With the development of the harbour at South Alloa in the mid nineteenth century the population in the immediate area increased significantly. Recognising that this was likely to continue for some time the Airth Parish School Board immediately set about providing a school for the residents. It was erected on part of the lands of South Kersie, on the west side of the main road to Stirling and was completed at the end of 1875.
Up until 1891 the school used wooden water barrels to obtain water and these had to be replaced with an iron tank because of their poor condition. In 1892 the School Board investigated the possibility of obtaining a mains supply for Kersie School from Alloa. It was fortunate to be able to piggy back onto a scheme by the Caledonian Railway Company, though this left the school exposed to the whim of that company. It was 1894 before the water was installed. In 1912 the water was used to flush new latrines, the effluent going straight into a nearby ditch. The playground was prone to flooding – a problem that was repeatedly laid to one side until 1928 when the whole ground and sheds were swamped. The opportunity was taken to install proper water closets to replace the primitive lavatories that had been in use. After the First World War a white marble war memorial for South Alloa was attached to the wall of the school (see war memorials). Part of it fell off in 1928 and had to be replaced. The school was now the responsibility of the County Council Education Department and it was decided to rationalise school provision. In 1954 it was arranged for W. Alexander & Sons to bus the younger children to the school at Fallin. This left only ten pupils at South Alloa and the following year it closed.
| YEAR ARRIVED | HEADTEACHER | YEAR LEFT | No. PUPILS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | William Fish | 1886 | 55 |
| 1886 | Charles Laing | 1923 | 54 |
| 1920s | McEwan | ||
| 1930s | Miss Catherine Mackay | 1950 | |
| 1950 | Miss Isabella Millar |
The school building was sold off and from the 1990s it was used as a showroom for kitchens. The war memorial plaque was removed.
Sites and Monuments Record
| Kersie (South Alloa) School | SMR 2008 | NS 8738 9071 |
Falkirk Local History Society 