North-east councillors have suggested new catchment areas could prove the saving grace for some of the region’s most congested schools.
Aberdeenshire Council’s Kincardine and Mearns area committee was told yesterday that three primaries in the region are at more than 100% capacity, with another six schools nearing their limit.
Two academies and seven primaries are expected to reach more than 100% capacity by 2022.
Now, councillors have called for rezoning exercises to take place across the area in order to address the rising pupil numbers.
At the moment, Dunnottar, Auchenblae and Laurencekirk are at more than 100%, although an extension to the latter establishment is currently under construction.
Auchenblae could hit 140% of its capacity by 2022 and the new Hillside School in Portlethen – due to open in March – could be at 155% within the next six years.
Other locals schools expected to rise above the 100% level by 2022 are Portlethen and Mearns academies, Newtonhill, Marykirk, Dunnottar, Laurencekirk and Lairhillock.
Yesterday, Stonehaven and District councillors, Graeme Clark and Raymond Christie, quizzed council learning estates team leader, Rachael Goldring, on what was being done to address the problematic roll at Dunnottar School.
North Kincardine councillor, Ian Mollison, said there should be a “further look” at the Portlethen schools network if the school roll figures for Hillside proved “founded”.
Pointing to the rising figures for Auchenblae and Marykirk schools, Mearns councillor George Carr, claimed there was “a case for rezoning primary boundaries within the catchment”.
He added: “I don’t think we can carry on with these over-capacity levels.”
But Ms Goldring responded she was unsure of the “benefit” of rezoning in the Laurencekirk area, adding that the council could re-consider the catchment area of Portlethen if the school roll figure estimates are proved correct.
However, she added a review of the Stonehaven catchment area would get underway next year, adding it could include “rural schools”.
She said the local authority had been “looking at a straightforward rezoning exercise” but explained it could prove a “challenge” due to traffic concerns at Mill of Forest School.
Ms Goldring stated that Dunnottar Primary had “a number of issues that changing pupil numbers wouldn’t resolve”, such as the nursery being off site, lack of garden space, and accessibility problems.
She added: “Before we forge on with a straightforward rezoning, we want to make sure what we are doing is the best for wider Stonehaven.
“The figures in the report are more a worst case scenario rather than this is what will happen.”