Moray Council has tabled plans for a radical shake-up of the region’s secondary school zones.
If given the go-ahead, the moves will impact on schools in Elgin, Forres, Lossiemouth, Burghead and Fochabers and affect where children from each surrounding area attend classes.
The sweeping proposals were formed in response to increasing pressure on the area’s secondary school rolls.
Forres Academy, Lossiemouth High School, Elgin Academy, Elgin High School and Milne’s High could all see their catchment areas adjusted under plans that will go before councillors next week.
Under the revised zones, children from Mosstowie, Greenwards, New Elgin and a new school in the south-east of the town will go to Elgin High School.
Pupils from West End, East End, Bishopmill and Seafield Primary will go to Elgin Academy, with pupils who currently attend from outside the town being zoned elsewhere.
Youngsters from Alves Primary can currently embark on secondary education in Forres or at either Elgin secondary, but will all be zoned to Forres Academy under the proposals.
Pupils who attend the village primary in Burghead are split when they finish primary seven, with roughly two thirds attending Lossiemouth High School and the majority of others attending Elgin Academy.
Under the new scheme, the entire class would be directed to Lossiemouth for lessons.
Currently the council has to provide transport from the coastal village to both secondary schools, but under the cost-saving plans pupils would only have to be bussed to Lossiemouth.
The catchment area for Milne’s High School would be expanded to include all pupils from Milne’s Primary, Mosstodloch and Lhanbryde Primary Schools.
In May councillors learned some secondary schools had not been rezoned for more than 40 years, and “long overdue” research into reshaping the system was approved.
On Wednesday, the children and young people’s services committee will dissect the proposals for new zoning.
A report penned by senior education advisor, Paul Watson, urges members to back the move.
Mr Watson said: “On educational grounds there will be significant benefits for pupils, in terms of continuity and progression in their learning.
“Undertaking a formal consultation on varying the catchment areas of secondary schools will be the next step in the rezoning process.”
If the guidelines are approved the plans will go out to consultation between February and March.