Glencorse Primary School closure agreed by councillors

The decision came at a special meeting of the full Council today (Tuesday) to consider the outcome of the statutory consultation.

Councillors approved recommendations to stop education provision at the school and extend the catchment areas of Mauricewood and Roslin Primary Schools to include the Glencorse catchment from August 2021.

Remaining pupils will be given the choice of going to Mauricewood or Roslin Primary schools as will the families of younger children living in the current catchment when they become school age.

School transport will be provided for all the children affected if there is no safe walking route to school and/or the distance from home to school is more than two miles.

Currently 78 children live in the Glencorse catchment but only seven attend the school.

Midlothian Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Jim Muirhead (Lab) said: “Many thanks to everyone who gave their views during the consultation.

“We realise today’s decision will be disappointing to some families and, while we recognise the quality of the education provision at the school, we agree it will be beneficial for children to move to either Roslin or Mauricewood nearby where they can enjoy a wider range and breadth of learning opportunities with children at the same age and stage as them.”

A report by Education Scotland, Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education, also concluded moving pupils to Mauricewood or Roslin would bring potential educational benefits.

The council must notify Scottish Ministers within six days of the decision and provide them with a copy of the proposal document and consultation proposal. The Scottish Ministers have eight weeks from the date of that final decision to decide if they will call-in the proposal. The legislation allows for anyone to make representations to Scottish Ministers within three weeks of the decision to close the school.

The consultation report and the Education Scotland report are available here.