Politicians have welcomed Perth and Kinross Council’s decision to postpone any potential permanent closure of Abernyte Primary School until next year.
The decision comes after the council’s legal bid to stop the Scottish Government reviewing its reasons for wanting to shut the school was rejected by Lady Wise at the Court of Session.
The council’s lifelong learning committee voted to close the school permanently last year but Scottish ministers called in the decision amid concerns about the impact the closure would have on the local community.
An independent panel will now review the case and decide whether officials were right or wrong to recommend the school be shut.
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Sheena Devlin, the council’s executive director of education and children’s services, has now confirmed that, whatever happens, the school will remain open until July 2021 “to provide clarity and certainty for pupils, parents and staff” in the meantime.
She said: “It has been confirmed the School Closure Review Panel will reconvene on May 29, 2020.
“It is considered that it may be unlikely that a decision will be made by the panel before the end of term, or if it is, it will be very close to the end of term.
“In order to provide clarity and certainty for pupils, parents and staff in sufficient time to plan ahead for the new school session, it has been agreed that the proposed closure date be postponed.
“Should, in time, the panel’s decision be to grant consent for the lifelong learning committee decision to close Abernyte Primary School, then appropriate transition would be arranged for pupils prior to the revised date as outlined in our consultation report.”
Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart remarked: “I am glad to see that common sense has prevailed and that this gives some clarity for at least the next academic year.
“We now need to do everything we can to secure the longer-term future of the school. Pupils and parents can be assured that they will have my full support going forward.”
Perthshire North MSP John Swinney added: “This is a sensible decision that takes heed of the extraordinary circumstances that we currently find ourselves in.
“In a time of such uncertainty, I am hopeful that this news will bring some respite to the parents and pupils of Abernyte Primary.
“It is my hope now that the longer-term future of the school can be secured, and I will continue to advocate on behalf of this much-valued local institution.”
