Committee recommends partial reopening of Flotta Primary School

Orkney Islands Council’s Education, Leisure and Housing committee has recommended Flotta Primary School be partially reopened to school pupils on the island.

he school was mothballed in 2010 due to a school roll of zero, but Councillors were today asked to consider this status as the arrival of new families on the island mean the Council’s threshold for possible re-opening had been met.

Councillors on the committee unanimously agreed with the report's recommendations for the school to be partially reopened in the new academic year as a ‘satellite classroom’ of Orphir Primary School – that is, with a dedicated teacher based at Flotta School receiving administrative and head teacher support from Orphir.

Other possible options included an online home-based provision, or satellite arrangements with North Walls Community School.

Following the meeting, Chair of the Council’s Education, Leisure and Housing Committee, Gwenda Shearer, said: “Councillors concurred with officers that reopening Flotta as a satellite school linked to Orphir Primary was the best, most cost effective way to meet the desire of the families and the wider community for the schooling to provided on the island.

“Although under this option the school roll would be very small, there would be opportunity for pupils to travel to other primary schools in the country and enjoy a wider peer group, as already happens with some of our smaller schools.”

Today's recommendations will be further considered by the Council’s Policy and Resources committee, before going before the Full Council meeting on 6 July for ratification.

The full report and options considered by today’s committee are available on the Council website - look for Item 5 in the Related Downloads section.