NEARLY 1,000 people have signed a petition started by a group of Rosyth parents opposing proposals to re-zone their schools' catchment areas to Inverkeithing High.

The parents have written to members of Fife Council's education committee, who are due to decide on Tuesday whether to approve proposed shake-ups to catchment zones for Woodmill, Dunfermline, Inverkeithing and Queen Anne high schools.

Under the revamped proposals, from August 2019, addresses in the Camdean and Kings Road primary schools catchment would be re-zoned from Dunfermline High to Inverkeithing while addresses within the Torryburn Primary and Tulliallan Primary zones would go to Queen Anne High instead of Inverkeithing High.

Addresses in the Masterton and Limekilns Primary catchments would be re-zoned from Woodmill to Dunfermline High while the addresses currently in the Woodmill High School catchments of Canmore, Pitreavie and Commercial primaries would change to Dunfermline High.

Commercial Primary School addresses currently within the Queen Anne High School catchment would also change to Dunfermline High School.

The parents from Kings Road and Camdean primaries say switching them to the Inverkeithing High catchment area will affect attainment of their children and the lack of a safe walking route poses a "real risk of injury or death".

If the committee does decide to push on with their plans, a counter-petition has called for amendments to be made which would see the placing of planned temporary accommodation at Dunfermline High instead of Inverkeithing until a replacement building is built and the provision of free bus travel for all Rosyth pupils going to Inverkeithing.

The letter to councillors states: "We have no Rosyth representation on the education and children's services committee and feel it is unfair that the convener, the existing Masterton councillor, can boast that she has saved her community from being carved up due to the original proposal to re-zone Masterton Primary School being rejected. 

"Who is supporting Rosyth? Why is our community being carved up? Who will take responsibility when a child is injured crossing motorway slip roads or the attendance and attainment levels drop for our children and children living in poverty rises in Rosyth? 

"We've done what we can to fight for our children, their future is in your hands."

In the official consultation report, HM Inspectors has said it didn't consider that there were "clear enough educational benefits" for the children, young people and their families of the Rosyth communities of both Camdean and Kings Road primary schools. 

It said: "HM inspectors recognise that the council needs to address the current capacity risks at Woodmill High School and provide much needed clarity and certainty for the Masterton Primary School community.

"The proposal helps to achieve this. However the council needs to address the reasonable and legitimate concerns raised by the parents and children of the Rosyth communities of Camdean and Kings Road primary schools." 

Responding to the statement, Fife Council said it "notes" the comments from HM Inspectors.

It adds: "Fife Council remains confident that there are significant educational benefits to be achieved through all Rosyth schools, located in close proximity to each other, being associated with the same secondary school."

One of the parents, Kerry Humphries, said they felt they had been ignored by the council.

"Basically they have not listened to us," she said. "They told us they would respond to our grievances within the consultation report. We just want to be listened to and treated fairly. 

"The community has really come together as you can't fight something like this on your own."

The parents have been in touch with MSP Annabelle Ewing who has taken up their concerns with the council's director of education and the committee convener.

"I would urge Fife Council to listen to the parents’ voices and address the worries that they have," she said.

"If they cannot adequately address those concerns, they need to reject the proposed catchment revisions.”