THE number of pupils attending two under-threat city primaries has halved since it emerged they both face closure by Christmas.
Dozens of anxious parents have removed their children from Bonnington and Lismore primaries since the council unveiled its plans in June.
Bonnington, in Leith, has lost more than half its pupils, with its roll falling from 80 at the start of the s
ummer to just 32 now.
Only two new primary one pupils joined the school after the summer break.
Lismore Primary in Bingham has lost nearly half of its pupils, with its roll going from 88 before the summer to 48.
Westburn Primary in Sighthill is the third school on the closure hit-list but it has been largely unaffected by the threat as the school is not recommended for closure until next August.
Parents have accused the council of purposely creating an exodus from the under-threat schools to help their case for closure.
Stewart Muir, who used to co-chair Bonnington's parent council, decided at the end of June to remove his son Brandon from the school because of the uncertainty over its future.
He said: "It's basically inevitable that the school will close given that the school roll is 32.
"This is what they have been trying to get all along.
"Practically all the P7s turned out for their final year but most of the pupils in the other classes have found somewhere else. It's a real shame, not just for Bonnington, but for all the schools that are up for closure."
Gail Ross, of Lismore Parents Action Group, said the council would use the low roll as evidence that Lismore should close.
She said: "This is the education department's fault. Edinburgh City Council has made a conscious decision to scaremonger so that this would happen.
"Parents have been frightened off by all the rumours and they will see the school roll has dramatically fallen and use it against us.
"The parents all said that they didn't want to take the children out the school and would come back if they were given something concrete.
"
The proposals on all three schools are now out to public consultation and a final decision will be taken in November.
A series of public exhibitions and meetings will take place over the coming weeks for parents to have their say on the proposals.
Parents of children at Westburn Primary are already gearing up for a fight and have organised their own meeting for September 3.
David Corcoran, a member of the parents group fighting plans to close Westburn, said: "The parents are quite strong and want to stand up against these plans.
"I'm quite pleased to say that parents are sticking by the school."
A council spokeswoman said: "Where there are places available, parents are free to choose where they send their children to school.
"We appreciate that this is a difficult time but no decisions have been taken regarding these proposals. The situation regarding the pupil numbers is currently being assessed at the schools."
The full article contains 513 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
