4. Proposal to limit the P1 intake at Montgomerie Park Primary School
North Ayrshire Council · 28 October 2025
Back to Cabinet — 28 October 2025 and its agenda
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 28 October 2025 Cabinet (Education) Title: Proposal to limit the P1 intake at Montgomerie Park Primary School Purpose: • To provide information to Cabinet on the roll at Montgomerie Park Primary School • To set out proposals to limit the P1 intake to a maximum of 32 children and adjust the number of reserved places to ensure sufficiency of provision for catchment children as the school roll increases. Recommendation: That Cabinet agrees to: • Limit the P1 intake to a maximum of 32 children for each school session from August 2026 onwards • Increase the number of reserved places at each school stage to 4 from August 2026 • Remit to the Head of Service (Education) the ongoing responsibility to monitor catchment numbers and make adjustments to the P1 intake and/or reserved places accordingly for each subsequent school year. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 On 3 June 2025, Cabinet agreed to reserve places at three North Ayrshire primary schools, one of which was Montgomerie Park Primary School. Within that report, the need to cap P1 numbers at this school was outlined and the service committed to bring a further paper to Cabinet to cover that. 1.2 This report provides information on the current roll composition at Montgomerie Park Primary School, how this is likely to grow, and sets out a proposal to maintain a manageable occupancy level in the future. 1.3 The proposal is to limit the intake to 32 children to manage effectively the capacity at Montgomerie Park Primary School, leaving space for the roll to expand in future years, to accommodate catchment children from new homes. Approval is also sought for the Head of Service (Education) to amend the capping limit under specific circumstances, detailed within this report. 1.4 It is also recommended that the current number of spaces reserved at each stage, for catchment children moving to the area, should increase from 2 to 4 from August 2026.
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2. Background 2.1 Montgomerie Park Primary School was newly established and opened in August 2024 with 79 children over 5 classes. The school roll has increased significantly during its first session, with the current roll being 170 across 8 classes. One third of the school roll is made up of children who live outwith the catchment area, enrolled as a result of a successful placing request application. 2.2 On 3 June 2025, Cabinet agreed to use the provisions within the placing request legislation to reserve places at three North Ayrshire Primary Schools, one of which was Montgomerie Park Primary School. Within that report, a proposal to cap P1 numbers at this school was outlined. 2.3 The Statutory Public Consultation on the proposal to establish a new primary school at Irvine East took place in early 2021. At that time, there had been 481 homes built in Montgomerie Park since 2004, and the new catchment area boundary also included 172 long-established homes at Knadgerhill. 2.4 Since the establishment of the new school, 3 further housing sites within the catchment area have become active, as follows: Developer No of homes Timescale Bellway (on site) 146 2024-2029 North Ayrshire Council 189 2026-2029 Keepmoat 255 2026-2035 Total 590 2024-2034 Projections show that the above developments could result in around 100 additional catchment children registering for a place at Montgomerie Park Primary School by 2030. The number of new children from these homes is then expected to continue to grow until these homes are fully established. 2.5 In order to mitigate against the school failing to have sufficient accommodation for catchment children in future years, it is recommended that the P1 intake number is limited to 32 children for each new school session from August 2026. 2.6 It is also proposed that the number of reserved spaces at each stage is increased from 2 to 4 from August 2026. This allows spaces to be reserved for new children moving into the Montgomerie Park Primary School catchment area throughout the school year. This may mean that the number of P1 pupils increases above 32, as the session progresses, as these new catchment pupils register. 2.7 The proposal aims to ensure that the expansion of the school roll is carefully managed, prioritising current and future school spaces for catchment children as required, enabling them to be educated at their local school. 2.8 In developing this proposal, the following factors were taken into account: i. The school’s current capacity, calculated based on Scottish Government national guidance on determining the capacity of primary schools (2014) ii. The predicted demand for catchment places at the school in future years iii. The current and predicted number of placing requests at the school
