Rural primary school to officially close after pupils numbers fell to zero

Milton of Balgonie primary school will officially be closed this August after being temporarily closed due to falling pupil numbers.

The small, rural school has been temporarily shuttered since 2021 after roll numbers fell from 45 pupils in 2003 to zero in 2019

Fife Cabinet Committee councillors have signed off on the decision to formally close the school with the local authority to begin looking at ways to repurpose the building for education going forward.

“I agree with the recommendations here,” education scrutiny convener Kathleen Leslie (Conservative) said.

“I think that rural schools are valued, but given the way pupil roll fell and the fact that there wouldn’t be any sort of peer support, curricular opportunities, or social opportunities, this is the right thing to move ahead with.”

Milton of Balgonie Primary School is described as a small, rural school with the capacity for 75 pupils.

Rather than closing it in 2021, the council decided to wait and see if circumstances changed.

“This proposal means closure of Milton of Balgonie Primary School on Monday 19 August 2024,” Shelagh McLean, head of Education & Children’s Services, told the committee.

“[It means] the rezoning of the catchment area of Coaltown of Balgonie Primary School to incorporate all the current catchment areas of Milton of Balgonie Primary School from August.”

The decision also means that the education department will be looking at “alternative uses” for the building.

According to Ms McLean, keeping it within education will “ensure that should the number of primary aged pupils within the area increase to a level that may require provision of an additional primary school in the future, it may be done at the least cost to the council”.

An ammendment from Councillor John Beare (SNP for Glenrothes North, Leslie and Markinch) emphasised that elected members should have the final say in the former school’s future, and any decisions to “dispose of” or get rid of the building must go through the Cabinet in future.

“I’m reassured after the committee accepted my proposal that the school remains under the control of the education service and that they will now seek alternative educational uses for the building, ensuring that should the school age population increase in Milton in the years ahead that we can reopen the school at the least cost to the Council,” Cllr Beare explained after the meeting.

“I’m determined that we retain the option of reopening the School.”

The committee’s decision is subject to the council’s internal governance procedures before it becomes final. If the council decides to implement the proposal, Scottish Ministers will be notified.

They then have eight weeks to decide if they will call-in the proposal.