Appendix A – Consultation Report
Perth and Kinross Council · 12 November 2025
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 12 November 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Appendix A PERTH AND KINROSS COUNCIL EDUCATION AND LEARNING CONSULTATION REPORT REPORT ON THE OUTCOME OF THE CONSULTATION RELATING TO THE PROPOSAL TO: Formally close the original site of City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC) and formalise the permanent delivery of the service from the current site at Goodlyburn Primary School from January 2026. This Consultation Report has been issued by Perth and Kinross Council in accordance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.
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2 Contents Page 1. INTRODUCTION 4 2. BACKGROUND 5 3. CONSIDERATIONS 5 4. REASON FOR FORMULATING THE PROPOSAL 6 5. GOODLYBURN & COPECC INFORMATION 7 6. THE CONSULTATION PROCESS 8 7. THE STAFF MEETING 9 8. THE PUBLIC MEETING 9 9. RESPONSES TO THE CONSULTATION EXERCISE 10 10. EDUCATION AUTHORITY RESPONSE TO WRITTEN AND ORAL 11 REPRESENTATIONS 11. EDUCATION SCOTLAND REPORT 14 12. ALLEGED OMISSIONS OR INACCURACIES 15 13. COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 9(1) OF THE SCHOOLS 16 (CONSULTATION) (SCOTLAND) ACT 2010 14. LEGAL ISSUES 17 15. CONCLUSION 17 16. RECOMMENDATIONS 18
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3 Appendices Page Appendix 1 Minute of Staff Meeting of 13 May 2025 19 Appendix 2 Minute of Public Meeting of 22 May 2025 22 Appendix 3 Summary of Consultation Responses 25 Appendix 4 Online Responses 29 Appendix 5 Pupil Consultation 30 Appendix 6 Education Scotland Report 32 Appendix 7 Note of Children in ELC Consultation 36
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4 PERTH AND KINROSS COUNCIL EDUCATION AND LEARNING This report has been prepared following consultation on the Council’s proposal to: • To formally close the original site of City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC) and formalise the permanent delivery of the service from the current site at Goodlyburn Primary School from January 2026. Having had regard (in particular) to: (a) Relevant written representations received by the Council (from any person) during the consultation period; (b) Oral representations made to it (by any person) at the staff meeting held on 13 May 2025 (c) Oral representations made to it (by any person) at the public meeting held on 22 May 2025 (d) Education Scotland’s report on the proposal. 1. INTRODUCTION This is a consultation report prepared in compliance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 on the above proposal. 1.1 The purpose of this report is to: • Provide a record of the total number of written responses made during the Statutory Consultation period; • Provide a summary of the written responses; • Provide a summary of oral representations made at the staff meeting held on 13 May 2025; • Provide a summary of oral representations made at the public meeting held on 22 May 2025; • Provide a statement of the Council’s response to those written and oral representations; • Provide the full text of Education Scotland’s report and a statement of the Council’s response to this report; • State how the Council reviewed the above proposal following the representations received during the Statutory Consultation period and the report from Education Scotland; and • Provide details of any omission from, or inaccuracy in, the Proposal Paper and state how the Council acted upon it.
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5 2. BACKGROUND 2.1 On 29 January 2025, the Learning and Families Committee approved Report 25/18 which sought approval to move towards formal closure of the original site of CoPECC. This report presented an Options Appraisal detailing the reasons behind seeking approval to formally close the original site of CoPECC and formalise delivery at the current site at Goodlyburn Primary School. As a result, this Committee agreed to prepare and publish a Proposal Paper and commenced formal consultation on the following proposal: • To formally close the original site of City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC) and formalise the permanent delivery of the service from the current site at Goodlyburn Primary School from January 2026. 2.3 The Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 compels local authorities to apply robust consultation procedures to all proposals for school closures (including nurseries). PKC is committed to providing stakeholders with reassurance that the consultation and decision-making process and procedures are fairly, fully and rigorously carried out. 2.4 Learning and Families Committee reports and the Proposal Paper referred to above are available on the Council’s website www.pkc.gov.uk. 3. CONSIDERATIONS 3.1 The main considerations relating to the proposal are fully explained in the Proposal Paper, and the main points are highlighted as follows: 3.2 Perth and Kinross Council is dedicated to fostering a community where everyone can thrive, free from poverty and inequality. Their vision focuses on making the best use of public resources and ensuring continuous improvement of services. The Council's Corporate Plan emphasises collaboration to achieve key priorities, including tackling poverty, addressing climate change, and supporting sustainable places. Perth and Kinross Council aims to create a resilient, stronger, and greener local economy; enable children and young people to reach their full potential; protect and care for the most vulnerable; and support physical and mental wellbeing. By working in partnership with communities, they strive to create vibrant and successful areas, safe and sustainable environments, and educated and responsible citizens, ensuring every child has the best start in life. 3.3 This vision is further supported by the Council’s Learning Estate Management Plan and the Education and Learning Policy Framework Maximising Resources, which aim to enhance the range and quality of learning experiences for all. 3.4 Councils have a statutory duty in terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make adequate and efficient provision of school education across their entire area for the current school population and future pattern of demand.
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6 The Council’s Learning Estate Management Plan, approved by the Lifelong Learning Committee of Perth and Kinross Council on 3 November 2021 (Report 21/202 refers), provides information on the whole of the school estate, including overall objectives and future priorities within Perth and Kinross Council. 3.5 Councils also have a statutory responsibility in terms of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 to achieve best value. In doing so, consideration must be given to occupancy as buildings are expensive resources. To achieve best value and optimum efficiency, the minimum number of buildings is required to deliver Council services to a particular locality. The organisation of the school estate is therefore kept under regular review, including the need for school provision and other factors, such as Additional Support Needs specialist provision and altering catchment areas. 3.6 The Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 provides a strong, accountable statutory consultation process that local authorities must apply to their handling of all proposals of major changes to schools. These consultation processes are expected to be robust, open, transparent and fair, and seen to be so. They are also expected to be consistent across Scotland. 3.7 The Education (Scotland) Act 2016 amends the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000 by adding in new duties to address inequality of outcome. These duties apply in different ways to both Scottish Ministers and Education Authorities. Where the Education Authority is making or implementing strategic decisions about school education, it is required to have due regard to the need to carry out its functions in a way which is designed to reduce inequalities of outcome. This is particularly directed in the Act towards pupils who experience those inequalities through socio-economic disadvantage, but there is also a power to extend the range of pupils who are covered by this duty. 3.8 The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 requires local authorities to provide all children of pre-school age access to 600 hours of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC). Secondary legislation was passed in 2019 amending the 2014 Act, and from 1 August 2020, the amount of funded ELC eligible children are entitled to increased to 1,140 hours a year. The local government settlement provides funding for local authorities to deliver funded ELC to all eligible children. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the funded ELC entitlement is available for all eligible children in their area. 3.9 Most importantly, the Education Authority would wish to optimise the educational experience for every pupil by providing: • a range of social and emotional experiences • an enriched and broad learning experience • the best possible education which meets the needs of all learners. 4. REASON FOR FORMULATING THE PROPOSAL 4.1 The original standalone City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC) in the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) community of North Perth at McCallum Court was opened in 2002. It was registered with the Care Inspectorate to provide care to a maximum of 100 children, aged between 2 years old and those not yet attending primary school.