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2.9 If the P1 intake number at Montgomerie Park Primary School is not limited, the current trend of rapidly increasing occupancy is likely to continue. Children attending by placing request will continue to make up a significant proportion of the school roll, and many of these children are likely to have younger siblings. Parental expectation will be that, where we have granted a placing request for an older sibling, space will be available in the future for younger family members; however, this may not be the case. As the catchment roll increases, there will be fewer spaces available each session for placing requests. 2.10 If there is insufficient space for new enrolments of children who live in the catchment area of the school, the Council would require to cover the costs of transporting the children to an alternative school until a space becomes available at the catchment school. 2.11 The Council is required to plan for the sufficiency of school places, with priority given to children and young people living within the defined catchment areas. Where all catchment pupils are placed, then placing requests are approved in line with current priority criteria: i. Placing request applicants who, in the opinion of a family doctor and community medicine specialist, could only be educated with difficulty in another school ii. Placing request applicants who have older sibling(s) continuing their attendance in the requested school iii. All other placing requests 2.12 It should be noted that if the proposal is approved, there will be fewer P1 spaces available at Montgomerie Park Primary School next year than there have been in the past. This may result in a ballot process for placing requests, whereby names are drawn and the procedure is supervised by a local elected member. It should also be noted that the other primary schools in the area have sufficient capacity to accommodate their catchment children. 2.13 There may come a point in the future when the proposed cap of 32 pupils in Primary 1 is no longer sufficient to accommodate the enrolment of all catchment children at Montgomerie Park Primary School, requiring the cap to be increased. In these circumstances, it is proposed that future authority to monitor and make any necessary adjustments to the cap and/or the number of reserved places is delegated to the Head of Service (Education). 3. Proposals 3.1 That Cabinet agrees to: • Limit the P1 intake to a maximum of 32 children for each school session from August 2026 onwards • Increase the number of reserved places at each school stage to 4 from August 2026 • Remit to the Head of Service (Education) the ongoing responsibility to monitor catchment numbers and make adjustments to the P1 intake and/or reserved places accordingly for each subsequent school year
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4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 The proposal aims to ensure that there are sufficient places for incoming children to attend their catchment school, therefore reducing the potential transport and staffing costs of them being educated elsewhere. Human Resources 4.2 None. Legal 4.3 The Education Authority is under a statutory duty to manage its education estate effectively to ensure that there is adequate capacity to meet demand, and the Education Authority is under a duty to provide adequate and efficient education in terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. Relevant legislation has been considered in formulating the proposal, as has the Scottish Government guidance in respect of determining Primary School capacity. The proposal reflects Council policy in as far as it promotes the opportunity for children to attend their local school. Council policy will be adhered to in respect of admissions, with catchment children being given priority. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 The key aim of this proposal is to provide children with a place at the primary school nearest their home, where they can be educated alongside other children, within their local community. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 The proposal supports children attending their local catchment school and, as such, supports children walking to school, therefore it is hoped that it will reduce the impact to the environment from transport emissions. Key Priorities 4.6 Active and strong communities Children and young people experience the best start in life Inclusive, growing and enterprising local economy Community Wealth Building 4.7 None. Islands Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) 4.8 None.
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United Nations Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 4.9 The Council places a priority on children being educated in their catchment school. The proposed cap is intended to ensure that there are sufficient spaces for catchment children to register at Montgomerie Park Primary School, as the number of homes in the catchment area grows. Consumer Duty 4.10 None. 5. Consultation 5.1 Consultation has taken place with the Head Teacher of Montgomerie Park Primary School, Education Portfolio Holder and Local Elected Members. Should the proposal be approved, we will communicate with the wider school community in order to let parents/carers understand the implications for the future. Andrew McClelland Head of Service (Education) and Chief Education Officer For further information please contact Lynn Taylor, Senior Manager, on 01294 324437 Background Papers Cabinet 3 June 2025 - Proposal to reserve spaces for catchment children at three primary schools