Falkirk Council moves to close Blackness Primary School

Falkirk Council launched consultation on the proposal to permanently close Blackness Primary School and rezone its catchment area to Grange Primary in Bo’ness – around three miles away.

A report will be discussed at a meeting of the local authority’s executive on February 13.

Consultation ran from September to November last year and gathered views from parents, pupils, staff and the local community, as well as Education Scotland.

The report going to councillors highlights that Blackness Primary School has had consistently low pupil numbers, with only ten catchment pupils enrolled in 2024/25. This means there are “significantly higher cost per pupil”, with an annual cost of £25,004 per pupil in 2023/24, compared to a council-wide average of £6576.

The proposal is based on ensuring pupils have access to a broader curriculum, more peer learning opportunities, and enhanced social and extracurricular experiences available in a larger school setting, that will help in the transition to secondary school.

If approved, Blackness Primary School would close at the end of the 2024/25 school year, with pupils enrolling at Grange Primary School from June 2025.

Falkirk Council say they would work closely with parents, carers, and staff to support pupils throughout the process.

Jon Reid, director of education services said: "This is a difficult decision, and we recognise the concerns of pupils, families, and the local community. However, the council must balance educational benefits with long-term sustainability.

“We recognise that the majority of responses opposed the closure, reflecting local concerns, which have been carefully considered – particularly those related to the community hall, which we have committed to supporting for three years.

“This proposal seeks to ensure that all children receive the best possible learning opportunities within the resources available, considering the high costs per-pupil at Blackness Primary.”

There are currently 16 pupils at the school but six of those are children from outwith the catchment area whose parents have chosen to send them there.

Last September, councillors heard there were currently 26 pupils living in the catchment area, but only ten of them attend Blackness, which has no P6 or P7 children at all.

The other 16 go to school in either West Lothian or Edinburgh.