Parents to open their own primary school

A GROUP of parents are battling to set up a community school after their rural primary was demolished last year.

Crossroads School in East Ayrshire was closed down by the council last summer and demolished in November after officials said it was beyond repair.

The Scottish Government rejected an appeal to save the school, despite a pledge to try to prevent rural school closures.

Parents argued it was a vital focal point for the community and believed a scaled-back refurbishment would be affordable and make the school safe.

Now, a group of six parents are hoping councillors will agree to lease the plot of land the school previously occupied. They say they already have a head teacher in mind, and believe they are the first parents in Scotland to undertake such a bid.

Parent Isla Brown said: "We're close to a deal on prefabricated buildings and we are trying to get the council to let us lease the land.

"They've told us they might put it up for sale, but if not they might lease it to us."

The group believes they should be able to access a government grant offered to rural schools. They are confident they will be able to maintain the school and pay for resources but are struggling with staff costs.

Ms Brown, who has four sons, said: "At the moment we have a financial hole where the teachers' salary would be.

"The model we are trying to develop has a number of funding streams so we wouldn't be dependent on one particular source.

"When the council closed the school they lost a grant councils get for maintaining rural schools which was 2,500 per head. They lost that funding, which for our school came to 137,000 for a 52 pupil school."

Graham Short, executive director of education at East Ayrshire, said a final decision on how the land will be used will be made on 3 February.

He said: "The council takes the view that any individual has the right to establish a school so long as the requirements of the relevant regulations are met."

Educationalists are taking a keen interest in the project.

A spokesman for the University of Strathclyde said: "Academics from Strathclyde met the campaigners at their request. They were interested to hear about the plans for a village school and encouraged the campaigners to engage with their local authority. The progress of the campaign will be followed with interest."

Education Secretary Michael Russell said: "I am supportive of the principle of a community-run primary school in East Ayrshire and have informed the group of this.

"However, I have been very clear that the final decision lies with East Ayrshire Council, as the body with the statutory duty to deliver education in the area."