Easthouses Primary catchment approved
The catchment for the new Easthouses Primary School has been agreed after a public consultation.
Other catchments realigned
Catchment areas for King’s Park, Lawfield, Mayfield, Woodburn, Newtongrange and Bonnyrigg primary schools will be realigned as a result.
Secondary catchment changes
Catchments for Newbattle, Lasswade and Dalkeith high schools will also change.
225 survey responses
At the full Council meeting on Tuesday, councillors heard 225 people had filled in a survey about the school and the catchment proposals. The survey ran from 27 February until 23 April 2023.
The consultation report
Read more about the results and find out more about the catchment changes:
Many thanks
Midlothian Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Ellen Scott thanked everyone who took the time to give their views on the proposed changes.
Positive response
She said: “Overall, the consultation was received positively by parents, teachers, pupils and the community. Just short of 73% or respondents were in favour of establishing the school with 17.3% having no opinion.
Majority in favour
“The majority of responses were also in favour of the wider catchment changes or had no opinion.”
Independent review
The national body, Education Scotland, carried out an independent review of the council’s catchment proposals. It found that the changes will be of educational benefit in the long term.
Construction underway
Work is underway to build the new Easthouses Primary School, which is due to open in August 2024.
Former Newbattle High site
The new primary, on the site of the old Newbattle High School, will be able to accommodate 459 children. There will be 16 places to support children with Additional Support Needs (ASN) from across Midlothian, and 80 pre-school places.
Secondary catchment choices
Any child starting P5 and above in August 2023 at Bonnyrigg Primary and P5 and above in August 2024 at King’s Park, Lawfield, Mayfield, Newtongrange and Woodburn primaries will be eligible to attend their choice of their current or proposed catchment secondary school.
Stay at existing school
Pupils already attending a school whose house is moving from the catchment of one school to another, can remain at their current school.