Boycott speculation unfounded

North Lanarkshire Council confirmed that just five pupils from feeder primaries in Abronhill will transfer to another secondary - in this case, Greenfaulds High School.

Abronhill High School will merge with Cumbernauld High School. in 2014 - a year later than planned. However the fight to save it is continuing at Scottish Government level via a so-called call-in request.

Parents have stressed that they are happy to send their offspring to the school as this is a means of keeping the campaign intact.

Glenn Juba of the Save Abronhill High School Working group said: “We are delighted that the majority of P7 parents have chosen to send their children to Abronhill High School in the forthcoming year.

“It is obvious that parents still see Abronhill High School as their preferred school that can offer the best education for their children despite an uncertain future,’’ added Mr Juba who also wanted to thank staff for their ‘‘business as usual’’ approach.

Scottish Nationalist councillor Patrick Hogg believes that parents are also sticking by the school because he thinks they will ultimately win their case.

He said “I cannot see the SG sanctioning this merger as it is, if they check all the evidence. It is a hotchpotch mess and due to that the anxieties of parents and pupils alike in Abronhill especially, it is understandable that some, very few in fact, wish to get their children into Greenfaulds.’’

A council spokesman said: “The Service’s position is that it would always encourage parents to send their children to their catchment school. A parent is, however, perfectly entitled to make a placing request for another school of their choice”.

A total of 44 placement requests were made for Greenfaulds. Cumbernauld High School received two such requests at S1 level.