Appendix a Proposal Paper - Dalmally Primary School
Argyll and Bute Council · 22 August 2024
Back to Community Services Committee — 22 August 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Education Service PROPOSAL PAPER We are looking for your views on a Proposal to re-zone the catchment area of Dalmally Primary School Closing date for written responses: 4th October 2024 A public meeting will be held on: 17th September 2024 in Dalmally Primary School at 6:00pm This document has been issued by Argyll and Bute Council for consultation under the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. If you need this information in another language or format, please contact us to discuss how we can best meet your needs. Phone: 01369 708576 Email: argyllhousereception@argyll-bute.gov.uk Appendix A
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CONTENTS 1. The Proposal and Consultation Process 2. Implementation Date for the Proposal 3. Background to the Proposal and Overview of School Roll Data 4. Educational Benefits Statement 5. Assessing the impact on the local community affected by this Proposal 6. Employee Implications 7. Other Implications 8. Conclusion 9. Responding to the consultation Appendices: Appendix 1 Distribution List Appendix 2 Map of Current Boundary and Proposed Boundary Appendix 3 Map of Previous Bridge of Orchy Primary School Catchment Area Appendix 4 Map of Crianlarich Primary School Catchment Area Appendix 5 School Roll Data Appendix 6 Consultation Response Form
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1.0 THE PROPOSAL AND CONSULTATION PROCESS 1.1 The Proposal being consulted on is as follows: “To re-zone the catchment area for Dalmally Primary School so that it is extended to include the whole catchment area of the former Bridge of Orchy Primary School.” 1.2 Decision to Undertake the Consultation The Education Service has reviewed the historic decisions in relation to the closure of Bridge of Orchy Primary School in 2004. In particular, the decision taken at that time in respect of its catchment area – namely, that families in that area were given the option for pupils to attend either Dalmally Primary School or Crianlarich Primary School (which is situated within the local authority area of Stirling Council). Following a recent review, Argyll and Bute Council’s Education Service has identified a number of potential issues with the present arrangement, which in effect can automatically place pupils in a school outwith the Education Authority’s area. Argyll and Bute Council are therefore conducting a consultation exercise on the Proposal to re-align the catchment area of Dalmally Primary School to subsume the entire previous catchment area of Bridge of Orchy Primary school. 1.3 Consultation on the Proposal Under the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 (the 2010 Act), if a local authority proposes to alter the catchment area of a school, it must undertake a statutory consultation with the ‘relevant consultees’ affected by the Proposal. In this instance: • Dalmally Primary School; and • Crianlarich Primary School are the ‘affected schools’. The formal consultation on the Proposal within this document will be undertaken under the terms of the 2010 Act. The consultation period will start on 26th August 2024 (with due written notice of the Proposal issued to the relevant consultees listed in Appendix 1) and end on 4th October 2024. Written representations must be received by the close of business on the closing date in order to be taken into account. 1.4 Public Meeting A public Meeting will be held on 17th September 2024 at 18:00 in Dalmally Primary School to discuss the Proposal. Anyone wishing to attend the public meeting is invited to do so. The meeting will provide those in attendance with an opportunity to:
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• Hear about the Proposal; • Ask questions about the Proposal, and • Express views about the Proposal. A note will be taken of any views expressed and/or questions asked at the public meeting so that they can be taken into account as part of the consultation process. In addition to the public meeting, written representations will be able to be made during the consultation period. A copy of the Consultation Response Form can be found at Appendix 6. 1.5 Pupil Views Pupils at the affected schools will be invited to comment during the consultation process, through a session facilitated by a Council Officer, ensuring that they have an opportunity to contribute their views. 1.6 Education Scotland (HM Inspectorate of Education, HMIe) At the start of the consultation period, the Council will provide Education Scotland with this Proposal Paper. When the consultation period has ended, the Council will collate all of the written and oral representations. Thereafter, this information will be provided to Education Scotland and include; • A copy of written representations made to the Council on the Proposal (or summary of them if agreed with Education Scotland); • A summary of oral representations made at the public meeting, and • Other relevant documentation, so far as is practicable. Education Scotland will prepare a report on the educational aspects of the Proposal taking account of the above, and in so far that Education Scotland considers them relevant, any written representations made directly to them. Education Scotland may also visit the schools affected by the Proposal and make any other enquiries as they consider appropriate. Education Scotland require to send their report to the Council no later than three weeks (or longer if agreed with the Council) after having received the information from the Council. 1.7 Consultation Report After receiving Education Scotland’s report, the Council will review the Proposal taking account of written representations received during the consultation period, oral representations made during the public meeting and Education Scotland’s report. The Council will then prepare and publish a Consultation Report which will include a recommendation on the Proposal and make it available for inspection. The Consultation Report will be published no later than three weeks before it is formally considered by the Council.
