A petition against plans to potentially close a rural Kinross-shire school has been set up.
Parents at Blairingone Primary School have set up the online petition, after Perth and Kinross Council’s lifelong learning committee agreed to start a statutory consultation into closing down the small school.
Currently the consultation period is active, running from Monday, August 27 until Friday, October 5.
Should the school be closed, all pupils at Blairingone would be moved to the nearby Fossoway Primary School.
The parent who set up the petition wrote: “Blairingone Primary School was first opened in 1836. The owners of the coal mines built the school for the children of the colliery workers.
“Blairingone has already lost its pub, village hall, church and shop, please don’t let us lose our school too.”
The author then says she initially sent her son to a neighbouring school in August 2017, but he struggled to fit in. He was not able to settle until he was moved to Blairingone.
They continued: “August arrived and my baby was off to primary school. There were tears on both parts but we will get used to it, I thought.
“A few weeks in and my son was still in floods of tears every morning at drop off and refused to talk about school when he came home every day.
“Week days were a constant battle to get him in the car and four out of five days we were late for school.
“Finally the October holidays arrived and no more daily battles going to school. Surely after the holidays he’ll be fine, he had turned five and should now be used to the daily routine of school.
“First day back and he clung onto me for life, 3.15pm pick up time please let him come out smiling, but no his little face was miserable.”
They added: “We sat our son down and asked him what we should do, stay at his current school or try a new school, his words ‘please mummy let me go to the small school’.
“We started the ball rolling and our son started at Blairingone Primary School and we have never looked back.
“He’s excited about his day ahead and ever day he looks forward to his day at school.
“When he comes home he’s eager to tell you all about his day. His confidence has grown tremendously and so has his school work. My son and the other kids love Blairingone Primary School. The teachers and staff are so welcoming and every day they fill you in on all the progress your child has made.”
At the end of the consultation period, the petition will be handed in to Sheena Devlin, director of education and children’s services at Perth and Kinross Council.
The petition can be viewed online at www.change.org/p/ecsstatutoryconsultations-pkc-gov-uk-save-our-rural-school-blairingone-primary-school
The PA contacted Perth and Kinross Council who said no one was available for comment.
