South Lanarkshire councillors have voted in favour of changing the catchment area of two Cambuslang schools.
Elected members of the executive committee approved the decision to realign the catchment of Newton Farm and Hallside primary schools, and to alter secondary schools that pupils in the rezoned area would attend from Uddingston Grammar School to Cathkin High School.
The council conducted a public consultation on this matter, and a total of 950 letters were delivered to affected residents. A total of 225 responses were received with 39.5 per cent being in favour of the plans, 50.7 per cent not in favour of the proposal and 9.8 per cent were undecided.
The consultation proposal document shared with the public indicated: “any current catchment child attending Newton Farm Primary School during school session 21/22 and living in the proposed rezoned area for Hallside Primary School will have the right to remain at Newton Farm Primary School.
“These pupils will then be offered the option of attending either Uddingston Grammar School or Cathkin High School regardless of any catchment change.
“Thereafter, any further younger siblings enrolling in primary one in respect of school sessions August 2022 through to August 2027 will have the option to enrol at Newton Farm Primary School and have the right to attend Uddingston Grammar School.”
Councillors approved the plans which have been proposed due to the increased level of pupil generation from the Community Growth Area and the Newton Farm Primary School roll is reaching capacity.
Hallside Primary School has sufficient space to take on additional pupils and will ease capacity pressures which have been put on Newton Farm Primary.
Councillor Katy Loudon (Cambuslang East), said: “This is obviously a difficult decision and not without controversy, I appreciate the sensitivity officers have taken here.
“There’s not a choice to allow Newton Farm Primary to continue as it is, the capacity is not there, it is clear from this paper there is a great deal of concern for secondary school provision.”
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