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7 As well as ELC, the service provided family support and learning opportunities and was included within Perth and Kinross Council’s (PKC) planning for delivering the 1140 hours expansion to ELC to all eligible children. It became one of five Early Childhood Centres (ECC) in Perth and Kinross offering year-round flexible childcare options to families. 4.2 The site of the original CoPECC at McCallum Court flooded severely several times at substantial cost to insurers and PKC. Following the last flood in August 2020, the site has subsequently been deemed as uninsurable, and as such, PKC will not be able to develop this site with any permanent structure. In October 2021, due to significant vandalism in the building, it was agreed that the building would be demolished as soon as possible. As a result, CoPECC can no longer be located on this site. 4.3 By April 2022, an interim arrangement was made by combining the current nursery at Goodlyburn Primary School with CoPECC to become Goodlyburn and CoPECC which was located within Goodlyburn Primary School and managed by the CoPECC Centre Leader. This service continues to deliver a full year 50-week ELC service to 74 children at any one time, including 2-year-olds, providing continuity of service for families in the community of North Perth and enabling all eligible children to access high quality ELC. All children who would have attended CoPECC on the original site can now access their funded ELC either at the new site or at an alternative provision of their choice in the community. 4.4 All eligible children in the North Perth ELC Community have been able to access their full 1140-hour ELC entitlement in other settings. CoPECC is successfully delivering ELC from its current interim site at Goodlyburn Primary School, and all families residing in the North Perth ELC Community can access their funded ELC place within the current capacity. A further 2 PKC Early Childhood Centres, 5 PKC nursery settings, 5 funded provider nursery settings and 6 childminders within the community offer families funded places for ELC. Letham ECC was built as a new extension to Letham Primary School as part of the ELC expansion, and Riverside ECC is part of the newly built Riverside Primary School which opened in June 2023. 4.5 Since the council is meeting its statutory duties to deliver ELC spaces to all eligible children, and delivery of the ECC from Goodlyburn Primary School has been successful, in 29 January 2025, the Learning and Families Committee reviewed a report (Report No. 25/18 refers) on an Options Appraisal seeking approval to commence consultation on the formal closure of the original site of CoPECC. 5. GOODLYBURN & COPECC INFORMATION 5.1 Early Childhood Centres (ECC) have been established in areas of deprivation and provide extended support for more vulnerable families. They offer an extended model of provision from 0800-1800 hours over 50 weeks. They also contribute to the delivery of parenting interventions and family learning. ECCs work with local partners and provide opportunities for workforce development and providing a model of high quality ELC. 5.2 Since April 2022, Goodlyburn Nursery and CoPECC has been located within Goodlyburn Primary School in the area of North Perth. This location is 0.8 miles distance from the original CoPECC site at McCallum Court.
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8 5.3 Goodlyburn Primary School provides primary education for girls and boys from Primary 1 to Primary 7 and has a capacity for 300 pupils, with a current school roll as of September 2024 of 221 children. The school shares a site with Perth College UHI and is one of two schools within Perth and Kinross offering Gaelic Medium Education. The catchment area of Goodlyburn Primary School includes the Fairfield community area, in which CoPECC was originally located, providing well-established links between the old and new sites. 5.4 The school is situated within a residential area but is well located for access to the conveniences of the city centre, including Perth Royal Infirmary and Letham Hub. 5.5 CoPECC is successfully delivering ELC from its current site at Goodlyburn Primary School, and all families residing in the North Perth ELC Community can access their funded ELC place within the current capacity at the range of ELC settings offering funded places. There is additional flexibility to expand the capacity within North Perth by offering additional ELC places at Letham ECC should demand increase. 5.6 As part of an options appraisal developed, information was collated regarding the options considered and rejected. 6 THE CONSULTATION PROCESS 6.1 The Proposal Paper was published on the Council’s website: www.pkc.gov.uk and a public notice was placed in the local press. 6.2 The Proposal Paper informed consultees that the consultation period would run from Monday 24 April 2025 until 6 June 2025 – a period of 31 school days. 6.3 The proposal on which consultation took place was to: • Formally close the original site of City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC) and formalise the permanent delivery of the service from the current site at Goodlyburn Primary School from January 2026. 6.4 The requirements for consulting on a relevant proposal relating to schools are set out in the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. • A Proposal Paper was published on 24 April 2025. • The Proposal Paper was published on the Perth and Kinross Council website and was available in paper copy upon request. • A staff meeting was held to discuss the proposal on Tuesday 13 May 2025. • A public meeting was held to discuss the proposal on Thursday 22 May 2025. • Interested parties were invited to respond to the proposal by making written, electronic or online submissions on the proposal by no later than close of business on 6 June 2025. • The Consultation period ended on 6 June 2025. • Education Scotland’s involvement consisted of the options appraisal and proposal paper documents being sent to them, and a visit to the site of Goodlyburn & CoPECC at Goodlyburn Primary School including discussion with relevant consultees.
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9 They attended the public meeting held on 22 May 2025 and also received a copy of all online and representations and the minutes of the public meetings. They then prepared a report on the educational aspects of the proposal. This is attached as Appendix 6. 6.5 The following ELC setting is affected by the proposal: • Goodlyburn and City of Perth Early Childhood Centre 6.6 The following school is affected by the proposal: • Goodlyburn Primary School 6.7 In accordance with statutory requirements and good practice, the following persons were consulted: • Pupils at the affected school • The ELC staff at the affected setting • Children at the affected ELC setting • Education Scotland • Relevant stakeholders including previous staff members, parents and carers, and the general public. 6.8 During the consultation period, representations were sought from interested parties, either in oral or written form or electronically. An online response form and generic email account was set up by the Council to receive representations and enquiries on the proposal. 6.9 This Consultation Report is the Council’s response to the issues raised during the consultation period. 6.10 This Consultation Report is to be published on the Council’s website for a period of no less than three weeks prior to final consideration by Learning & Families Committee on 12 November 2025. 7. THE STAFF MEETING 7.1 A staff meeting was held in Goodlyburn & CoPECC on Tuesday 13 May 2025. Twelve members of ELC staff attended. A full note of the meeting is attached as Appendix 1 which details the questions and issues raised at the meeting. 8. THE PUBLIC MEETING 8.1 A public meeting was held in Goodlyburn Primary School on Thursday 22 May 2025. No members of the public attended; however, two members of ELC staff were in attendance. A full note of the meeting is attached as Appendix 2 which details the questions and issues raised at the meeting.
