A FIRE-DAMAGED secondary school threatened with closure has been thrown a lifeline by Glasgow councillors.
However, everything depends on how parents respond to the falling roll crisis at Garthamlock secondary in the East End of the city.
The survival option agreed to yesterday by the City of Glasgow Council's ruling Labour group was that Garthamlock primary school should be considered for closure, with primary pupils being accommodated within the secondary school building.
Last night, local councillor, Mr Denis Murphy, challenged parents to stop withdrawing pupils from the school and to bring back those who had been withdrawn since the procedure for closure was initiated by the former Strathclyde Regional Council in January.
While Garthamlock Secondary has a capacity of 1100, its roll had fallen by December last year to 415. Since the consultation process began in January, a further 80 pupils had been withdrawn by parents, with some being sent to Chryston and Coatbridge and other areas outwith the city boundary.
Councillor Murphy said: ``I'm delighted we're getting the opportunity to continue secondary education at Garthamlock and I would hope the parents who have withdrawn their children from the school will now consider very seriously bringing them back.''
The recommendation from the education department to the Labour group yesterday was that the school should be closed and the children sent either to Smithycroft, Riddrie, or Lochend in Easterhouse.
Full reinstatement of the school following the fire damage would cost #780,000 but it is understood the parents and staff would be content to have the assembly hall patched up and the wing housing the damaged classrooms closed off.
This would reduce the capacity of the school to just over 800.
Vice-convener of education, Councillor Robert Gray, said: ``We didn't take a decision today to close Garthamlock, although the recommendation was to close it. A decision was taken to continue secondary education at Garthamlock until the consultative process is exhausted.''
Mr George Boor, school board chairman, said last night: ``We are delighted that the school is staying open and that the primary is being given the chance to come and join us.
``We are confident that parents will support the school in sufficient numbers to guarantee its future.''
Councillors attending a special meeting of the authority's education committee agreed on a revised timetable for the closure of 16 primary and five secondary schools in the city.
A 30-day consultation period on the proposals - which will result in savings of more than #3m this year if fully implemented - will end on May 3.
Responses will be taken into account before a final decision is taken by a special meeting of the full council towards the end of May.
Some primaries and all five secondaries - St Gerard's, John Street, St Roch's, John Bosco, and Bellarmine - would close in June, with the remaining primaries shutting in October.
Garthamlock secondary was the subject of a separate consultative document.
During yesterday's meeting, education committee convener Dr Malcolm Green said the timescale for rationalisation meant that a ``leisured and measured'' consideration could not be given to all the issues.
``We have striven to keep educational considerations foremost,'' he said.
Mr Ken Corsar, director of education, described the timescale as ``quite frightening''.
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