Logiealmond Primary School
Perth and Kinross Council · 27 May 2026
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 27 May 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Our vision is a Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality ___________________________________________________________________ Committee or Board: Learning and Families Committee Date of Meeting: 27 May 2026 Report Title: Logiealmond Primary School Report Number: 26/143 Report Author: Karen Robertson, Service Manager (Business Services) (FBSCommittee@pkc.gov.uk) Organisational Lead: David Macluskey, Strategic Lead – Education and Learning ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek approval to commence engagement to inform the preparation of an options appraisal in respect of Logiealmond Primary School. The options to be considered should include the possible closure of the school. 1.2 Sections 1. Purpose 2. Recommendations 3. Background/Context 4. Main Issues 5. Proposals 6. Conclusion 7. Impact Value Assessment 8. Appendices 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Committee: 2.1 Approves the recommendation to proceed with preparing an options appraisal in respect of Logiealmond Primary School. The options to be considered should include the possible closure of the school.
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2.2 Requests the Strategic Lead – Education and Learning to prepare a report on the outcome of the options appraisal at a future meeting of the Learning and Families Committee in due course. 3. Background/Context 3.1 The Learning Estate is a significant and valuable asset to the communities of Perth and Kinross. Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) has invested £81m since 2015/2016, and between 2021 and 2029, the Council will invest a further £160m in the Learning Estate. 3.2 It is important, in light of the significant investment and cost associated with the Learning Estate, that it is managed in an efficient and effective manner, and that the priorities which are addressed meet the wider strategic objectives of the Council and the needs of our communities. 3.3 There are significant challenges for managing the school estate over the coming years. These include changing demographics, including population growth and movement, house building in certain locations, ongoing deterioration in building infrastructure, pressure on planned maintenance budgets, and increasing revenue costs. 3.4 The Learning Estate Strategy and Learning Estate Management Plan, approved by Lifelong Learning Committee on 3 November 2021 (Report No. 21/202 refers), sets out the Council’s aspirations for our schools, and in particular, the high value we place on learning, through our vision for well designed, maintained and managed schools. 3.5 Logiealmond Primary School has been the subject of a number of reviews since 2010, largely in response to low occupancy. The first report (Report No. 10/428 refers) sought approval from Lifelong Learning Committee on 25 August 2010 to proceed with undertaking an options appraisal and, if appropriate, produce a Proposal Paper containing an Educational Benefits Statement in respect of Logiealmond Primary School. The options to be considered included the possible closure of the school. 3.6 On 31 August 2011, a report was submitted to the Lifelong Learning Committee which advised of the outcome of the options appraisal undertaken in respect of Logiealmond Primary School and recommended that the school remained open with the situation being kept under review (Report No. 11/428 Refers). The Committee also approved a statutory consultation in relation to a limited review of the catchment area. 3.7 On 11 January 2012, Lifelong Learning Committee considered a report (Report No. 12/1 refers) which approved the commencement of a statutory consultation on the proposal to increase the catchment area for Logiealmond Primary School.
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3.8 On 15 August 2012, a further report (Report No. 12/316 refers) went to a meeting of the Lifelong Learning Committee which recommended, following a statutory consultation, not to proceed with the proposal. The report recommended, “the catchment area of Logiealmond Primary School be extended to subsume the delineated area of Glenalmond College site with a corresponding reduction in the catchment area of Methven Primary School from Monday 7 January 2013”. The recommendation was approved and no changes were made to the catchment area. 3.9 A programme of work was undertaken following the Council’s Transformation Strategy 2015-2020 ‘Building Ambition’ and Organisational Development Framework which were approved by Council on 1 July 2015 (Report No. 15/292 refers). A transformation review of the school estate was commenced in 2016, and as part of that review, Logiealmond Primary School was identified as a school with low occupancy (Report No. 16/347 refers). 3.10 On 2 November 2016, Lifelong Learning Committee approved the development of a number of options appraisals to consider in detail schools which were identified as requiring further consideration (Report No. 16/485 refers). Logiealmond Primary School was included in the schools to be considered by an options appraisal as a result of being under-occupied at Census 2015. At the time, the school had 12 pupils and an occupancy level of 25%. 3.11 Lifelong Learning Committee then considered a report on 21 March 2018 which recommended that a statutory consultation in relation to the permanent closure of Logiealmond Primary School should take place (Report No. 18/84 refers). 3.12 Following a deputation to the Committee, it was agreed that Logiealmond Primary School remain open and agreed that the occupancy of Logiealmond Primary School be reviewed again in 2022. 3.13 On 2 November 2022, an update on the School Estate Transformation Programme (Report No. 22/263 refers) was reported to the Learning and Families Committee. It was noted that the occupancy of Logiealmond Primary School had been reviewed and the school had a roll of 10 pupils as at September 2022. 4. Main Issues 4.1 In March 2018, the school roll was 12 pupils. It was identified that there were 17 potential pupils under the age of 5 years old living within the catchment area who potentially would attend the school by 2023, and if that materialised, the school roll was expected to increase substantially. 4.2 Lifelong Learning Committee agreed in March 2018 that the occupancy of Logiealmond Primary School would be reviewed again in 2022.