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10 9. RESPONSES TO THE CONSULTATION EXERCISE 9.1 In all, 13 online response forms were received. Two responses agreed with the Council’s proposal and 11 responses disagreed with the Council’s proposal. However, eight online responses were invalid as they failed to provide a required name, address or email address to validate the response. One valid online response agreed with the Council’s proposal, and four valid responses disagreed with the Council’s proposal. One written representation was received which disagreed with the Council’s proposal. 9.2 During the consultation period between 24 April 2025 and 6 June 2025, written representations were invited from statutory consultees and interested parties. No written responses were received. 9.3 The details of respondents are contained within the Summary of Consultation Responses, attached as Appendix 3. The validated responses received online were from current and previous members of staff and one member of the public. 9.4 In summary, the oral and written responses and questions can be grouped broadly as follows: • The facilities at Goodlyburn are inadequate for delivery of an Early Childhood Centre (ECC) and how this can be mitigated in the future. • The loss of the standalone centre has diminished the unique family-orientated atmosphere of CoPECC which impacts upon the quality of early years education and children's experiences. • Feelings that the closure was handled poorly and without adequate respect for and communication to the people involved. Staff felt hurt by the closure and demolition of CoPECC and are still impacted by the decision. • The 50-week extended model of attendance offered at Goodlyburn & CoPECC is underutilized and that a term-time or 45-week model might better suit family needs. • Views that the 6pm meeting time may have excluded parents and carers with young children from participating in consultation. 9.5 Full details of the responses received to the online consultation are attached as Appendix 4. 9.6 No members of the public attended the public meeting to give oral representations; however, twelve staff members attended the staff meeting, with two also attending the public meeting. 9.7 A consultation meeting took place with a small group of pupils at Goodlyburn Primary School and full details of these is attached as Appendix 5. 9.8 Informal consultation with children in the early years took place as part of small group times with the Nursery Teacher at Goodlyburn & CoPECC. Full details of the feedback received is attached as Appendix 7.
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11 10 EDUCATION AUTHORITY RESPONSE TO WRITTEN AND ORAL REPRESENTATIONS 10.1 Views were expressed that the current facilities at Goodlyburn Primary School are not adequate for permanent delivery of an Early Childhood Centre. Closure of the original CoPECC site was unanticipated and the facilities at Goodlyburn Primary School were originally designed to support delivery of a smaller nursery provision. Although actions have been taken to expand the spaces and improve the facilities for delivery of an ECC from the site, the Council recognises that the site is not comparable to the four other ECCs within Perth and Kinross. The Council will make further considerations as to what options could be taken forward to ensure that all five ECCs in the authority access equitable facilities to support high quality delivery of ELC. 10.2 Views were expressed that the current facilities impact upon the quality of children’s experiences within ELC. Immediate issues raised at the meetings regarding the drainage system were investigated by the Council’s Property Team and further work is being undertaken to determine the source of the issue. The setting also benefits from both full-year and term-time staffing additionality in comparison to other ECCs and local authority nurseries to support the continuity of high-quality experiences for children at Goodlyburn & CoPECC. The Council strives to ensure that all children in the authority receive the “Best Start” and that high-quality experiences are delivered in every ELC setting across the range of 94 funded provider ECC, nursery and childminder settings in PKC. Goodlyburn & City of Perth Early Childhood Centre was inspected in February 2024 by the Care Inspectorate, Scotland’s independent regulatory body for care services, and were graded “good” and “very good”. In addition, feedback data from parents, carers and children throughout the time the centre has been located on the school site shows that families are happy with the provision and that the children’s needs are well met. The staff team is strong and provide high-quality experiences for the children, and the service is well-managed by the Centre Leader and her management team. The report submitted by Education Scotland also highlights that all families and staff they engaged with believe that the children access high quality care and learning and Goodlyburn & CoPECC (Appendix 6). However, the Council recognises that challenges remain due to the disparity in the layout of the spaces compared to those which the other ECCs in Perth and Kinross occupy. The suitability of the current site, and its facilities and spaces, will inform further consideration as to solutions that may be required. 10.3 The papers presented to committee were queried in regard to investment to the outdoor spaces at Goodlyburn & CoPECC, particularly as to why the outdoor classroom does not have heat or electricity. The outdoor classroom at CoPECC & Goodlyburn was established as a space to utilise in the outdoor spaces which would provide some protection to children and staff from the elements, and in which experiences can be provided that supports children’s access to outdoor learning experiences all year round.
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12 Outdoor classrooms are located in two local authority ELC settings (including Goodlyburn & CoPECC), and at PKC’s Westbank Outdoor Learning site, to provide further flexibility for delivery of ELC within the spaces and improve experiences for children while outdoors. The cost of the classrooms, including installation, is approximately £45 000 and the buildings are fully insulated. Neither of the outdoor classrooms established in ELC settings are serviced for heat, electricity, or other utilities since the indoor playrooms can also be accessed at all times to meet the varying needs of the children. The outdoor classroom at Westbank has been serviced with electrical lights and heaters powered by a generator to support children’s wellbeing since no other indoor spaces are available for children to utilise on site. 10.4 Clarification was sought regarding the Council’s approach to closing the centre and the consultation process taking place after demolition. The Council recognises that the process following the flooding incidents at the original site diverged from normal procedure due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic response and the corresponding restrictions in place, as well as the implementation of the Scottish Government’s ambitious 1140-hour Expansion to ELC taking place during this time period. It is not ideal that the consultation took place after demolition has already occurred; however, the original building itself was no longer safe or insurable and so the decision was made by the Council to demolish it, and consultation would not have changed that outcome. The future of the location of the centre itself was uncertain until the 1140 expansion was well-established in order to analyse uptake and assess the ELC needs of the community. While the original plan was to merge the services at Goodlyburn Primary School and CoPECC on a temporary basis, the new combined service is delivering successfully and the demand for ELC spaces in the community is being well- met so consultation to permanently close the old site and formalise delivery at the current site was approved in January 2025. 10.5 Views were expressed that the impact on staff has never been acknowledged by the Council and that support at the time was not forthcoming. As the flooding event took place in August 2020, some of the issues raised around management of the response can be attributed to the context of the time and the prioritisation of the national and local Covid-19 pandemic response. Chief Education Officer, David Macluskey, acknowledged these views and further discussion is to take place. All ELC settings are provided with support from the Council’s Education and Learning service according to individual settings’ needs and the level of risk associated with service delivery at any one time. Goodlyburn & CoPECC have received periods of targeted support from Council officers since 2020, when relevant. Robust financial support has also been provided to upgrade facilities and secure resources to support delivery of the service and make improvements. As stated above, Goodlyburn & CoPECC are also provided with additional staffing to a level unparallelled in any ELC setting in Perth and Kinross in order to support delivery. 10.6 It was queried whether the option of a new standalone building or extension is still under consideration, and if continued delivery at the current site within current facilities, is down to financial factors.
