EDUCATION AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Date
Agenda Item No.
Public consultation on the re-zoning of the
catchment area for Carnegie Primary School and
Duloch Primary School
Report by: Kenneth Greer, Executive Director (Education)
Wards Affected: Wards 3 and 4
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to provide feedback on the recent consultation regarding the
three options for re-zoning the catchment area for Carnegie Primary School and Duloch
Primary School.
Recommendation(s):
The Education and Children’s Services Committee is asked:
 In the light of the results of the public consultation, to approve Catchment Option A
(catchment split at Trondheim Parkway)
 To agree to dual catchment arrangements continuing at Duloch Primary School
Resource Implications:
Transport costs to Carnegie Primary School (session 2010-2011): approx. £15,000.
Legal & Risk Implications:
Policy & Impact Assessment:
None
Consultation:
The extensive consultation process included:



Public ‘drop-in’ information sessions
An on-line survey
Meetings with Parent Council, local elected members and headteachers.
1.0 Background
1.1
Duloch Primary School and Nursery opened in August 2007. Since then the
catchment area has experienced high levels of house building, coupled with a
higher than normal ratio of primary age pupils per 100 new houses. This has led to
significant capacity challenges for the school. It was agreed at the Education and
Children’s Services Committee on 22nd May 2008 to build another school within the
catchment area to alleviate the situation.
1.2
Carnegie Primary School will be sited at South Fod (West) within the existing
Duloch catchment. It is anticipated that the new school will open in August 2011.
In August 2009 Carnegie Primary School was established within Inverkeithing
Primary School which has capacity to accommodate the P1 intakes for Carnegie in
2009 and 2010 until the transfer to the new build in August 2011.
The catchment area for Carnegie Primary School is within the existing catchment
area for Duloch Primary School. There are approximately 650 new houses still
planned within this catchment area. Very recently, the house completion rate has
slowed significantly and will now take place over a longer period of time than had
been anticipated.
In the existing catchment arrangement Primary 1 pupils who do not gain entry into
Duloch Primary School are entitled to a place at Carnegie Primary School (initially
at the Inverkeithing Campus and then at the new build): this is known as a dual
catchment arrangement. Until the new build opens older pupils who do not gain
entry into Duloch Primary School are offered a place at a nearby school and
transported there if the distance between home and school is greater than a mile.
1.3
It was agreed at the Education and Children’s Services Committee on 21st May
2009 to go out to public consultation on proposals to re-zone the catchment area for
Carnegie Primary School and Duloch Primary School.
2.0 Issues and Options
2.1
Consultation was held regarding three catchment options:
Catchment option A – catchment split at Trondheim Parkway.
Catchment option B – catchment split at Inverewe Place
Catchment option C – catchment split at Greenshank Drive
Details are set out in Appendix 1 and 2.
The Consultation Process
2.2
Meetings were held with local elected members, local Headteachers and Parent
Council representatives from Carnegie Primary School, Duloch Primary School and
Calaiswood School prior to and following the public drop-in sessions. The views
shared at these meetings helped shape how the process should be managed. A
‘Frequently Asked Questions’ briefing note was created (Appendix 3) and posted
on-line and displayed at the drop-in sessions. After the consultation, draft results
were shared and the unanimous view from the meetings was that the Education
Service should make recommendations based on the ‘winning option’ rather than
engage in further consultation with two rather than three catchment options.
2.3
The statutory public consultation took place from Sunday 6th September for a period
of 30 days and closed on Monday 5th October.
2.4
Information on the public consultation process was sent to all interested parties
including relevant primary schools, nurseries, playgroups, community councils, the
church and local elected members. There were also adverts in the local press. All
consultees had the option of returning a proforma on the consultation by mail, by
completing the proforma at one of the two public drop-in sessions, or by completing
the proforma online at Fife Direct.
2.5
Consultees were also asked to identify if they were a parent / carer of a child living
in the Carnegie / Duloch catchment area and if they had any further comments
regarding the proposal (see full list of respondent comments available in the
Members’ Lounge).
Results of the public consultation
2.6
715 responses were made to the consultation. The results were consistently in
favour of catchment option A (see appendix 4).
2.7
The main concerns identified by the respondents were that:
2.7.1 Changing the catchment would result in siblings having to attend different primary
schools until Carnegie Primary School fully opened.
2.7.2 There would be uncertainty each year over where children would be allocated a
school place as the catchment area holds a greater number of pupils than Duloch
Primary School can hold.
