THE uncertainty over the future of closure-threatened Pitcorthie Primary School goes on, with no decision now to be announced until after the independence referendum.

Parents had called for a verdict from Scottish ministers before the start of the new school term but were left disappointed.

After speaking to the Scottish Government earlier this month the Press reported that it was now likely to be after the 18th September vote before the Pitcorthie announcement was made, as there are restrictions on decisions being made public in the run-up to the ballot. That has now been confirmed by Fife Council in a letter to parents.

Fife Council – who took the decision to close the popular school – had previously told parents to expect a decision around the end of July.

Parent Andrew Hutchison, of the Save Pitcorthie group, said, “We never thought that the decision would be made by the end of July but we had hoped to have known by the schools going back.

“We’re staying positive and hoping that it’s a case that there was so much evidence in this case which is causing the delay.

“Morale at the school has suffered but great credit has to go to the teachers. They are often forgotten in all of this but they have done a great job in keeping the children’s attention focused on their work and activities, not on the school maybe closing.

“We’re in the dark now about the timing. We don’t know if it will be a week after the referendum or three months after that when we’ll get the decision.” Labour MSP and Dunfermline South councillor Cara Hilton has opposed her own party in backing the efforts to save Pitcorthie.

She said, “The schools are now back and concerned parents have had a nail-biting 10 weeks of waiting for this crucial decision to be announced in the hope that their worry is over and the educational future of their children is safe.

“This is a long time to wait with this kind of uncertainty and worry and I was stunned to learn that parents are being told the decision has been put on hold until after the referendum.

“The decision impacts on other schools including Commercial, Lynburn, Touch and Camdean where parents and teachers are all anxiously waiting to find out what the future holds for them and their pupils.

“Parents at Commercial are especially concerned given the complete lack of any proper consideration of how children from Pitcorthie could be safely transported to and from a school where already it is chaos at drop-off and pick-up time.”