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13 The Options Appraisal presented to committee detailed the preferred option to formally close the original site of CoPECC and formalise delivery at the current site at Goodlyburn Primary School. The options to build a new standalone building or extension were not recommended. In response to the feedback received through this consultation, the Council will further consider whether continued delivery of the ECC from the Goodlyburn Primary School site is the optimal option on a longer-term basis, and if so, what adaptations may be required to ensure high quality experiences for children and families accessing the service. Uptake of the extended models of attendance will also inform future decisions. 10.7 It was queried what the next steps would be to make the ELC spaces in the current building functional. As stated above, the Property Team are supporting mitigations of immediate concerns. Further analysis has taken place by Education and Learning officers to make a comparison of the facilities and spaces at Goodlyburn & CoPECC to those at other ECCs to identify what issues may be impacting negatively upon delivery. The Council will then consider future solutions to address the concerns highlighted in the consultation. 10.8 Views were expressed regarding the 50-week extended model of attendance offered at Goodlyburn & CoPECC being underutilized, and that a term-time or 45- week model might better suit family needs. The Council closely monitors child numbers in local authority ELC settings within all the attendance models available in Perth and Kinross as part of wider ongoing evaluation of the demand across the authority for ELC delivery for all services, including those in the private and voluntary sector, and childminders. This evaluation informs strategic decision-making and allocation of resources. All ECCs in PKC currently remain open 50 weeks per year in order to provide continuity of support to the children and families within the communities they serve, all year round. There is no immediate plan to remove the 50-week attendance option at Goodlyburn & CoPECC, but data held on the demand and uptake of ELC spaces will help to inform any considerations as to the future of the ECC within Goodlyburn Primary School, including attendance models offered. 10.9 Clarification was sought regarding the scheduled time of the public meeting (6pm on Thursday 22 May), which could be a barrier for parents and carers with young children who wanted to attend. The Council has a legal duty to consult on closures of school and ELC settings as outlined in the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. Ultimately, consultation processes are expected to be robust, open, transparent and fair. The Council complied with its duty to hold a public meeting in relation to the proposal. The meeting was held in a similar way to other consultations undertaken by the Education and Learning service. Staff members from Goodlyburn & CoPECC in attendance at the meeting were encouraged to share the link to the online consultation information page and e-form with parents and carers accessing their service so that their views could be included in the consultation. No responses to the consultation were received from parents or carers.
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14 11. EDUCATION SCOTLAND REPORT 11.1 In accordance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, a report was produced by Education Scotland on the educational aspects of the proposal. 11.2 The purpose of the report is to provide an independent and impartial consideration of Perth and Kinross Council’s proposal to close the previous site of CoPECC at McCallum Court and formalise delivery of the ECC from Goodlyburn Primary School. 11.3 Education Scotland attended the public meeting held on 22 May 2025 and visited visits the former site of City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC), as well as Goodlyburn Primary School to engage in discussion with relevant consultees. 11.4 The Education Scotland report is reproduced in full (Appendix 6). 11.5 The report supports the proposal and is summarised below: • HM Inspectors agree with the educational benefits outlined by Perth and Kinross Council. The original building was affected by floods in 2002, 2010 and 2020. The extent of the flood damage in August 2020 resulted in CoPECC being deemed uninsurable. Therefore, the Council was not able to develop this site with any permanent structure. At this time, the Council temporarily relocated the provision to the community wing of Perth Grammar School. Following significant vandalism in 2021, the council agreed that the CoPECC building should be demolished. As a result, CoPECC can no longer be located on the original site at McCallum Court. In April 2022, the council made an interim arrangement to combine CoPECC with the nursery located at Goodlyburn Primary School, known as Goodlyburn and City of Perth Early Childhood Centre. If the proposal is agreed, children will not experience any disruption as they already benefit from attending the setting at Goodlyburn Primary School. • HM Inspectors met with children who previously attended CoPECC. They talked positively about their experience in the former setting. However, they believe that the proposal may result in more children choosing to attend Goodlyburn Primary School. • All parents and staff who met with HM Inspectors agree with the proposal. They believe that Goodlyburn and City of Perth Early Childhood Centre is providing a positive and nurturing learning environment. Although parents and a few staff expressed sadness about the loss of local provision, they all agreed that children are happy and settled into the existing setting. They believe that children’s needs are supported very well. • Parents and staff believe that the existing provision at Goodlyburn Primary School would benefit from adaptations, including improvement to some toilet facilities. Although staff make good use of the outdoor space available, including an outdoor classroom, not all classrooms have direct access to the outdoors. The Council should ensure that children’s access to free flow play is not restricted due to the design of the building. If the Council proceeds with the proposal, it should engage further with stakeholders to consider future uses of the former site and potential improvement of the current setting.
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15 • All parents who met with HM Inspectors expressed concern about the current use of the former site at McCallum Court. They are concerned that the site has become overgrown. All parents would like clarity on the future use of this land. Parents and staff believe that the former site should be redeveloped to benefit the children and families of the local community. • All stakeholders who met with HM Inspectors believe that if the Council agrees to close CoPECC, it will help create a clearer sense of identity for the early years provision at Goodlyburn Primary School. This will be in line with other early years provision in the local area. 11.6 Perth and Kinross Council’s Response to Education Scotland’s Report The Council welcomes the report from Education Scotland and accepts its findings. In response to the findings contained within the Education Scotland report, Perth and Kinross Council’s response is as follows: 11.6.1 The Council should ensure that children’s access to free flow play is not restricted due to the design of the building. If the Council proceeds with the proposal, it should engage further with stakeholders to consider potential improvement of the current setting. The Council acknowledges the limitations posed by the current spaces utilised by the Centre within Goodlyburn Primary School. Previous investment has resulted in some improvements to the facilities including toilets, yet limitations remain due to the fundamental structure of the building. The benefits of outdoor play to children’s wellbeing, learning, and development are well-understood and the Council believes that daily access to high-quality outdoor spaces and experiences in the Early Years is a critical element of ELC provision for all children in Perth and Kinross. Additional staffing has been allocated to Goodlyburn & CoPECC to overcome the fact that access to outdoors is currently limited to one exit point, and enables adults to support children’s self-led play outdoors. Considerations for solutions to overcome the challenges posed by the current setting will be made and stakeholders will be consulted throughout this process. 11.6.2 Parents would like clarity on the future use of the land at McCallum Court. Parents and staff believe that the former site should be redeveloped to benefit the children and families of the local community. This land has flooded on several occasions and conversations are ongoing between Scottish Water and the Council regarding the future of the site which is yet to be agreed. 12. ALLEGED OMISSIONS OR INACCURACIES 12.1 Section (10) (3) of the 2010 Act also places a requirement on the Council to provide details of any inaccuracy or omission within the Proposal Paper which has either been identified by the Council or raised by consultees.
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16 This section of the 2010 Act also requires the Council to provide a statement on the action taken in respect of the inaccuracy or omission, or, if no action was taken, to state that fact and why. 12.2 In the course of the consultation exercise, there were no areas identified by respondents as being inaccurate or omitted from the Proposal Paper during the consultation period. 12.3 Clarity has been provided (see section 10.3) by the Council regarding the outdoor classroom facility which was queried by a member of staff at the staff meeting. 13. COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 9(1) OF THE SCHOOLS (CONSULTATION) (SCOTLAND) ACT 2010 13.1 Section 9(1) of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 states that: After the Education Authority has received Education Scotland’s report, the Authority is to review the relevant proposal having regard (in particular) to: (i) written representations received by the Authority (from any person) during the consultation period; (ii) oral representations made to it (by any person) at the public meetings; and (iii) Education Scotland’s report. 13.2 Following receipt of the Education Scotland report, five online representations, and oral representations made at the staff meeting and public meeting held during the consultation period, officers reviewed the proposals. 13.3 The feedback from the consultation was considered by officers where all the questions and comments raised were considered in detail. This ensured that the Council met the requirements to review the proposal under section 9(1) and 13(5) of the 2010 Act. 13.4 Officers of the Education Authority have listened carefully to the points made at the meetings and have considered equally carefully the Education Scotland report and the online representations. The proposal was reviewed to consider whether any of the representations led the Council to reconsider other options as being reasonable alternatives to the proposal. 13.5 None of the representations led officers to conclude that there were any other reasonable alternatives to the proposal that the site of the previous service at McCallum Court should close. The site is unable to be built upon, and the building has been demolished. 13.6 The educational benefits were reviewed in respect of the Education Scotland report and representations made. 13.7 There were no factors included in the Education Scotland report or representations made requiring any aspect of the educational benefits to be reconsidered. 13.8 Having reviewed the Education Scotland report and feedback from consultees, officers concluded that the basis of the original proposal to close the former site continues to be the most appropriate response.
