DOZENS of pupils and parents staged a "strike" outside Bonnington Primary School today over plans to close it at Christmas.
Children carried placards with Save Our School messages, while a huge red banner reading "Bonnington Say No To Closure" was draped along the school railings.
Cars, trucks and taxis beeped their horns in support, while children cheered, sang and ch
anted.
Bonnington is one of three schools facing the axe under plans announced by the city council two weeks ago. Lismore and Westburn are the other two under threat.
Parents are furious that their school has been named for the second time in a year, as it was among the 22 schools and four community centres revealed by education leaders last August.
Stewart Muir, co-chairman of the school's parent council, said: "I don't think they had any intention of closing the school last year.
"They just wanted to scaremonger so they could get the roll down and so they would have a stronger case for closing the school.
"We've had the best possible turnout we could get this morning.
"No-one wants to take their children out of school for something like this unless it's for a very good cause."
Parents are also angry that if the school were to close, education bosses plan to shut it at Christmas, and not at the end of the school year.
Another parent, who asked not to be named, said; "I have four children here, from nursery right to P6/7 and I'm disgusted by these plans.
"I think it's shocking even thinking about closing it at Christmas.
"Why can't they at least wait till summer?
"It's upsetting enough for the kids without them having to move to a new school halfway through the year.
"None of the parents would prefer that."
Tahani Almusil's five-year old son Hussain has been attending Bonnington for the past year and she is devastated by the thought he might have to move.
Mrs Almusil says she has been impressed by the amount of support he has received, as English is not her son's first language.
She said: "I'm very sad because this is a very good school.
"My son is Arabic and he is being very well supported in languages.
"He has made lots of friends and it would be difficult for a small boy to move to another school."
Hakima D'Souli, whose daughter Amira is in P1, added: "I don't want to send my daughter to any school except this one.
"We are Muslim but we don't feel like there's any difference in the school – everyone mixes together very well.
"She is used to the teachers and has friends here, and they will cut them apart by sending them to different schools."
The school roll at Bonnington is currently 80 pupils - the second lowest in the city - and it has fallen by 49 per cent in the last five years.
The review of schools was ordered following a 19 per cent drop in pupils attending primary school in the Capital over the last decade, which means there are now 9500 spare places in the city's schools.
Leith Labour councillor Gordon Munro, who attended this morning's one-hour strike, added: "This shows the passion that the children have for the school. I'll try to help them in any way I can. It goes to the heart of the working class community in Leith and that's why I think it's wrong."
The full article contains 585 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