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1.8 Inaccuracies or Omissions Where any inaccuracies or omissions are discovered within this Proposal Paper, the Council will determine whether relevant information has been omitted or, if there has been an inaccuracy. Appropriate action will then be taken by the Council, which may include issuing corrections, re-issuing a corrected Proposal Paper or an extension of the consultation period. In any of these events, all of the Relevant Consultees (and where applicable the notifier(s) of any omissions or inaccuracies) and Education Scotland will be advised of the action that is taken. 2.0 IMPLEMENTATION DATE FOR THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The proposal, if accepted, would be implemented from 6th March 2025. 3.0 DETAIL 3.1 Dalmally Primary School is a co-educational, non-denominational school serving the villages of Dalmally and Loch Awe along with the surrounding area. The School, built in 1975, is situated in the Glenview housing scheme in Dalmally. The School and its nursery unit cater for children from the age of 3 through to 12 years. The current school roll is 24 as per the table below. Historic and projected school roll data can be viewed in Appendix 5. Dalmally Primary School P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 Grand Total 1 1 3 3 6 4 6 24 3.2 On 6th May 2004 the Strategic Policy Committee (Education) of Argyll and Bute Council considered the Bridge of Orchy Primary School Consultative Document. The decision was taken that the submitted report be issued as a consultation document and circulated to all parties in terms of the Education (Publication and Consultation etc.) (Scotland) Regulations 1981. A further report by the Director on the results of the consultative process was to be prepared for a future meeting of the Committee. 3.3 On 15th July 2004 the Strategic Policy Committee (Education) met to consider the findings of that consultation exercise. The Committee recommended to the Council the permanent closure of Bridge of Orchy Primary School. 3.4 Later that day (on 15th July 2004) a meeting of the full Council considered the above recommendation of the Strategic Policy Committee (Education). The Council agreed to the permanent closure of Bridge of Orchy Primary school
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with pupils residing within the Bridge of Orchy catchment area to be re-zoned to a choice between either Dalmally or Crianlarich Primary Schools.1 3.5 Following a recent review, the Education Service has identified a number of potential issues with the Council’s earlier decision (in 2004) which effectively makes arrangements to place pupils in a school outwith the Argyll and Bute area, if families were to choose Crianlarich Primary School over Dalmally Primary School. Whilst that arrangement was agreed with Stirling Council at the time, a number of concerns have been identified by the Education Service as to how sustainable such an arrangement could be in the future, as well as concerns about how such an arrangement could be managed and fulfilled. In order to rectify this historic issue, the Council is now undertaking a consultation exercise on the Proposal to re-align the catchment area of Dalmally Primary School to subsume the entire previous catchment area of Bridge of Orchy Primary school. 3.6 In the development of all proposals to re-align catchment areas, the Council must have due regard to its specific statutory duties as laid out in the 2010 Act, as amended. 3.7 The existing catchment area of Dalmally Primary School is shown in Appendix 2 and the previous catchment area of Bridge of Orchy Primary School is shown in Appendix 3. 3.8 The decision by the Council, following the closure of Bridge of Orchy Primary School in 2004, allowed for families living within the Bridge of Orchy Primary School catchment area to choose to send children to either Dalmally Primary School or Crianlarich Primary School – which is in the Stirling Council area. The catchment area of Crianlarich Primary School is shown in Appendix 4. 3.9 The Education Service considers that its broad arrangements should be such that all pupils living within the Argyll and Bute Council area should generally be placed within Argyll and Bute Council schools. Argyll and Bute Council is not generally empowered to make arrangements which place pupils in schools outwith the local authority area as their catchment area schools. The current catchment area split/choice for those families within the previous catchment area of Bridge of Orchy Primary School is a historic boundary legacy. It was agreed with Stirling Council at the time, but could raise issues for the Education Authority going forward if the circumstances of Crianlarich Primary School are to change. It is the intention of the Education Service that all new pupils living within previous Bridge of Orchy Primary School catchment area should be automatically zoned to Dalmally Primary School, therefore rectifying the historic catchment area anomaly arising from the 2004 decision. 1 A typographical error in the minute of the decision of this meeting reports pupils attending Crianlarich Primary School instead of the agreed parental choice between Crianlarich or Dalmally Primary Schools.