2.7.3 Over-capacity pressures on Duloch Primary School and Calaiswood School would
continue to have a negative impact upon the school communities e.g. traffic and
playground congestion.
2.7.4 Their children may not be able to walk to and from school in line with their wishes.
2.8
The parents / carers at Calaiswood School were 100% in favour of catchment
option C as they expressed particular concern about the effects of the over-capacity
at Duloch Primary School on the children attending Calaiswood School (available in
the Members’ Lounge).
3.0 Conclusions
3.1
After extensive public consultation catchment option A was the most popular option,
closely followed by option C with option B significantly behind; for parents and the
public living in the Carnegie / Duloch catchment area.
3.2
Catchment option A will result in the smallest number of families having siblings at
two schools (Option A = 6.2%, Option B = 10.3% and Option C = 14.5%). This
issue will be further reduced when Carnegie Primary School opens in August 2011
as these families will be able to have all their children attending Carnegie Primary
School.
3.3
In the short term, catchment option A will not remove the over-capacity challenges
at Duloch Primary School; all the children living in the catchment area will not be
able to access a place as the physical capacity of the school can only maintain a
two-stream intake. The continuation of the ‘dual catchment’ would be essential;
children who are unable to obtain a place at Duloch Primary School are
automatically entitled to a place at Carnegie Primary School.
3.4
Catchment option C would have matched the catchment population in line with the
physical capacity. However this option would result in twice as many families
having siblings at two schools. It would also mean that the community located on
the west side of Greenshank Drive would have no possibility of obtaining a place at
Duloch Primary School.
3.5
Catchment option A would provide more families with an opportunity to obtain a
place at Duloch Primary School but some families in the catchment would still be
disappointed as priority allocations would still apply (see appendix 5).
3.6
In 2009 132 pupils lived in the catchment but only 104 pupils were enrolled
(deferrals, RC applications and schools elsewhere). In 2010, 113 live in catchment
option A. It is expected that of the 90 pupils who would enrol for a place at Duloch
Primary School, 50 would be allocated and 40 would be placed at Carnegie Primary
School (initially at Inverkeithing Campus).
3.7
In the dual catchment arrangement parents will be informed in December 2009
(prior to enrolment in January) of the likelihood of gaining a place at Duloch Primary
School. They will then be advised of induction sessions at Carnegie Primary
School.
3.8
Many parents raised concerns about walking to school. If Duloch Primary School is
discounted as an option for a family the majority of those living in the catchment will
live less than a mile away from a local school (e.g. Carnegie Primary School,
Lynburn Primary School and Canmore Primary School). Pupils are only transported
to a school if they live further than a mile from their school as it is felt that children
living less than a mile from a school are within reasonable walking distance. It
should be noted that Fife Council policy on transport to school is very generous
compared to the national advice of two miles for children less than eight years old.
25 out of the 26 children currently attending Carnegie Primary School use the
school bus provided by the Education Service. Transportation would be available
for all the children allocated a place at Carnegie Primary School in session 2010/11.
3.9
In the consultation parents with children currently attending Duloch Primary School
or Calaiswood School expressed concerns about overcrowding and congestion
issues within and beyond the campus. The Education Service in conjunction with
Parent Councils capped the P1 intake at a maximum of 50 pupils in order to
manage the school back to the capacity it was designed for and resolve these
issues. Catchment options A or C will not remove capacity challenges as in both
cases the P1 intake will remain at 50. The campus management group will
continue to meet to decide how best to manage the situation in the interim.
3.10
The consultation highlights that there is a range of conflicting views regarding the 3
catchment options. Catchment options A and C were significantly more popular
than option B in the consultation. The majority view of the families situated to the
North and West of the school favour catchment option A whilst the majority view of
the families situated to the South and East of the school favour catchment option C.
On the whole families voted for the option most favourable to their own individual
circumstances.
3.11 All catchment options present challenges for the Education Service to manage. The
recommendation is that the public consultation outcome be endorsed. The “winning
option”, catchment option A, is approved and the dual catchment arrangements are
agreed to continue at Duloch Primary School.
List of Appendices
Appendix 1
Catchment Option Paper
Appendix 2
Catchment Option Maps
Appendix 3
Frequently Asked Questions Briefing Note
Appendix 4
Survey Results
Appendix 5
Priorities for enrolment
Background Papers
N/A
Report Contact
Donna Manson
Area Education Officer
Education Service