PARENTS of pupils at Masterton Primary School are angry at new catchment area plans that could see their children go to school in another town. 

Education chiefs at Fife Council want to change school boundaries to address looming capacity problems by taking the pressure off Woodmill High School. 

However, Masterton parents fear this could mean their children would have to travel to Inverkeithing for high school.

One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "Masterton seems to have continuously borne the brunt of Fife Council's inability to manage the expected school population. Dunfermline children should be able to go to a Dunfermline school. 

"There are two non-denominational high schools within safe walking and cycling distance, instead they are proposing sending our children to a school to which there is no safe, reasonable walking or cycling route. Presumably, they will be bused and public transport options between Masterton and Inverkeithing are limited.

"These historic catchment changes mean that half the current school population is zoned for Dunfermline High, half for Woodmill. Throwing Inverkeithing into the mix means friends and families will be split up if this new proposal goes ahead. This does not resolve the issue for Masterton, it makes it worse!"

At their meeting on Tuesday, councillors on the education and children’s services committee refused recommendations to proceed to a full statutory consultation on re-zoning and instead agreed to undertake a more detailed round of parental engagement. This means the process will be extended and will give parents a chance to see different options for catchment re-zoning.

Committee convener Councillor Fay Sinclair said: "Councillors are in cross-party agreement with the decision not to push ahead with a formal consultation.

"We need reassurance that education staff would listen to parents' views and elected representatives did not feel confident that previous engagements lay down other options. 

"This means the timeline will be pushed out for public engagement and there is a risk that a decision will not be made in time for parents to know which school their children will be attending next March. 

"However, we believe most people would rather the right decision was made and that families' views were heard and listened to.

"We are also confident that the proposals will be able to accommodate sibling numbers but the consultation at this stage needs more details and other formal options. 

"It is important for people to see that councillors are not just rubber-stamping decisions that have already been made."

Shirley-Anne Somerville, Dunfermline MSP, said: "I am delighted that the new administration are listening to parents and refused the officials' proposals, as the plans for catchment changes at Masterton do not make any sense to me. 

"The proposals are to deal with capacity problems at Woodmill High but what I find unbelievable is that they tried to rush this solution through when we should have been talking about it for years.

"It's deeply disappointing that they are just looking at this now. 

"The situation with Masterton is particularly frustrating and they have been messed around by the council for years.

"They've put up with so much already and to be given this as the only solution must be utterly frustrating. 

"However, the new convenor understands this and I will continue to work with her to represent parents' concerns to see if there are other alternative solutions to be found."