Moray parents slam council decision to cut class during primary school year

A group of parents have slammed the decision to cut their children’s primary school classes by a third.

Moray Council have reduced Rothiemay School’s classrooms from three to two following a census carried out on September 12.

The rural school was predicted to have 48 children attending, however, it missed out on the threshold by one pupil.

The current P1 to P3 teacher, who has been a mainstay in the community, is set to have their hours cut and there will no longer be a P4 to P5 teacher.

It is believed that pupils will now be split into a class of 23 and 24. The decision has left many parents concerned about their children’s education.

Rothiemay Primary School classes are being cut following the census in September Laura Smith

Laura Smith currently has a daughter in P2 and a son in P5. She believes the cuts during the academic year will cause disruption.

The mum has since launched a petition to raise awareness of the changes being made.

Mrs Smith told STV News: “Their education is suffering because of this.

“I feel like holding a census and changing the school set-up at the beginning of the school year is not the best time.

“Any changes should be made the following school year to give children the time to settle in. It is really upsetting that missing out by one pupil is making a massive change.

“If a family moves to the area suddenly, we’ll be above the threshold, and we’ll need a new teacher.

“The teachers are a big part of the community, and the children know them.”

Other parents think the local authority didn’t take the pupil’s education into account.

Caitlin Smart, who has a daughter in P1, added: “The huge impact of the class reduction has not been assessed by the council. My daughter is P1 and spent a long time transitioning to primary and was just settling with her new teacher and class.

“She now finds the class size doubling. She will be in with her older brother and some P5 children. The council is making these decisions with little thought to how this impacts children.

“Many of the pupils in the school have worked hard with staff to overcome the trauma of school closures, which had a huge psychological impact, and now find this added uncertainty a real trigger setting them back.”

Kirsty Horne, whose daughter recently began attending P1, is adamant that the move will be negative for the pupils and the community.

She explained: “I feel that downgrading Rothiemay primary school from three to two teachers makes no sense, and will greatly impact both current pupils and the local community.

“My daughter is in P1, and her class spent a lot of time at playgroup transitioning to P1 and getting to know her teacher, who she had a close bond with. Now after only a few weeks at school she’s being taken away from her, it’s all very upsetting and confusing for the kids.

“I understand there is protocol in place, but we are only one child below the cut-off for having three teachers, and in years to come, the school numbers are predicted to go up. Rothiemay should be looked at and considered on its merit not just because of numbers.”

Moray Council has confirmed that cuts are in line with national and local authority guidelines. They also state that a number of schools in the local area are feeling the effects of the latest census.

The local authority has stated they are working closely with Rothiemay School to ensure support is provided as the transition is made.

A spokesperson from Moray Council said: “We recognise that parents may have concerns regarding the class changes at Rothiemay Primary School. The decision to adjust class numbers aligns with national and local authority guidelines following Census Day set nationally each September.

“This data is used every year to ensure equity across Moray schools by allocating staffing according to pupil rolls. Rothiemay is one of several schools impacted by the latest census figures, resulting in these adjustments.

“We acknowledge that transitions during the school year can be unsettling for pupils, and we’re continuing to work closely with the Head Teacher to ensure all children and staff continue to receive the necessary support, including staff transitioning to other Moray schools.

“The school will continue to nurture all pupils and provide a comprehensive curriculum through diverse learning and teaching activities.”