchment opinions ‘ignored’
Existing secondary education arrangements to stay
Perth and Kinross Council has been accused of ignoring families’ views after agreeing to continue secondary catchment arrangements between Kirkmichael Primary School and Blairgowrie High School.
The majority of respondents to a council survey said they wanted their children to be educated at Pitlochry High School.
Perth and Kinross Council’s lifelong learning committee was asked to consider introducing a dual secondary catchment for the Kirkmichael PS catchment area when it met this week.
The outcome of a scoping exercise into the proposal - to maximise the use of Pitlochry High School - was presented to a virtual meeting of the committee on Wednesday, November 3.
The proposal would have given parents the choice of sending their youngsters to either Pitlochry High School or Blairgowrie High School. Those choosing to attend Pitlochry High School - which goes up to S4 - would go on to attend Breadalbane Academy or Blairgowrie High School for S5 and S6.
A PKC survey got responses from 19 out of 42 families - representing 23 primary school pupils and nine nursery children.
Five families - representing seven children - chose Blairgowrie High School, two - representing two children - were unsure and 12 families - representing 23 children - wanted to send their children to Pitlochry High School.
The report said PKC advised parents/carers if they did not respond it would be assumed they were content with the current provision. And so the remaining 23 families - representing 37 children - were recorded as wanting to continue with current arrangements at Blairgowrie High School.
It was recommended the current arrangements with Blairgowrie continue and families could submit placing requests for Pitlochry.
Highland Per t h s h i re Independent councillor Xander McDade said: “I think it’s unfortunate that we are going to ignore the preference of the parents and children whose views we asked. It seems a bit pointless to ask them for their opinions and then ignore their desired preference.
“While anyone can put a placing request in they might not have the luxury of being able to transport their children to school every day.”
The committee was told the Moulin Moor road - 400m above sea level - was not on PKC’s priority gritting list but even adding it to the list would not ensure school transport would always run.
The report said Pitlochry High School’s roll was projected to increase without the introduction of a dual catchment and warned a dual catchment could be to the detriment of Blairgowrie High
School.
Liberal Democrat councillor Lewis Simpson said he felt “quite queasy” at the thought of sitting on a bus for almost two hours “going over the hills” from the Kirkmichael area to Breadalbane Academy in Aberfeldy. He thought travelling four hours a day was a “terrible waste of time.”
Highland Per t h s h i re councillor John Duff moved the recommendation citing the possible detrimental impact on Blairgowrie High School’s roll, as well the impact on transition, travel and attending extracurricular activities.
He added: “Significant cost pressures in the region of £ 200,000 per annum would arise from a requirement to add the A924 over Moulin to the priority road network for school transport during severe winter conditions.”
Convener councillor Caroline Shiers said families would continue to have the option of a placing request.
The Conservative Blairgowrie and Glens councillor added:
“I also know - as a member of Mount Blair Community Development Trust - that work is under way to look at establishing better transport links between Kirkmichael and other communities. The links between Mount Blair and Blairgowrie are to be hopefully improved and there will be work done to look at improving links with Pitlochry also.
“The extensive work being done to develop the digital offer through the Highland Perthshire Learning Partnership and Perth College may improve opportunities for the community to access learning opportunities in Pitlochry for school leavers and others and those are links we will want to explore.”
SNP councillor John Rebbeck approved the report but wanted PKC to help families who chose Pitlochry more than just allowing them to make a placing request.
The decision to continue with current arrangements was approved. Cllr McDade recorded his dissent.
A bit pointless to ask them for their opinions and then ignore their desired preference