Families are celebrating after councillors voted to keep a primary school open on its current site.
Instead of having to move to Kilmarnock or Loudoun Academy, St Sophia’s pupils will stay in Nelville Drive in Galston.
The 60-year-old Catholic primary will undergo a £2.8million transformation to make it fit for purpose.
Parent council member John Fraser said: “We are delighted. It has been a long process.
“The fabric of the school building is not the best but the performance of the school is excellent. The children will be over the moon. They were really worried they might lose their school.”
Mr Fraser gave a speech to East Ayrshire councillors on why the school should remain on site at a council meeting last week.
He told politicians that keeping the school open would show the council isn’t just focusing on maximising pupil numbers in large campuses.
The vast majority of people who responded to a consultation wanted to keep the school where it is.
Councillors voted to honour their wishes at the cabinet meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Iain Linton said: “The numbers speak for themselves. There is overwhelming support for the school in its current state.”
Councillor Neil McGhee said it is important to continue the Catholic faith schooling in the area.
Meanwhile, Councillor Fiona Campbell described St Sophia’s as a great school in the heart of the community.
And Councillor Gordon Jenkins commented: “I’m all for local democracy.
“It’s clear there’s an overwhelming desire in the community to keep the school at its existing site.
“Of course, it’s an old building and this presents many challenges so we have to be realistic as to what can be achieved with the budget available, but we are happy to back this option.”
One of the rejected options was to move the school five miles away to Kilmarnock, and incorporate it into
St Andrew’s Primary.
The other choice was flitting to the nearby Loudoun Academy site.
