Further uncertainty for families as schools decision delayed

Earliest date for catchment changes now August 2019 after officials sent back to drawing board

Families across west Fife have been plunged into fresh uncertainty with news that a decision on school catchment areas is likely to be delayed by a year.

Education officials have said the earliest date for any changes to be implemented will now be August 2019, leaving parents no closer to knowing which high school their children will attend.

Officers have been sent back to the drawing board after councillors rejected plans to send youngsters from Masterton Primary to Inverkeithing High rather than Woodmill.

This followed a backlash from parents furious that their children would be bussed out of Dunfermline and separated from siblings already attending Woodmill High.

Head of education Shelagh McLean said Woodmill would be over capacity by August 2018 and action was needed to address the issue.

Councillors asked officers to seek an alternative solution there, but agreed to rezoning the high school catchment areas for a further six primaries.

However, in a report to go before the education and children’s services committee tomorrow, Ms McLean said it was not possible to remove one individual proposed change while progressing an amended version of the original paper.

“The aspect that went to the heart of reducing the capacity issue at Woodmill in August 2018 was the rezoning of the Masterton catchment area to Inverkeithing,” she said. “Without this, the proposal would no longer achieve the aims of those key principles.”

She added: “The removal of any element of the proposal, particularly Masterton to Inverkeithing, weakens the proposal as a whole as it impacts on the educational benefits set out.”

She said the only option would be to formulate an entirely new paper.

Letters will go out to parents next week and a fresh consultation will begin on Wednesday November 15, running until January 11. The committee will be asked to consider the new plans in May.

“In determining this timeline it is clear that no proposal to change the catchment areas of the four secondary schools could be consulted upon, agreed and actioned for enrolment for August 2018,” said Ms McLean.

“The earliest date for implementation would be for enrolment for August 2019.”

“The removal of any element of the proposal, particularly Masterton to Inverkeithing, weakens the proposal as a whole as it impacts on the educational benefits set out. EDUCATION HEAD SHELAGH MCLEAN

Picture: David Wardle. There was a backlash from parents of Masterton Primary pupils angry that they would be bussed out of Dunfermline and separated from siblings already at Woodmill High.