An inquiry into the botched calculations that left Dargavel Village needing a second primary school must deliver "answers", a councillor has said.
The findings of an external review, which was ordered to get to the bottom of the capacity saga, are expected to be published in full once the investigation is complete.
The probe has been led by a former local government chief executive in David Bowles and was required after it emerged Dargavel Primary School, which opened in January of last year, was too small to meet the needs of its growing catchment area.
Analysis from Edge Analytics recently predicted the number of pupils should peak at 1,131 by 2033 – but also said space could be needed for as many as 1,500 if demand was to continue long-term.
Initial calculations, dating back to around 2017, projected the roll of the school in Arrochar Drive, Bishopton, would not exceed 430.
Councillor James MacLaren, who represents the area, emphasised the importance of the inquiry in making sure lessons are learned from the situation.
He said: "We need answers for parents and children and answers for councillors. I would like to think it will be a thorough inquiry.
"David Bowles comes with good credentials so hopefully he will get to the bottom of it."
The existing school has a preferred maximum of 548 but this will be bolstered by the arrival of modular classrooms in the summer.
Meanwhile, preparations for a second facility with space for at least 700 pupils are under way and talks have been held with BAE Systems about securing land within the development for it.
Last month, it was confirmed by Julie Calder, Renfrewshire Council's head of education, that the 1,131 figure would be used for initial planning purposes but contingencies would be made should 1,500 become a reality.
"It’s essential that all bases are covered to ensure that we are not in this position again," she told the education board in March.
Councillor MacLaren believes it is imperative that previous errors are not repeated in the future.
He said: "How many Dargavels are we likely to have in our lifetime? I can't see there being another Dargavel for a long, long time in Renfrewshire.
"Although it's good to learn lessons, we need to be aware of the current situation and from what I've seen so far – the reports coming to the education board and that have been made available to me – the figures are pretty conservative.
"I also don't want to end up with a situation, where we're struggling to house pupils in the high school because we haven't gone ahead and built another high school.
"We need to have a clear position going forward. We don't want to make the same mistakes again.
"This development has a long way to go still. It's worrying that we might end up with another primary school that's too small."
A council spokesperson said: "Work is ongoing on the external independent review being completed by David Bowles and it will then be reported to a future council meeting.
"As indicated at the outset, it’s important Mr Bowles is given sufficient time to complete his investigations and fully report and the intention is to publish the final report in full, subject to any legally confidential information.
"All elected members will have the usual opportunity to consider the report in advance of the council meeting and scrutinise its content at the meeting.
"Regular updates are being provided in relation to the steps being taken to address school capacity at Dargavel and we continue to plan for a new primary school, for increased secondary school capacity and for a clear set of further options to give us the flexibility to increase primary school capacity in the wider area should it be needed."
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