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3.10 Notwithstanding the above, under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, parents have a statutory right to make a placing request for any educational establishment. Therefore, families within the previous Bridge of Orchy Primary School catchment area would still be able to apply for a placing request within any school other than their catchment area school – including Crianlarich Primary School – if this Proposal were to be implemented. 3.11 The school roll of the affected schools, as per May 2024, is detailed in the table below; and historical and projected school roll data is available in Appendix 5: School P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 Grand Total Dalmally Primary School 1 1 3 3 6 4 6 24 Crianlarich Primary School 2 6 2 3 6 3 1 23 4.0 EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS STATEMENT – ASSESSMENT OF THE LIKELY EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSAL 4.1 Benefits for Present Pupils at Dalmally Primary School Should the catchment area be re-zoned, there may be benefits for current pupils such as additional opportunities for personal and social development through an increased roll. From a curricular perspective, there would be no particular changes; however, an increased school roll may well bring additional opportunities for children to develop socially and emotionally, particularly in developing them as confident individuals. 4.2 Benefits for Future Pupils of Dalmally Primary School If the catchment area was re-zoned, it would mean that all pupils living in the previous catchment area of Bridge of Orchy Primary School would generally attend Dalmally Primary School. From a curricular perspective there would be no particular changes, however an increased school roll may well bring additional opportunities for children to develop socially and emotionally, particularly in developing as confident individuals. It is proposed that the pupils at Dalmally Primary School could potentially benefit from an increased number of prospective pupils at the School – thereby adding to the diversity, strength and vibrancy of the school community. If this Proposal was to be implemented, there could be a positive effect on children who currently attend Dalmally Primary School, as well as prospective pupils.
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4.3 Effects on Other Users of the School’s Facilities Effects on any other users of the School’s facilities would be negligible. 4.4 Effects on Pupils of Crianlarich Primary School Currently, families with children who live in the proposed rezoning area are able to choose for their children to attend either Dalmally Primary School or Crianlarich Primary School, with the cost of transport being met by Argyll and Bute Council. If the Proposal was to be implemented, then the children of families who reside in the previous Bridge of Orchy Primary School catchment area, who are new to the area or have children starting Primary 1, would generally attend Dalmally Primary School. Families residing in the previous Bridge of Orchy Primary School catchment area would still have their statutory right to apply for a placing request to Crianlarich Primary School. However, as with all placing requests, the cost of transport would be met by the family, not the Local Authority. For those families currently residing in the former Bridge of Orchy Primary School catchment area, with children already attending Crianlarich Primary School, their current school transport provision arrangements would be honoured through to those pupils completing Primary 7. If this Proposal was implemented, all pupils who reside in the proposed rezoning area (and not already enrolled at Crianlarich Primary School) would fall within the new extended catchment area for Dalmally Primary school. 4.5 Implications for Pupils if the Proposal was not Implemented If this Proposal is not implemented, the children who currently live in the rezoning area and who may move into the rezoning area would continue to have the choice of attending either an Argyll and Bute primary school or a Stirling Council primary school. This has an implication on the cost of transport to Argyll and Bute Council in transporting pupils to a school in another local authority area. Additionally, should the school roll at Crianlarich Primary School increase to a point where the school was at capacity, the present agreement for Argyll and Bute pupils attending Crianlarich Primary School could be unsustainable as Argyll and Bute Council are not empowered to generally place pupils in a school outwith their Authority area. Pupils living within the previous catchment area for Bridge of Orchy Primary School generally attend secondary school at Oban High School. This may mean pupils attending Crianlarich Primary School would start High School with a different peer group as pupils residing in the constituted catchment area for Crianlarich Primary School, who generally attend Wallace High School. School roll data for Crianlarich Primary School, as detailed in Appendix 5, shows a relatively stable trend of between 22 and 25 pupils from 2017/18 to 2026/27 with a lower projected school roll of 19 or 20 from 2027/28.
