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Mothballed north-east school to be closed forever

Longhaven School is being closed for good.
Longhaven School is being closed for good.

A school that last welcomed pupils through its doors more than 1,500 days ago will be closed for good.

Aberdeenshire Council discussed the future of Longhaven School at a full local authority meeting.

It was mothballed after education chiefs failed to find a new head teacher in March 2018.

The move was rubber-stamped at Woodhill House on Thursday and it means the existing catchment area will be reassigned to include Boddam and Port Erroll schools.

One parent, whose son used to attend Longhaven, said: “We all knew this would happen.”

Closure proposal backed

A consultation on Longhaven’s future was held in the winter and officials recommended it should close.

The local authority’s director of education Laurence Findlay told a meeting of the full council that the move was backed up by national body Education Scotland.

Laurence Findlay at Aberdeenshire Council, Woodhill House, Aberdeen. Picture by Darrell Benns.

He said: “The consultation has concluded with the recommendation that Longhaven School should be closed.

“The matter has been the focus of discussions at both Buchan area and education committees over the past four years.

“Her Majesty’s inspectors from Education Scotland have reviewed and scrutinised our proposals and they are supportive of the view this will lead to educational benefit for young people.”

‘Recognition of reality’

Central Buchan councillor Anne Simpson there was not a “huge response” to the consultation held between December last year and February.

She said: “There was not a huge response to the questionnaires that were issued nor was there great attendance at consultation events

“However, there were a variety of views expressed.

“But considering all of the feedback I received I believe the decision to proceed with closure is the correct one.”

Port Erroll School in Cruden Bay will make up part of the catchment area alongside Boddam School.

Peterhead South and Cruden councillor Stephen Smith said it was important for the community of Longhaven to “move forward” now.

Mr Smith said: “There’s sadness and disappointment that we have gotten to the stage we are but at the same time there’s a recognition of reality.

“Once the children were allocated other schools at the start of the mothballing it was going to be very difficult for them to go back.”

Longhaven School was built in the mid-1920s with capacity for 50 pupils in its two classrooms.

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