Pupils' fears about changing schools

The authority revealed that as part of the consultation it received 81 responses, including 64 individual responses as well as two petitions, one of which was signed by 901 people, and other representations from councillors, parent councils, community groups and so on.

But the document also reveals responses from pupils in P4-7 who were consulted. Pupils were asked what they would like about moving to a new school - and their answers included making new friends, learning new topics and great teachers.

However when asked their fears about moving to a new school, they said they were worried about bullying, unfriendly classmates, and missing their friends and teachers. One pupil said: "My confidence would drop a lot and I'd be scared to answer in class because other children would laugh at me."

At the learning and leisure services committee meeting last week, it was aclaimed that the decision to rubber-stamp the closure was a very difficult and emotional decision for everyone involved.

Councillor Jim Logue said the closure had been decided in order to have the effect on the SMALLEST amount of children and families. He pointed out: "We are facing unprecedented financial challenges."

Murdo Maciver, NLC's head of educational resources, added that this is local pain for wider gain - and is the "least painful cut". He said: "There will be no detriment to the education process - it is for the greater good."

But Councillor Tom Johnston referred to problems children might face travelling to school - and the "stranger danger" they might face on very secluded footpaths, due to Cumbernauld's unique design.

Independent councillor Gordon Murray also spoke of his fears about classroom overcrowding and transport - saying it is very difficult to get from Cumbernauld to Croy during rush hour, particularly due to hundreds of cars parking at Croy train station. He summed up his feelings by saying: "This is a farce of a consultation - the decision had been made and you were going to ram it through no matter what people said."

Labour's Danny Carrigan agreed that this is a very emotional issue. "I would prefer if St Francis remained open. I don't want to see a school closing in Cumbernauld and I fought for St Helen's in 1976," he said.

However he then referred to the credit crunch, saying: "You can't ignore the realities of life - this is an economic problem."

Council leader Jim McCabe continued this financial train of thought, saying: "We're having to make savings whether we like it or not. There are 8000 empty places in schools and it would be total economic suicide to continue with these vacancies."