Proposed new secondary school at Bertha Park - original FAQs

These Frequently Asked Questions are designed to support our Proposal Paper (PDF, 728 KB), which gives more detailed information on the proposed new Secondary School at Bertha Park. 

When are the Public Meetings?      

The public meetings will be held as follows:

I've received a letter, do I have to attend a Public Meeting? 

No.  The purpose of the letter is to ensure that you, as a key consultee, have an opportunity for your opinions to be heard on the proposal.  Attending a Public Meeting is one way to do this, however you can also:

• send an email  to ECSStatutoryConsultations@pkc.gov.uk; or

• write to The New Secondary School Consultation, Education and Children's Services, Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth, PH1 5GD.

Why are you holding Public Meetings?

The public meetings will be led by Councillor Bob Band, the Convener of the Council's Lifelong Learning Committee and Audrey May, Strategic Project Lead, supported by a team of Council Officers.  The meetings will provide an opportunity for interested parties to:

• Hear more about the proposals;
• Ask questions about the proposals; and
• Have their views recorded so that they can be taken into account as part of the consultation process

The agenda and presentation for each meeting will be the same, however, we are holding the meetings in eight different locations to enable people to attend a meeting in the most convenient location to them.   Please note there are no crèche facilities available.

Why does Perth need another Secondary School? 

Perth and Kinross is one of the fastest growing areas of Scotland, with a projected 24% in growth over a 25 year period.  Perth City Secondary Schools will be near to capacity in 2021, with Perth High School at capacity in 2017/2018.

In view of this, a review of the school estate was undertaken in 2012, with a new Secondary School for Perth identified as a priority.

The proposed new Secondary School at Bertha Park reflects the projected growth in Perth and Kinross's population and the resulting house building and infrastructure required to support this.  If approved, the new Secondary School would be operational in March 2018.

What is the Statutory Consultation process about?

The process in an opportunity for Perth & Kinross Council to consult and engage with all interested parties in an open and transparent way, which enables comments/feedback to be given on the new school proposal.

A wide range of stakeholders will receive information about the consultation, including parents, Headteachers and school based staff, elected members, Trade Unions, Education Scotland and partner agencies.

How do I make a response to the consultation?

Interested parties can make submissions on the proposal, by no later than 19 November 2014, by using one of the following methods:

• email: ECSStatutoryConsultations@pkc.gov.uk
• In writing: The New Secondary School Consultation, Education and Children's Services, Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth, PH1 5GD.   

How will I know what the outcome of the Statutory Consultation is?

Once the Statutory Consultation period closes on 19 November 2014, Perth & Kinross Council will review the proposal having regard to Education Scotland's report, written representations that have been received and the verbal representations from the public meetings.

The Council will then prepare a consultation report.  This report will be widely published in electronic and printed formats for further consideration for a period of six weeks.

The report, along with any other relevant documentation will then be considered by the Lifelong Learning Committee no earlier than May 2015.

Further information is available in the proposal paper (PDF, 728 KB).

Will my child(ren)'s Secondary School catchment area be affected?

The proposal for the new Secondary School catchment area is to include:

• Pupils from new Local Development Plan housing areas at Bertha Park, Almond Valley and Perth West;
• The primary school catchment areas serving Auchtergaven, Logiealmond, Methven, Pitcairn and Ruthvenfield, which are currently included in Perth Grammar School catchment area;
• The catchment serving Oudenarde, which is currently included in Perth Academy catchment area; and
• The primary school catchment areas serving Forgandenny, Forteviot and Dunbarney, which are currently included in Perth High School catchment area.

Further information is available in the proposal paper (PDF, 728 KB).

I currently live in the one of the proposed affected catchment areas, would my child go to the new Secondary School after P7?

The current policies on School Admission and Placing Requests would continue to apply to the new Secondary School.

From August 2017 the S1 pupils from the proposed new catchment area will be allocated a place at the new Secondary School.  Until the new school building is operational in March 2018, this year group will be located at the designated host Secondary School in Perth, which has provisionally been identified as Perth Grammar.

Parents will continue to have the right to make a Placing Request for another Secondary School of their choice if they do not wish their child to transfer temporarily to the designated host school or to the new Secondary School when completed.  Parents who make successful placing requests for their child(ren) to attend a school of their choice are required to accept full responsibility for all arrangements and costs relating to transporting them to school.

Further information is available in the proposal paper (PDF, 728 KB).

How will my child(ren) be affected by the proposed new Secondary School?

At this stage it is difficult to answer this question for every individual involved.  For the majority of parents, this proposal will not mean any significant change to their child(ren)'s Secondary School destination.

As the project progresses, the Strategic Project Lead will be working with individual Headteachers and Parent Councils to identify where more detailed engagement is required with parents and staff.

For further information please contact:

The Schools Consultation Team - ECSStatutoryConsultations@pkc.gov.uk.