Councillors will meet today to discuss the future of several north-east primary schools.
Members of the Buchan area committee have been asked to consider a review of the Mintlaw network of primary school zones.
The report comes after a consultation into changing the catchment areas for Mintlaw Primary, Pitfour School and Stuartfield School from August this year.
The catchment areas for schools in nearby Maud, Longside and Fetterangus could also be altered by the report.
Concerns have been raised about the mounting pressure on primary school rolls as a result of booming housing developments. Hundreds of new homes are being built in the area.
In November, central Buchan councillor Jim Ingram told the area committee the council must “plan ahead” and factor in scores of children who could move to new housing schemes when they were estimating school rolls.
In a report to the committee, which will meet in Peterhead today, education chief Maria Walker made it clear no existing pupils will be asked to move to a different school. Siblings will also continue to attend the same school.
She said: “The new zones will only come into effect for new children moving into the area, or for the new cohort of P1 pupils in August 2017.
“This proposed rezoning addressed the capacity issues at Stuartfield School and will manage the potential increase to Mintlaw village schools due to the current and proposed housing developments.”
Under the proposed changes, children from the village of Old Deer would attend Maud School rather than Stuartfield. The Nether Aden development in Mintlaw would subsequently be zoned for Pitfour School, rather than Mintlaw Primary.
Other options include extending the existing Stuartfield and Pitfour school buildings to increase capacity.
Buchan councillors have been asked to consider Mrs Walker’s report and make a final recommendation to the education committee.