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The occupancy of Logiealmond Primary School was reported to Learning and Families Committee as part of a wider update and report on progress in relation to Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the School Estate Transformation programme in 2022 (Report 22/263 refers). The school roll had not increased since 2018, and had, in fact, decreased to 11 pupils. 4.3 For school session 2025/26, there were 2 new P1 catchment pupils expected to attend the school in August 2025. Only 1 of these pupils was enrolled at Logiealmond Primary School and the other pupil attended another school as the result of a successful placing request. 4.4 For school session 2026/2027, there were 3 new P1 enrolments expected to attend the school in August 2026. All 3 pupils have applied to attend other schools as placing requests, indicating that Logiealmond Primary School is not the school of choice for the majority of catchment families with pupils starting school. The projected roll for Logiealmond Primary School in August 2026 is 11 pupils. 4.5 The position of Headteacher at Logiealmond Primary School has been vacated and is currently being filled on a temporary basis. 4.6 The parents, staff and wider community are aware of the previous decision to review the occupancy of Logiealmond Primary School following the consideration of this in March 2018, and it is correct that the Council fulfils this requirement in order to bring matters to a conclusion. 5. Proposals 5.1 It is proposed that engagement with key stakeholders is undertaken to inform the development of an options appraisal in respect of Logiealmond Primary School. This would allow the views of current and prospective parents, staff and the wider community members to be considered as they may not have been affected or aware when the previous options appraisal was prepared in August - October 2017 (Report No. 18/84 refers). 5.2 The Scottish Government’s Rural School List 2025 classifies Logiealmond Primary School as an “accessible rural” school under Section 14 of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. Therefore, engagement with key stakeholders plays an important part in information gathering and sharing when developing an options appraisal. This type of participation engages key stakeholders to understand and help shape the proposals that affect them. 5.3 It is acknowledged that there is a risk that in engaging key stakeholders to inform the development of an options appraisal, in response to reviewing the occupancy of Logiealmond Primary School, that this may raise concerns on the future of the school prior to the options appraisal being concluded. It is important, therefore, that this is undertaken robustly but also transparently and in a timely manner.
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6. Conclusion 6.1 Lifelong Learning Committee previously agreed that the occupancy of Logiealmond Primary School would be reviewed again in 2022. Whilst the occupancy level was reported to Committee, a more formal or specific review of the occupancy and future options for the schools has not been progressed to date. Key stakeholders are aware of the previous decision to review the occupancy of Logiealmond Primary School, and it is correct that the Council fulfils this requirement in order to inform future planning for the school. 6.2 The key drivers for this review being progressed now are as follows: • the school roll has not substantially increased since 2018 as a consequence of the 17 potential catchment pupils under the age of 5 expected to attend the school; • the pattern of enrolments of new P1 pupils over the past 2 years demonstrating that the majority of families are choosing not to send their child to Logiealmond Primary School as their catchment school; • the now vacant Headteacher position; and • the Council’s previous commitment to undertake a review of the occupancy of Logiealmond Primary School following the moratorium approved in 2018. 6.3 The development of a comprehensive options appraisal for Logiealmond Primary School will allow due consideration to be given to the current and future occupancy of the school and whether it should remain open. 7. Impact and Value Assessment 7.1 This report has been classified as being an operational report and as such does not require a full Impact and Value Assessment. The relevant impact assessments would be completed as part of the options appraisal, if approved. 8. Appendices 8.1 Appendix 1 - Logiealmond Primary School, School Roll and Occupancy Data