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5.0 ASSESSING THE IMPACT ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AFFECTED BY THIS PROPOSAL 5.1 There may be implications for the local communities of the affected schools. Potentially, children who live in the rezoning area who may have chosen to enrol at Crianlarich Primary School, would attend Dalmally Primary School. This may lead to a reduction in school roll for Crianlarich Primary School. Currently the school roll at Crianlarich Primary School is 23 with historic numbers of pupils at Crianlarich Primary school not being less than 21. Therefore, the proposed change in catchment area is not projected to have a significant impact on the school roll. A reduction in the school roll could have an impact on the ethos of the school and its community. Conversely, there are a number of potential positive impacts for Dalmally Primary School, should their school roll rise as a result of an increased/clarified catchment area, given the School has ample capacity for additional pupils. An increased school roll could positively affect the School ethos with a larger number of pupils for social groupings, class group work and even school plays and events. Dalmally Primary School is active within the local community and the potential of having additional pupils on the school roll could strengthen the viability of community and school events. 6.0 EMPLOYEE IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Staffing arrangements will continue to be consistent with the Argyll and Bute Council Staffing Standards and other local arrangements. 6.2 The projected school roll for Dalmally Primary School, taking in consideration of historical numbers of pupils in the rezoned area, does not show a significant impact for overall staffing at the School. However if families with a large number of children move into the rezoned area, this may have an impact on staffing. If the school roll of Dalmally Primary School increases, it may require more staff, and if Crianlarich Primary School sustains a corresponding drop in their school roll, they may require reviewing their staffing arrangements. The Education Authority do not anticipate the numbers of pupils involved as a result of this proposed catchment extension to materially affect either school in the short to medium term. 7.0 OTHER IMPLICATIONS 7.1 There will most likely be decreased transport costs for the Council in the long term, should this Proposal be implemented. 8.0 CONCLUSION 8.1 This is a Proposal to rezone the catchment area of Dalmally Primary School to subsume the whole of the previous catchment area for Bridge of Orchy Primary School, following a review of the historic catchment area decision of the Council in 2004. The matter is being considered by way of a statutory consultation exercise in accordance with the 2010 Act. There are currently six pupils who attend Crianlarich Primary School and live within the Bridge of Orchy catchment
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area - who would remain unaffected for the remainder of their time at primary school. This Proposal, if implemented, would encompass any new families moving to the area, or younger children attaining school age. There may be future implications in terms of staffing and transport costs should there be an increase in the school roll of Dalmally Primary School as a result of implementation of this Proposal. 9.0 RESPONDING TO THE CONSULTATION 9.1 Interested parties are invited to respond to the consultation exercise by making written or electronic submissions on the Proposal, using the form at Appendix 6, by no later than close of business on 4th October 2024. Responses can be posted to: Argyll and Bute Council Customer Services: Education Argyll House Alexandra Parade Dunoon, PA23 8AJ Or emailed to: argyllhousereception@argyll-bute.gov.uk 9.2 Those submitting a response, whether by letter or electronically, should be aware that their response will be published as part of the Council’s final Consultation Report. 9.3 If they do not wish their response to be publicly available, they should clearly indicate on the document by ticking the box which states: “I wish my response to be considered as confidential with access restricted to elected members and officers of Argyll and Bute Council.” Otherwise, it will be assumed that the respondent agrees to their response being made publicly available.
