The new primary school at Bertha Park & future of Ruthvenfield Primary School pre-consultation

The views of parents/carers and the wider community who will be impacted as a result of the formation of a new catchment area for the new school at Bertha Park and the future of Ruthvenfield Primary School.

The views of the following groups were considered;

• Parents/carers of all children living within the Ruthvenfield Primary School catchment area;
• Parents/carers of those pupils attending Ruthvenfield Primary School as placing requests;
• The wider community living in the Ruthvenfield Primary School catchment area; and
• Parents/carers of all children living in the Tulloch Primary School and Luncarty Primary School catchment areas who would be impacted by the new catchments proposed in the options.

The options that were considered were as follows;

Option A

A new primary school will be built on a site adjacent to Bertha Park High School and a catchment area created for the new school. Ruthvenfield Primary School will continue to operate from its existing building with new catchment area created and the condition improved.

Option B

A new primary school will be built on a site adjacent to Bertha Park High School. This school will replace Ruthvenfield Primary School and pupils attending Ruthvenfield Primary School will be educated in the new building when it opens. The capacity of the new school will be larger as it will also accommodate pupils from a wider catchment area including a large part of the major housebuilding sites in the area. The current Ruthvenfield Primary School building would close

There were 423 letters issued as part of the pre-consultation exercise. 40 responses were received, 34 from the Ruthvenfield Primary School catchment area and 6 from the Tulloch Primary School catchment area. This is an overall response rate of 9%. The response rate from Ruthvenfield Primary School parents/carers is 45%.

The majority of responses received from respondents associated with Ruthvenfield Primary School catchment area, during the pre-consultation exercise, favoured Option A.

Summary of Ruthvenfield Primary School catchment area responses

On 25 August 2021 Lifelong Learning Committee considered the report Catchment for new primary school at Bertha Park and future of Ruthvenfield Primary School.

The decision of Lifelong Learning Committee was as follows;

1. The outcome of the informal pre-consultation in respect of the catchment for the new Primary School at Bertha Park and future of Ruthvenfield Primary School be noted.
2. The expenditure pressure of an additional £1,150,000 per annum in revenue costs from 2026/27, which will come forward as part of the Councils Revenue Budget setting process based on the recommendation of the options appraisal be noted.
3. The recommendation of the options appraisal to proceed at this time with Option A, detailed in the options appraisal (Appendix A to Report 21/136); a new primary school will be built on a site adjacent to Bertha Park High School and a catchment area created for the new school. Ruthvenfield Primary School will continue to operate from its existing building with a new catchment area created and the condition of the building improved be approved.
4. It be agreed that the Executive Director (Education and Children’s Services) commences statutory consultation in respect of the establishment of the new school and new catchment areas as detailed in Option A in the options appraisal (Appendix A to Report 21/136) and associated changes as required by the Schools Consultation (Scotland) Act 2010.