Falkirk Council: Proposal to mothball Blackness Primary

Blackness Primary currently has just eight pupils on its roll, which has fallen steadily over the past few years.

Just four of the pupils live in the catchment area and Falkirk Council’s policy is to mothball school with fewer than 10 pupils who live in the catchment area.

At the moment, numbers are so low that only one class is operating and education chiefs believe that children will have better opportunities to learn in a larger school.

Mothballing means that the school will be temporarily closed but demand for places will be reviewed at least once a year.

Next Tuesday, members of Falkirk Council’s education, children and young person executive will be asked to agree that a consultation on mothballing the school should begin.

If they agree, a letter will be sent to all families with primary aged children (except for Primary 7 children as they will not be affected), living within the catchment area.

Pupils would attend Grange Primary in Bo’ness instead, which already shares a headteacher with Blackness.

Any change would start from August 2023.