All four high schools in Dunfermline to be full by early 2020s

Woodmill High School is about to reach its capacity and controversial proposals to change catchment areas have been announced.

As reported by the Press earlier this year, all four secondary schools in Dunfermline are set to be full up by the early 2020s and, with the projected growth in new housing, the problem is not set to disappear.

In a report to members of Fife Council’s Education and Children’s Service’s Committee, members were told that 10,162 new homes are planned in the existing Dunfermline and West Fife secondary catchment areas.

In the Woodmill catchment, 1,126 new houses are proposed at locations including Dover Heights, Halbeath South, Meadowland and Lynebank Hospital north and south sites.

An additional 1,016 homes are set to be built in the Dunfermline High catchment, with development at Kincardine East, and Camdean West and Castlandhill North and West in Rosyth.

New homes in Spencerfield Avenue and Fraser Avenue will contribute to 534 more planned homes in the Inverkeithing High catchment while 1,621 houses are planned in Queen Anne’s area, which includes sites at Wellwood, Cairneyhill North and Conscience Bridge.

A new high school is also deemed necessary for Strategic Development Areas where a further 5,965 homes are to be built.

Work on these sites, which include Broomhall, Halbeath, Swallowdrum North and Berrylaw, is proposed to start in 2019.

This will impact on existing infrastructure meaning new school provision will be required to support these developments. In January, with the council stating that 7,000 new homes are to be built in Dunfermline alone over the next decade, five new primary schools and one secondary will be needed.

The council are also trying to fund replacement schools and have set aside £50m towards the estimated £150m cost of replacing Woodmill, St Columba’s and Inverkeithing as well as two in Glenrothes.

However it needs the Scottish Government to provide the remaining two-thirds of the funding so plans can be finalised and work can start.

While Fife did well out of the previous Schools for the Future programme, receiving £57m for three high schools in East Fife, the council has been waiting for over a year to find out when the next round of government funding will be.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are working with the local authority and the Scottish Future’s Trust to ensure the best possible education facilities in Fife.”

“We are always looking to improve the learning environment for our young people.

“As a result, we are building upon the success of the School’s for the Future programme by developing an investment plan for Scotland’s learning estate, more details of which will be announced later this year.”