South Lanarkshire Council has approved a public consultation on proposed changes to catchment areas for four primary schools in Hamilton. The plans, agreed at the Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday, June 24, aim to balance pupil numbers across St Mary’s Primary, St Paul’s Primary, St Peter’s Primary, and Our Lady and St Anne’s Primary.
Why changes are needed
The council states that existing catchment arrangements no longer reflect changes in housing, population growth, and planned residential developments. St Mary’s Primary is under particular pressure, currently housing 451 pupils against a planned capacity of 450. Projections suggest its roll could exceed 520 if all known housing developments within its catchment are completed.
Proposed changes
Under the proposals, part of St Mary’s catchment would be transferred to St Paul’s Primary, including the site of the proposed redevelopment of the former University of the West of Scotland campus. Around 350 new homes are expected there, potentially generating about 34 additional denominational primary pupils. Several existing residential areas, including parts of Bothwell Road, Arthur Street, Hamilton Park and The Furlongs development, would also move into St Paul’s catchment.
The council reports that St Paul’s has sufficient capacity to accommodate both existing pupils from the rezoned area and those from future housing developments.
Optional catchments removed
The council also proposes removing two long-standing optional catchment areas where families could choose between two Catholic primary schools. One area currently shared between St Mary’s and St Peter’s would be permanently assigned to St Peter’s, as around two-thirds of families there have already chosen St Peter’s over the past two school sessions. The second proposal would assign an area shared between St Peter’s and Our Lady and St Anne’s permanently to Our Lady and St Anne’s, with about 70 per cent of families having already opted for that school.
Impact and timeline
Council officers say the changes would make better use of available school capacity while easing pressure on St Mary’s and providing greater certainty for future school planning. If approved following consultation, the new arrangements would apply to children enrolling in primary one for the 2027/28 academic year. Children already attending affected schools can remain, and families with younger siblings enrolling between 2027 and 2032 can choose to send them to the same school regardless of catchment changes. Public meetings will be held as part of the statutory consultation process.