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Appendix 1 – Distribution List Distribution list and how to access a copy of the proposal document A Summary of this Proposal (including details of where/how to access the full Proposal Paper) will be provided to the following ‘Relevant Consultees’ in terms of the Act: • The Parent Councils of the affected schools; • The parents of the pupils at the affected schools; • All Early Years Establishments in the local area of the affected schools, giving access to parents who have children expected to attend the affected schools within two years of the publication of this Proposal Paper; • The pupils at the affected schools (in so far as the Education Authority considers them to be of suitable age and maturity); • All employees at the affected schools; • Trade union representatives of employees at the affected schools; • Glenorchy and Innishail Community Council; • Strathfillan Community Council; • All relevant users of the affected schools; • Argyll and Bute Community Planning Partnership; • Stirling Community Planning Partnership; and • Stirling Council Education Service A Summary of this Proposal (including details of where/how to access the full Proposal Paper) will also be made available to: • Argyll and Bute Councillors for Ward 5 – Oban North and Lorn; • Stirling Councillors for Trossachs and Teith Ward • The Constituency MSPs for the areas of the affected schools; • List MSPs for the areas of the affected schools; • The MPs for the areas of the affected schools; • Argyll and Bute Council School Transport Team; The steps listed below have also been taken to ensure that the proposal is widely available: • This Proposal Paper will be published on the Argyll and Bute Council website; • This document can be made available in alternative forms or translated by contacting Argyll House, Dunoon, telephone: 01369 708576 or argyllhousereception@argyll-bute.gov.uk; • Hard copies of this Proposal Paper will also be available for inspection, free of charge, at the following locations: a) Council Headquarters – Kilmory, Lochgilphead b) Dalmally Primary School c) Crianlarich Primary School
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Appendix 2 – Map of Current Boundary and Proposed Boundary
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Appendix 3 - Map of Previous Bridge of Orchy Primary School Catchment Area
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Appendix 4 - Map of Crianlarich Primary School Catchment Area
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Appendix 5 – School Roll Data School Roll Data Dalmally PS Crianlarich PS Capacity 99 50 School Roll School Roll 2014-15 38 34 2015-16 37 23 2016-17 35 27 2017-18 38 23 2018-19 35 22 2019-20 31 22 2020-21 29 23 2021-22 37 21 2022-23 30 23 2023-24 24 23 * Historical roll figures taken from Census of each year. Predicted Roll Dalmally PS Crianlarich PS Capacity 99 50 School Roll School Roll 2024-25 21 25 2025-26 20 23 2026-27 21 22 2027-28 19 19 2028-29 21 20 2029-2030 24 19 2030-31 27 19 * projected school roll data for Dalmally Primary takes into account projected pupil numbers including those from Bridge of Orchy Primary School catchment area.
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Appendix 6 – Response Form CONSULTATION RESPONSE FORM Education Service Please use this form to let us know what you think about the proposal You can complete this feedback form in Adobe Acrobat and print it out, or print and complete it by hand, using block capital letters. Return the form to: Customer Services: Education, Argyll House, Alexandra Parade, Dunoon, PA23 8AJ Or as an e-mail to argyllhousereception@argyll-bute.gov.uk. The closing date for comments is 4th October 2024. Proposal Argyll and Bute Council is seeking the views on the following proposal, namely: • To rezone the catchment area of Dalmally Primary School to include the whole of the previous catchment area of Bridge of Orchy Primary School. If you do not wish your response to be publicly available, you must tick the box below. Otherwise, it will be assumed that you agree to your response being made publicly available. “I wish my response to be considered as confidential with access restricted to elected members and council officers of Argyll and Bute Council.” Name Address I agree with the proposal(please tick) Yes No Undecided If you wish to comment on the proposal please use the space below, or attach another sheet
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I am responding in my capacity as a (please indicate by ticking the appropriate box) Parent/ carer of child at Dalmally Primary School Trade Union Parent/ carer of child at affected primary school (Crianlarich Primary School) Elected representative Pupil Community Council Dalmally PS Parent Council Member of the public/ community Crianlarich PS Parent Council Member of staff Other Details: _________________________ Handling your response - Please note that: • We will use the information you provide for the purpose(s) of this consultation, including statistical and analytical purposes; • We will pass a full copy of your written response to Education Scotland or a summary of it of agreed with them; and • We are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and therefore would have to consider any request made under that Act for information relating to written responses/ records of oral representations made to us relating to this consultation. Electronic publication and additional copies This consultation, and all other consultation exercises, can be viewed online on the consultation web pages of the Council website at: www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/consultations Public internet can be accessed at your local library. Thank you for taking time to respond.