Worried parents have hit out at plans to merge Foveran and Tipperty schools, saying their kids are “being used as guinea pigs” for the unprecedented changes.
Aberdeenshire Council initially wanted to build a new 450-pupil school at Foveran to address its expanding roll and declining numbers at Tipperty.
However, this proposal was later scrapped as the local authority didn’t have the cash to spare.
Officers then moved ahead with an alternative plan that could result in merging the two schools under a new name, but splitting student roll between the two.
If the proposals come to fruition, P1 to P3 pupils would be in one building while those in P4 to P7 will be in the other.
Discussions around the merger have been ongoing for more than a year now, and the matter recently went before the council’s education committee.
Seven mums attended the meeting at Woodhill House in Aberdeen to share their thoughts on the move.
And while Tipperty parents appeared to be on board with the merger plans, scores of Foveran families raised an array of concerns over what this could mean for their kids.
Tipperty parents ‘hugely supportive’ of merger with Foveran
Tipperty Parent Council vice-chairwoman Tracy Mackay was first to address councillors, saying all of the school’s parents backed the merger.
She explained: “The declining school roll has caused great concern to families and the community.
“We acknowledge there is a need for change to allow the school to be sustainable and continue to provide education.
“The focus of Tipperty parents is the wellbeing of children, ensuring they get a high quality education.
“They are at the heart of the decision.”
‘Our community is being used as a guinea pig in merger plans’
However, Foveran parent Lindsey Carter didn’t see the benefit of the proposed merger.
She pondered if the move was really “educationally best” for children at both sites, and asked if any other solutions could be explored instead.
Ms Carter also raised concerns over splitting the school across two buildings that are two miles apart.
She added: “Our community is being used as a guinea pig, this type of solution has never been trialed before in Aberdeenshire.
“Our children will be across two sites not within walking distance of each other.”
The worried mum feared there were “still so many unknowns and unanswered questions” around the move.
She suggested a merger be delayed to ensure everything was in place ahead of the change.
Foveran community torn in two over Tipperty merger plan
Fellow Foveran mum Ashley Mutch made a case against the merger too.
She praised the rural school and believed it should be left as it is, claiming the lack of space has not hindered it from educating youngsters.
And, she said the proposal has torn the school community in two.
The mum warned: “Consider Foveran on its own merit, not as a solution to a problem as this is not a one-size-fits-all.
“The merger has already negatively impacted the parent body forcing us, once united, onto opposite sides of the fence in fear of what the future holds for our children.”
Ms Mutch also believed the upheaval of a merger could cause pupils to feel stressed and anxious.
She pleaded with councillors to halt the move, and asked them to protect Foveran School instead.
Foveran mum says merger is ‘necessary’
But another Foveran parent, Wilma Garrett, spoke in support of the merger saying it was “necessary” and a “very good solution”.
She argued the change would create more space at the school, which would be good for her children.
“My kids would have loved to play football and basketball in the playground,” she said.
The mum was also in favour of the proposed bigger classes, which she reckons would be beneficial for pupils.
She added: “It would mean 30 to 40 pupils in each building, which is what they were built for and work best at.
“This is how I would picture the two schools in the merger – they are just two little families that love spending time together.”
Parents anxious about where children will go to school
Calaidh Reid has two children at Foveran School, with a third due to start there in 2027.
She told the chamber that the school is “tight on space”, but teachers cope with this “without a grumble”.
The mum of three revealed that her son’s classroom is changed into a dining area and then back into a study room every lunchtime.
But while she thinks the merger might fix this issue, she says there is still a lot of anxiety over their children’s future.
She added: “At the moment there are P1 parents who should be getting excited, albeit nervous, about their children starting school after the summer.
“But that’s being hugely overshadowed by anxiety around where their children will be allocated a space.”
What did councillors say?
Councillor Ann Ross echoed some of the parents’ concerns, and said: “A school is like a family, once split there are implications for those involved.
“How can we keep this school community together and let the pupils feel they aren’t separated?”
In response, education chief Maxine Booth explained that the head teachers had agreed that pupils from both buildings would join up once a week.
They would also get the chance to mix during trips, school shows and through schemes such as Bikeability.
She added: “The two schools will be working as one.”
What did the committee decide?
Ellon councillor Louise McAllister told the chamber the matter has resulted in her being inundated with messages from parents.
“I’ve had more emails on this than any other issue in my time as councillor, that shows the depth of feeling that goes around this,” she revealed.
While she noted there were some positives of a merger, she was aware of the negatives and stressed that the council must learn from this process once it reaches a conclusion.
Education chairman councillor David Keating called for the council to press ahead with the merger.
He said: “I truly regret the division in the community, it was not the intention to do that.
“The disadvantage to the children of another year of uncertainty outweighs any benefit of clarifying every last point so I propose we move ahead with this.”
A final decision on the proposal will be made by full council next month.
If the merger is approved, the two schools will become one from August.
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