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17 13.9 It is considered that the second part of the proposal to formalise delivery of the centre from Goodlyburn Primary School is appropriate to support consistency for children and families at this time. However, review of the feedback from consultees and Education Scotland suggests that further evaluation of the building, spaces and facilities is required to consider feasible options for securing an improved longer-term offer for service delivery. 13.10 The Council will continue to engage with stakeholders to address concerns and find feasible solutions to the issues raised. 14. LEGAL ISSUES 14.1 The Council has complied in full with the requirements of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 throughout this statutory consultation. 14.2 The Council is mindful of its duties in respect of equality, and the Equality Impact Assessment did not identify that any parent, child, or young person would be treated less favourably as a result of this proposal. In terms of Socio-Economic Impact, the assessment identified that having the Centre continue delivery close to the previous site means that it continues to be accessible for those who may be economically disadvantaged. Two other ECCs delivering within the North Perth ELC community also support accessibility. 14.3 Under the terms of the Schools (Scotland) (Consultation) Act 2010, it is a legal requirement that the Council should not reach any formal decision without waiting until a period of three weeks starting on the day on which this Consultation Report is published in electronic and printed form has expired. 14.4 As it is the intention that this Consultation Report should be published, both electronically and in written form, if required, on 22 October 2025, this meets the statutory requirement to publish this report for more than three weeks before consideration of the proposal by Learning & Families Committee on 12 November 2025. 15. CONCLUSION 15.1 The Council now has 4 broad options to consider, namely: (a) adopt the proposal; (b) withdraw the proposal; (c) amend the proposal in some way which allows the proposal to proceed; or (d) amend the proposal significantly and undertake a further consultation exercise on a new proposal. 15.2 Education Scotland agrees with the educational benefits that the proposal to close the original site of CoPECC and formalise delivery at Goodlyburn Primary School hold.
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18 There will be no disruption to children as they already benefit from attending the setting at Goodlyburn Primary School, and both parents and staff agree that children are happy and settled and that Goodlyburn & CoPECC is providing a positive and nurturing learning environment. 15.3 If the Council adopts the proposal, it is understood that the educational benefits set out in the Proposal Paper would likely to continue. 15.4 The key points that have been highlighted during the consultation period are as follows: • The merged service is well-established, and children are accessing high quality ELC provision within Goodlyburn & CoPECC. • Staff at the Centre have highlighted that closure of the previous site caused sadness and impacted upon their wellbeing. Staff felt unsupported by the Council during this time. • Feedback from stakeholders indicates that they agree with the proposal that the former site at McCallum Court can close. • The Council’s proposals to formalise delivery at Goodlyburn Primary School have received some resistance from stakeholders due to the layout and facilities of the current site. 16. RECOMMENDATIONS 16.1 On the basis of the feedback received and taking account of the educational and social benefits of the proposal, it is recommended that the Council approves: • Formal closure of the original site of City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC) at McCallum Court, as proposed. • Formalising the continued delivery of the service from the current site at Goodlyburn Primary School from January 2026. Engagement will continue with stakeholders and options to address the issues raised in regard to the environment at the current site. David Macluskey Strategic Lead: Education & Learning (Chief Education Officer) 16 September 2025
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19 Appendix 1 Education & Learning Improving Lives Together Ambition I Compassion I Integrity Statutory Consultation Staff Meeting Minute of meeting held on Tuesday 13 May 2025 at 3:15p.m. in Perth High School Present: Annie Carr Quality Improvement Officer – Early Years Karen Robertson Service Manager – Business Services Present: Carly Williams – Minutes Early Years Officer Anne-Marie Sands Headteacher – Goodlyburn Primary School 12 Staff members Welcome and Introductions Annie Carr opened the meeting, welcomed the staff members in attendance, and briefly outlined purpose for holding the meeting. Karen Robertson introduced herself and her role within PKC and her involvement in the Consultation Process. Format of meeting Karen Robertson explained the format the meeting would follow. The proposal Karen Robertson explained the consultation proposal to the attendees and all in attendance understood that the Council proposes to: • Permanently close the standalone City of Perth Early Childhood Centre building at its previous location on McCallum Court, Perth, and formalise delivery of the ECC at Goodlyburn Primary School. Presentation A presentation was provided to all present to explain the background to the proposal and the reasons for consultation. Annie Carr outlined: • Statutory duties of a local authority
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20 • History of the response to flooding events at the former building since 2002 • ELC provision within Goodlyburn & CoPECC since 2022 • The wider context of ELC provision within the North Perth ELC Community • The findings of an impact assessment of closure of the old site • Continuity of the delivery of ECCs within North Perth Karen Robertson outlined: The statutory consultation process including the legal framework, consideration by Learning & Families Committee, the statutory consultation period and the different ways in which representations from interested parties could be made as the first part of the consultation process. Karen then explained the next stages of the process which includes the involvement of Education Scotland, the preparation and publication of the consultation report and the final decision made by the Learning & Families Committee, currently anticipated to be November 2025. Annie Carr then opened up the meeting to any questions from the floor. Q: The impact at the time was huge. The nursery was knocked down years ago so why weren’t we consulted at the time? A: There has been a lot of discussion and assessment to take us to this point as it was unclear for some time what the future of the centre would look like. With the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and also some time for the expansion of ELC to be implemented to verify uptake in the community, this has been a long process. However, we accept that it is not ideal that the consultation is taking place after demolition. The building was no longer safe or insurable and so that decision was made, but the future of the location of the Centre itself was uncertain and it is well established now at Goodlyburn Primary School. Q: There are issues with the facilities within the current location. Have you have properly considered if this is the best place to have the centre permanently if no further extension or standalone facility is built? A: All the feedback in the consultation will be considered and responded to in the final report. If there are mitigations required to move forward to close the centre at the former site, then this will be outlined and inform any final decision made by committee. Q: We have had architects in to evaluate the spaces with the suggestion that an extension or standalone building was possible. Yet, this is no longer seems to be an option. Was the decision to close the old building and formalise delivery at Goodlyburn PS primarily a financial decision? A: An options appraisal was undertaken and due to the current circumstances whereby the centre has continued to deliver high quality early learning and childcare and all children in the community can access their funded entitlement, at this stage the preferred option and the proposal is to close the building at McCallum Court and continue delivery at Goodlyburn Primary School. The school estate is continuously under review and planning is in place for years into the future and it is up to the council officers to consider and make decisions as to which education facilities are prioritised for capital building. Q: We feel the experience for the children is not equitable to other Early Childhood Centres in PKC, for example the lunchtime experience and the fact the Strong Starts do not have free-flow access to the outdoor spaces. How can we provide equitable experiences if the facilities are not fit for purpose?
