Fight on to stop school change

Cllr Forbes and parent council attend key meeting over Invergowrie primary on Monday

Parents in the Carse of Gowrie have been told they “still have a fight” on their hands if Invergowrie primary pupils are to continue attending Harris Academy.

Carse of Gowrie councillor Angus Forbes and chair of Invergowrie Primary School Parent Council Louise McKenzie, attended a Dundee City Council committee meeting on Monday to put forward views of locals in a bid to change plans to remove the primary as a Harris feeder school.

If the catchment change is enforced, the majority of pupils from Invergowrie Primary School will need to travel 20 miles to Perth to attend secondary school as of August 2021- despite Harris Academy being only two miles away.

Mr Forbes said he was concerned that, if approved, the move would have a detrimental effect on the children of Invergowrie because they lived on “the wrong side of the map”.

Among his main concerns highlighted at the meeting were the potential for pupils to be split from their friends and left isolated and the environmental impact of bussing children up to 40 miles a day.

Cllr Forbes said: “I was very pleased with the meeting at Dundee Council on Monday.

“It is very clear that there is some real desire by opposition councillors to keep the status quo, with many commenting on the input that children from Invergowrie make to Harris.

“One spoke about the money that would come to Dundee Council with the continuation of the current arrangement and they also spoke about the friendships that are created in primary school which should be allowed to continue.

“Whilst the consultation will still go ahead, I really feel that after Monday night we are in a much better place than I expected to be.

“We still have a fight on our hands but I and the parents of Invergowrie children are up for that fight.”

Meanwhile, Perthshire North MSP John Swinney is set to meet concerned parents at a public meeting in Invergowrie Parish Church on February 7 at 6.30pm.

After first hearing of the catchment change plans, Mr Swinney said: “Historically, Invergowrie pupils have attended Harris Academy.

“This is a sensible arrangement that recognises the unique circumstances that Invergowrie pupils face regarding access to secondary education.

“As a result of this tradition, and the village’s geographical location, pupils from Invergowrie have formed close ties to Dundee and to Harris Academy specifically.

“I am concerned therefore that the proposed change to the catchment area will cause significant unrest and worry to parents and pupils alike.

“I have already spoken to Cllr John Alexander, leader of Dundee City Council, to raise my concerns and I will have further discussions with the city council to pursue the concerns of my constituents.

“I am pleased that the views of my constituents were given due consideration at Monday night’s meeting, and I am hopeful that this signals a willingness by Dundee City Council to fully engage with Invergowrie parents going forward.”

Formal consultation on the redrawing of Harris Academy’s catchment will commence on February 10.