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The campaign to save Corrie Primary School has stepped up a gear.
Politicians and local councillors have now entered the fray and it is clear that the Corrie community will not give up without a fight.
Among the proposals laid down in a consultative document to be considered by NAC education executive is the amalgamation of Brodick and Corrie primary schools into the Brodick building.
The main case for amalgamation is the projected reduction in school rolls forecast by NAC. Campaigners fighting to save the school say that some of the figures in the NAC consultative document are incorrect.
Liberal Democrat MSP Ross Finnie visited the school last Friday with Councillor Andrew Chamberlain. They were collected from the ferry by parent council member Neil Bulger of Corrie Hotel who took them to see future housing developments at Springbank, Merkland, Corrie and Sannox. Neil explained that these new houses could dramatically increase the school roll in Brodick and Corrie.
On arrival at the school head teacher Susan Kelly showed the men around and parent council chairwoman Donna Gold outlined the case for retaining the school.
She said: ‘There are 15 pupils in the school and five in the nursery facility. Under the NAC schools formula they say we should have 50 children in a building of this size but that doesn’t take account of the furniture, desks and equipment. The NAC formula of 1.7 square metres per child is out of date.’
Neil Bulger said: ‘They have talked about the age of the building. Our school building is 120 years old and structurally sound. Even the new high school is only guaranteed for 30 years.’
The guests were shown a five-minute video compiled by the children themselves, and one of the teachers said: ‘They came up with the idea of a video. Some of the children cry during the day when they think about losing their school. One child said on the video: ‘Corrie school makes me feel safe and happy.’
Mr Finnie told the Banner: ‘There are issues about the correct capacity for the school and the correct roll projection. The NAC consultative document gets close to being disingenuous. There is no reference as to how transport would be provided to Brodick for nursery children.
‘I was very impressed by the high standards for primary and nursery children that I saw at Corrie. Councillor Chamberlain will report our views to Carol Kirk, NAC corporate director educational services.’
MP Katy Clark told the Banner that she had written to NAC expressing her concern that ‘attendance figures have been widely circulated which I have been advised are inaccurate. Corrie has a good track record of achievement and excellent HMI reports. As I am sure you will be aware the closure of a village school can have a devastating effect on a rural community’.
Neil Bulger summed up the villagers’ feelings: ‘Corrie without a school just won’t be a village.’
There will be an open consultation meeting in Corrie and Sannox village hall at 7pm next Wednesday attended by Carol Kirk, of NAC, followed by a fund raising concert for the school campaign next Friday at 7.30pm.
The ceilidh type concert includes Corrie school pupils fraser Blane, Alistair Gold, Euan Bulger, Alistair Paul, Lucy Carlidge, Elma Stevenson, Mike Bailey and many others.