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21 A: Goodlyburn & City of Perth Early Childhood Centre was inspected in 2023 and were graded “good” and “very good”, and feedback data from parents, carers and children throughout this time the centre has been located on the school site show that families are happy and that the children’s needs are well met. The staff are a strong team and are providing high quality experiences for the children. However, we do understand there have been challenges and that some have still not been overcome. All this feedback will be considered and reflected within the consultation report which will be presented back to committee members and include the council’s response to this. Further comments and observations from the floor were noted throughout the meeting: Statement 1) “We felt a huge lack of support during the decanting process after the Centre flooded.” Statement 2) “We needed more support during the merger of the two settings”. Statement 3) “The flooding was a critical incident, but we have never received recognition for this and the impact it had on the staff. We had to organise the moves ourselves; we had no wellbeing support; and when we asked for support, we were not given it.” Statement 4) “After four years, we are still feeling the impact of the move. We are “making do” but every day is a challenge.” Statement 5) “We also experienced personal losses. The old building was flattened with no warning or consultation. We lost personal items and some good quality equipment which could potentially have been saved.” Karen Robertson reminded everyone that further comments could still be submitted until 6 June 2025 through the survey link, via email, or by written letter, and a QR code was shared to the relevant PKC webpage. Annie Carr expressed her gratitude to everyone for their attendance at the meeting and for their continued hard work and support in the Centre. Annie then concluded the meeting.
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22 Appendix 2 Education & Learning Improving Lives Together Ambition I Compassion I Integrity Statutory Consultation Public Meeting Minute of meeting held on Thursday 22 May 2025 at 6.00p.m. in Goodlyburn Primary School Present: David Macluskey Education & Learning (Chief Education Officer) Strategic Lead Fiona MacKay Service Manager – Inclusion & Additional Support Needs Annie Carr Quality Improvement Officer – Early Years Karen Robertson Service Manager – Business Services Present: Carly Williams – Minutes Early Years Officer Councillor John Rebbeck Convenor, Learning & Families Committee Anne-Marie Sands Headteacher – Goodlyburn Primary School Sheila Brown Education Scotland 2 members of staff from Goodlyburn and City of Perth Early Childhood Centre 0 members of the public Welcome and Introductions David Macluskey opened the meeting and welcomed the members of staff in attendance to the Statutory Consultation Public Meeting. As no members of the public were present, Karen Robertson advised that the presentation would be added to the website and that responses and questions could still be submitted as part of the consultation through the PKC website. David introduced himself and the panel to the staff and thanked them for attending. Format of meeting David Macluskey then explained the format the meeting would follow. The proposal All those present understood the proposal: • Permanently close the standalone City of Perth Early Childhood Centre building at its previous location on McCallum Court, Perth, and formalise delivery of the ECC at Goodlyburn Primary School.
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23 Presentation The two members of staff in attendance at the statutory consultation public meeting had previously attended the staff consultation meeting held on 13 May 2025 at 3.15pm within Goodlyburn & City of Perth Early Childhood Centre. However, a presentation was provided to all present to explain the background to the proposal and the reasons for consultation. David Macluskey outlined: • The PKC Vision • Statutory duties of a local authority • Current delivery of ELC in PKC • History of the response to flooding events at the former building since 2002 • ELC provision within Goodlyburn & CoPECC since 2022 • The wider context of ELC provision within the North Perth ELC Community • The findings of an impact assessment of closure of the old site Karen Robertson outlined: The statutory consultation process including the legal framework, consideration by Learning & Families Committee, the statutory consultation period and the different ways in which representations from interested parties could be made as the first part of the consultation process. Karen Robertson then explained the next stages of the process which includes the involvement of Education Scotland, the preparation and publication of the consultation report and the final decision made by the Learning & Families Committee, currently anticipated to be November 2025. David Macluskey then opened the meeting to any questions, comments or observations from the floor. The two staff members present advised that they were in attendance to voice similar concerns to those presented during the staff consultation meeting. Q: If the ECC provision is to be made permanent at Goodlyburn Primary School, what building improvements will take place to make the spaces fit for purpose and equitable with other PKC ECC services? A: The immediate issues will be escalated with the PKC Property team. We recognise the challenges and there is staffing additionality in place to support operational delivery at the moment. Further conversations may need to take place around any future long-term solutions such as capital building projects. Q: As the building has already been demolished, we do not contest it. However, there was a lack of communication and support to staff at the time of the flooding and the aftermath from the council. How will this be acknowledged? A: David Macluskey will visit staff at Goodlyburn and City of Perth Early Childhood Centre to apologise to staff personally and to listen to their views. As the flooding event took place in August 2020, some of the issues raised around management of the response can be attributed to the context of the time and the prioritisation of the national and local Covid-19 pandemic response.
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24 Q: The papers presented to committee mention investment to the outdoor spaces including an outdoor classroom however why does it not have heat or electricity? A: Any property work that is essential to upgrade facilities which are currently below acceptable standards will be prioritised. Other upgrades to the environment will be considered as part of a wider longer-term plan. Q: Why was the public meeting scheduled at 6pm in the evening which could be a barrier for parents and carers with young children who wanted to attend? A: All protocols were followed, and the meeting dates and times were made available in a timely manner. There are still opportunities for anyone who was unable to attend in person to submit any representation they wish to make known through the online form, via email, or by post. As there has been no noticeable change in the quality of service delivered by the ECC since it vacated from the previous building and began delivery at Goodlyburn Primary School, it may be that parents and carers are not concerned about the proposal. This can be attributed to the continuity of high-quality provision delivered by the staff which is recognised and appreciated by everyone present. Q: What are the next steps following the consultation, particularly to make the ELC spaces in the current building functional? A: After the consultation closes, we will set out the feedback given and the council’s response. The reports will be published and presented to committee who will then make a decision on closure. Responses to particular concerns e.g. the environment will be covered in the report. David Macluskey, Education & Learning (Chief Education Officer) Strategic Lead thanked the panel, Councillor Rebbeck, Sheila Brown, and staff members present for attending and closed the meeting.
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25 Appendix 3 Perth & Kinross Council City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC) Summary of Consultation Responses
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26 The statutory consultation on the proposal to permanently close the standalone City of Perth Early Childhood Centre building at its previous location on McCallum Court, Perth, and formalise delivery of the ECC at Goodlyburn Primary School commenced on Thursday 24 April 2025 and closed on Friday 6 June 2025. Details of the proposal document were issued to the list of consultees contained within the Proposal Paper. 364 letters were issued with a link to the proposal paper and details of where and how to obtain a paper copy. The Proposal Paper was also published on the Council website. A specific email address was set up for representations and enquiries. This was in addition to the usual methods of submitting representations. An online response form was set up on the consultation webpage. Online Response Forms 13 online response forms were received. 2 responses agreed with the Council’s proposal and 11 disagreed with the Council’s proposal. However, 8 responses were invalid as they failed to provide a required name, address or email address to validate the response. RESPONDENT GROUP NUMBER OF RESPONSES AGREE DISAGREE Parents - - - Pupils - - - Staff 3 1 2 Elected Members - - - Parent Councils - - - Community Members - - - Grandparents - - - Trade Unions - - - Other 2 - 2 Not disclosed (Invalid) 8 1 7 Total 13 2 11 Validated Total 5 1 4 Representations made were around: Facilities and Suitability of Current Location Inadequate Facilities at Goodlyburn: Views that Goodlyburn is not large or well-equipped enough to house an Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) centre. Need for Purpose-Built or Stand-Alone Building: Suggestions to move CoPECC to a more suitable, possibly empty PKC building or to rebuild a dedicated nursery facility. Impact on Children and Community Loss of Community Feel: Respondents feel that the merger with Goodlyburn has diminished the unique, family-oriented atmosphere that CoPECC provided.
