Scotland's smallest secondary school recommended for closure
Graham RobsonA council is being advised to begin the statutory process to shut Scotland's smallest secondary school.
Dalry Secondary in Dumfries and Galloway has capacity for 248 pupils but only eight are expected to be enrolled in S1 and S2 by August and none in S3 and S4, although the year groups remain open.
Consultation events have been held throughout this year to assess community opinion on its future.
Now education committee councillors are being recommended to start the process which would see it close its doors.
The school provides education for S1 to S4 before pupils transfer to Castle Douglas High School about 16 miles (25km) away for S5 to S7.
The catchment area stretches north to include the village of Carsphairn, which is a further nine miles (15km) away.
However, its pupil numbers have remained low, making it the smallest secondary school in Scotland.
One estimate showed the running costs at nearly £50,000 per pupil but parents fear closing the school would remove a "vital service" from the area.
Concerns have also been raised about the impact on the wider community.
Billy McCrorieA report to councillors said that, having considered the "reasonable alternatives" it had been concluded that closure was the "most appropriate response".
It said the underlying issues facing the school were:
- a sustained and significant decline in pupil numbers
- limited opportunities for peer interaction
- increasing challenges in delivering a broad and balanced curriculum
It added that the high cost per pupil also raised concerns about the "efficient and sustainable use of resources".
"While closure would require pupils to attend an alternative secondary school, it would provide access to a wider curriculum, larger peer groups and more sustainable staffing structures," it said.
"On balance, and having considered the available evidence, the council considers that closure represents the most appropriate response to the identified challenges."
Parents have argued that rural education should be about more than economics.
They said families would not move to the area and that would contribute to economic decline by making rural depopulation worse.
The council has also been accused of undermining the school's offering over the years which has contributed to falling pupil numbers.
The education committee will meet to decide the way forward on 30 June.
If it agrees to start the statutory process towards closure, there are a number of phases to be completed which are likely to take several months at least.
