Fife school mothballed after no pupils join for two years

Councillors on Fife Council's education and children's services sub-committee agreed today (Tuesday) to temporarily close Milton of Balgonie Primary School pending future housing developments in the area.

Furniture from the school will be shared with others in the area and staff have already been sent to work at other institutions. The decision will be reviewed in September.

The committee heard that the school roll at Milton of Balgonie had dwindled from a peak of 27 in 2013 to 0 in both 2019 and 2020.

All school-age children living in the village from which the school takes its name, near Glenrothes, are attending the nearby Coaltown of Balgonie Primary around two miles away.

Council officers have pursued the option of mothballing the school rather than consulting on closing it altogether because Fife Council has earmarked land on the village's edge for up to 63 homes in the future.

While a developer has not yet come forward to take on the site, the council does not want to shut the school in case any take an interest down the line.

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Shelagh McLean, Fife Council's early years boss, said: "At this point in time we don't wish to move to a consultation on full closure.

"We want to provide time to see if there is any possibility of school roll developing over time in the area, and whether the school will be required again in the future."

Ms McLean gave assurances that schools in the area had capacity to support Milton of Balgonie kids following questions from Scottish Conservative councillor Kathleen Leslie.

She added: "That's one of the reasons for mothballing and not taking a specific decision just now on closure.

"We are about to review the Fife Development Plan and looking quite closely to see whether that is a potential site to be brought forward.

"As it stands we have capacity at Coaltown of Balgonie and not all children go there.

"There were a lot of placement requests into Glenrothes schools prior to the position we are in now."

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