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27 Views that the current setup affects the quality of early years education and children's experiences. Emotional and Staff Impact Staff Sentiment: Strong emotional responses from current and former staff who felt disrespected and hurt by the closure and demolition of CoPECC. Sense of Loss: CoPECC is described as a cherished place, and its closure is seen as a significant loss to the community. Consultation and Decision-Making Criticism of the Council’s decision to close and demolish CoPECC without proper consultation with staff or the community. Feelings that the closure was handled poorly and without adequate respect for the people involved. Service Provision and Usage Comments suggest that the 50-week, 1140-hour model is underutilized and that a term-time or 45-week model might better suit family needs. Written Representations During the consultation period between 24 April 2025 and 6 June 2025, written representations were invited from statutory consultees and interested parties. No written responses were received. Public Meeting As part of the statutory consultation process, 1 public meeting was held on 22 May 2025 at Goodlyburn Primary School. Attended by 2 members of staff. No members of the public attended. The questions and comments were around: Building Improvements- Questions about what upgrades will be made to ensure the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) spaces at Goodlyburn Primary School are fit for purpose and comparable to other PKC ECC services. Outdoor Space Investment: Questions about the functionality of the proposed outdoor classroom. Support During Closure: Frustration over the lack of communication and support during and after the flooding that led to the original building’s demolition. Requests for recognition of how the situation was handled and its impact on staff. Public Meeting Timing: Views that the 6pm meeting time, may have excluded parents and carers with young children from participating.
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28 Next Steps Post-Consultation: Questions about the actions that will follow the consultation, especially regarding making the current ELC spaces functional and suitable for long-term use. Pupil Consultation Consultation was undertaken with a focus group of Goodlyburn Primary School pupils from stages P3 – P7 pupils. The consultation took place on 16 May 2025. 7 pupils participated in the focus group. 5 pupils agreed with the Council’s proposal and 2 pupils disagreed. The following statements were provided by the pupils to explain their decision: “I voted yes because it would be dangerous if it reflooded again.” “Yes, because it has flooded too many times.” “No, they should go back because there's only one toilet for the primary ones, twos and threes to use. There's only six cubicles and there's always a lot of people using them at playtime and I have to wait a long time.” “I voted no. I like the teachers from the old school better. They are different here.” “Yes, because it would be unsafe for others if other people are in the building if it floods again” " I said yes because it would cost a lot of money if it flooded again and they would need to come back here again.” “I said yes. It isn't safe and it might flood again.”
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29 Appendix 4 Online Responses “Move CoPECC to one of the more suitable PKC buildings standing empty. Goodlyburn is not big enough to house an ELC centre. It impacts learning and development across early years and school.” “I don’t believe the facilities at Goodlyburn are adequate and meet standards previously enjoyed by the families who attended CoPECC, therefore I believe a stand-alone building should be considered to modernise the facilities. The 50-week 1140 option seems unnecessary as it is little used. I would suggest either a term-time provision or 45-week provision would provide adequate choice for families. The number of children who access extended hours is minimal compared to settings such as Oakbank who can have up to 25 children accessing provision over the school closure periods whereas Goodlyburn & CoPECC have between 0 and 7 at times.” “Fairfield has lost a community nursery, and the children don't have the same experience they did at CoPECC. It had a family feel about it and it doesn’t now. CoPECC was unique and is greatly missed.” “Goodlyburn and COPECC merge was originally to be temporary. If this is a permanent move there needs to be consideration of the premises to update and make adjustments to permanently home a larger ELC.”
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30 Appendix 5 Education & Learning Improving Lives Together Ambition I Compassion I Integrity Goodlyburn Primary School Children’s Consultation – Primary School Focus Group Minute of consultation held on Friday 16 May 2025 at 2:00p.m. in Goodlyburn Primary School Present: Denise Doig Education Support Officer – Secondary and Inclusion Lesley Lennon Education Support Officer - Primary Present: Carly Williams – Minutes Early Years Officer 7 Children in Focus Group from stages P3 - P7 Welcome and Introductions Lesley Lennon opened the focus group and introduced herself and her job title. Denise Doig introduced herself and her job title. Lesley Lennon introduced Carly Williams and stated she was present to take notes only. The children introduced themselves with their name, age, and class. They advised they had “been selected” to represent their class. Purpose of consultation Lesley Lennon asked the children if they understood why they were asked to join the group and all children responded they did not. Lesley explained the purpose of the focus group, the reason they were asked to join, and the roles of the Education Support Officers as independent consultants. Lesley explained the consultation proposal to the children: • Permanently close the standalone City of Perth Early Childhood Centre building at its previous location on McCallum Court, Perth, and formalise delivery of the ECC at Goodlyburn Primary School. The children were then informed that their participation was optional, and they could choose to leave and go back to class at any time. All children agreed they were happy to participate. Presentation A presentation was provided that explained the background to the proposal and the reasons that the children’s opinions were being gathered. Lesley Lennon outlined: • The geography of the old building in context to Goodlyburn Primary School • The current delivery of the Centre from Goodlyburn Primary School • How the continued delivery of the Centre from the school may impact upon the primary-aged children Denise Doig outlined: • The reason why the building was demolished due to flooding events • Why the children’s views are being gathered and link to the UNCRC
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31 Open questions, and further explanation around e.g. map symbols, children’s rights etc. to establish and consolidate children’s understanding of the information presented were asked by Lesley and Denise during the presentation of each slide. Voting Exercise Lesley Lennon explained the voting process and clarified that each child’s vote would be anonymous and only for them to decide. The children were asked to mark the box labelled “yes” if they agreed that the building at McCallum Court can close, and “no” if they did not agree. All children agreed to participate when asked again. The votes were collected as follows: • Yes – 5 Votes • No – 2 Votes Lesley Lennon announced the voting outcome. Lesley then asked the children if they would like to share how they voted and explain why they chose that outcome and reminded them that they were not obligated to share. The following comments were offered by the children in response to their decision on how they voted: Statement 1) “I voted yes because it would be dangerous if it reflooded again.” Statement 2) “Yes because it has flooded too many times.” Statement 3) “No they should go back because there's only one toilet for the primary ones, twos and threes to use. There's only six cubicles and there's always a lot of people using them at playtime and I have to wait a long time.” Statement 4) “I voted no. I like the teachers from the old school better. They are different here.” Statement 5) “Yes, because it would be unsafe for others if other people are in the building if it floods again” Statement 6) " I said yes because it would cost a lot of money if it flooded again and they would need to come back here again.” Statement 7) “I said yes. It isn't safe and it might flood again.” Denise Doig asked if any of the children had any further comments or questions then expressed her gratitude to the children for their participation and concluded the consultation. #
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32 Appendix 6 Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 Report by Education Scotland addressing educational aspects of the proposal by Perth and Kinross Council to close the original site of City of Perth Early Childhood Centre and formalise the delivery of the service from the current site at Goodlyburn Primary School. June 2025
