Appeal for Fife school to be 'mothballed' after lying empty for two years

Kirkton of Largo Primary School in Upper Largo, Leven, was previously home to more than 40 students, but it has been empty for the past two years.

Donald Macleod, Fife’s executive director education, is set to ask cabinet committee councillors next week for permission to mothball the school “with immediate effect”.

The school has been effectively closed for the past two years, but Mr Macleod has recommended that the school be formally ‘mothballed’ in the New Year before the new enrolment period for primary one students begins.

“Based on the background information and this Scottish Government guidance, the Education Directorate recommends the ‘mothballing’ of Kirkton of Largo Primary School, with immediate effect,” Mr Macleod’s report said.

Mr Macleod said the recommendation had been made “based on the current position and in the absence of any negative feedback from parents or any reasons sufficient to justify failing to recommend mothballing at this stage”.

Kirkton’s Pupil Support Assistant was also moved to Lundin Mill at the start of the 2023-24 academic year, and the administration vacancy was not filled. Staff were also redeployed.

The school has the capacity to teach 75 pupils, but by 2013-14, that roll stood at just 42, and it has continued to drop every year over the last decade. Since August 2018, the school has operated with a joint headteacher covering both Kirkton and Lundin Mill, which is just over one mile away.

As of February 2024, the council has only identified five students expected to live in the school’s catchment area.

“The proposal is to mothball the school from January 9, 2025, which will enable pupils from this catchment area to be offered a place at Lundin Mill Primary School during the period of mothballing,” Cabinet Committee papers explained.

“Mothballing a school is used to refer to a temporary closure of a school where the roll has fallen to zero. Mothballing rather than closing a school allows it to reopen should circumstances change.”

If the proposal is approved by the Cabinet Committee on January 9, 2025, Mr Macleod said it will reduce parents’ uncertainty about where to enrol their child.

“It will allow pupils from Kirkton of Largo to be enrolled with a larger peer group than would be within the class organisation at Kirkton of Largo Primary School,” the committee papers continued.

Any pupils who wanted to enrol at Kirkton of Largo Primary School would instead be offered free transport to Lundin Mill if they met the distance criteria.

The proposal will be considered in depth by Fife Cabinet Committee councillors on January 9, 2025.