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33 1. Introduction 1.1 This report from Education Scotland has been prepared by His Majesty’s Inspectors of Education (HM Inspectors) in accordance with the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 (“the 2010 Act”). The purpose of the report is to provide an independent and impartial consideration of a proposal by Perth and Kinross Council to close the original site of City of Perth Early Childhood Centre and formalise the delivery of the service from the current site at Goodlyburn Primary School. Section 2 of the report sets out brief details of the consultation process. Section 3 of the report sets out HM Inspectors’ consideration of the educational aspects of the proposal, including significant views expressed by consultees. Section 4 summarises HM Inspectors’ view. Upon receipt of this report, the Act requires the council to consider it alongside any relevant considerations the council received and then prepare its consultation report. The council’s consultation report should include this report and must contain an explanation of how, in finalising the proposal, it has reviewed the initial proposal, including a summary of points raised during the consultation process and the council’s response to them. The council has to publish its consultation report at least three weeks before it takes its final decision. With all proposals the council needs to follow all statutory obligations set out in the 2010 Act. Where a council is proposing to close a school, there are specific additional obligations. These include notifying Ministers within six working days of making its final decision and explaining to consultees the opportunity they have to make representations to Ministers. 1.2 HM Inspectors considered: • the likely effects of the proposal for children of the setting; any other users; children likely to become pupils within two years of the date of publication of the proposal paper; and other children in the council area; • any other likely effects of the proposal; • how the council intends to minimise or avoid any adverse effects that may arise from the proposal; and • the educational benefits the council believes will result from implementation of the proposal, and the council’s reasons for coming to these beliefs. 1.3 In preparing this report, HM Inspectors undertook the following activities: • attendance at the public meeting held on 22 May 2025 in connection with the council’s proposals; • consideration of all relevant documentation provided by the council in relation to the proposal, specifically the educational benefits statement and related consultation documents, written and oral submissions from parents and others; and • visits to the site of Goodlyburn Primary School and the former site of City of Perth Early Childhood Centre (CoPECC), including discussion with relevant consultees. 2. Consultation process 2.1 Perth and Kinross Council undertook the consultation on its proposal(s) with reference to the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.
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34 2.2 The statutory consultation ran from 24 April to 6 June 2025. The proposal paper was published on the council's website and distributed to key stakeholders. The council made copies of the proposal paper in public buildings. The council invited consultees to submit their views on the proposal via an online form or by email. A public meeting was held on 22 May 2025, which was attended by two members of staff from Goodlyburn and City of Perth Early Childhood Centre. No members of the public attended the meeting. The council received 13 online response forms, two of which agreed with the proposal and 11 disagreed. However, the council viewed eight of these responses invalid as they failed to provide a required name, address or email address to validate the response. Of the five validated responses, most of these were received from staff, with four respondents disagreeing with the council’s proposal. The council received no responses to the consultation from parents. Children from Goodlyburn Primary School and Goodlyburn and City of Perth Early Childhood Centre were also consulted. The majority of children supported the closure of CoPECC. They recognised the difficulties that the former site had with flooding. 3. Educational aspects of proposal 3.1 HM Inspectors agree with the educational benefits outlined by Perth and Kinross Council. The original building was affected by floods in 2002, 2010 and 2020. The extent of the flood damage in August 2020 resulted in CoPECC being deemed uninsurable. Therefore, the council were not able to develop this site with any permanent structure. At this time, the council temporarily relocated the provision to the community wing of Perth Grammar School. Following significant vandalism in 2021, the council agreed that the CoPECC building should be demolished. As a result, CoPECC can no longer be located on the original site at McCallum Court. In April 2022, the council made an interim arrangement to combine CoPECC with the nursery located at Goodlyburn Primary School, known as Goodlyburn and City of Perth Early Childhood Centre. If the proposal is agreed, children will not experience any disruption as they already benefit from attending the setting at Goodlyburn Primary School. 3.2 HM Inspectors met with children who previously attended CoPECC. They talked positively about their experience in the former setting. However, they believe that the proposal may result in more children choosing to attend Goodlyburn Primary School. 3.3 All parents and staff who met with HM Inspectors agree with the proposal. They believe that Goodlyburn and City of Perth Early Childhood Centre is providing a positive and nurturing learning environment. Although parents and a few staff expressed sadness about the loss of local provision. They all agreed that children are happy and settled into the existing setting. They believe that children’s needs are supported very well. 3.4 Parents and staff believe that the existing provision at Goodlyburn Primary School would benefit from adaptations, including improvement to some toilet facilities. Although staff make good use of the outdoor space available, including an outdoor classroom, not all classrooms have direct access to the outdoors. The council should ensure that children’s access to free flow play is not restricted due to the design of the building. If the council proceeds with the proposal, it should engage further with stakeholders to consider potential improvement of the current setting. 3.5 All parents who met with HM Inspectors expressed concern about the current use of the former site at McCallum Court. They are concerned that the site has become overgrown. All parents would like clarity on the future use of this land. Parents and staff believe that the former site should be redeveloped to benefit the children and families of the local community.
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35 If the council proceeds with the proposal, it should engage further with stakeholders to consider future uses of the former site. 3.6 All stakeholders who met with HM Inspectors believe that if the council agrees to close CoPECC, it will help create a clearer sense of identity for the early years provision at Goodlyburn Primary School. This will be in line with other early years provision in the local area. 4. Summary HM Inspectors agree with the educational benefits outlined in this proposal. The provision at Goodlyburn Primary School is currently meeting the needs of children. Although a few parents expressed sadness about the loss of CoPECC, all stakeholders understand and agree with the education benefits of the proposal. Parents and staff believe that the current setting would benefit from some improvement to facilities. They also believe the former site of CoPECC should be redeveloped to benefit children and families from the local area. In taking forward the proposal, the council should continue to engage with stakeholders to address these concerns. HM Inspectors June 2025
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36 Appendix 7 Note of Consultation with Children in ELC Children accessing funded ELC places at CoPECC & Goodlyburn were consulted within small focus groups. The three groups took place on 23 May 2025 and 30 May 2025. The Nursery Teacher at Goodlyburn & CoPECC led the consultation. Due to the age and stage of the children, they were not asked about the previous site but instead were asked what they liked and disliked about their current nursery. The comments gathered from children follow: • Playing outside. Nursery is better outside. • I like to dress up as the colour monster. • I don't like when it's noisy and I have to shout so they can hear me. • The tap is hot. So many people have to wash hands, it takes ages. • I feel sad about leaving nursery and going to school. • I like the outside. • The nursery is stinky like poo and pee. • The home corner is nice. The pictures are pretty. • The wall is ugly • I love playing with my friends • I like playing outside • I'd like a real baby to play with in the kitchen. • I don't like putting suncream on. • The doors are noisy and bang - it makes me jump. • The bikes are the best. The outside is better. • The toilets are stinky. • It's hard to open the taps. Not for me but for other people. • Toilets are stinky smelly. • I only like being on the bikes.