School Reorganisation Proposals
The need for school closures (sometimes referred to as rationalisation) can be prompted by changing population patterns and the need to provide suitable school buildings for pupils and teachers.
The Scottish Government provides guidance to local authorities on the procedures which must be followed in these circumstances, and in certain similar school reorganisation proposals such as a change of school site or in a catchment area.
If an authority proposes to change the existing education provision, including amalgamating/closing schools or altering the catchment areas of schools, they must engage in a formal consultation process at that stage.
This consultation must include parents and the school boards of the schools concerned. It must last for a minimum period of 28 days, before the authority reaches a decision.
These are statutory procedures set out in the Education (Publication and Consultation Etc.) (Scotland) Regulations 1981.
In many cases, the final decision on whether to close or amalgamate a school rests with the education authority, although there are certain circumstances in which an authority cannot implement such a decision without first obtaining the consent of the Scottish Ministers.
Ministerial consent is required when one or more of the following apply:
- the school roll exceeds 80 per cent of the school's capacity
- pupils would have to attend a different primary school five or more miles away (8.04672 kilometres) from their present school or a secondary school 10 or more miles away (16.09344 kilometres)
- in certain circumstances, a change would occur to the provision of denominational education in an area
See the guidance to authorities for more detail.
Access this link for decisions on School Reorganisation Proposals for which Ministerial consent was required.
Access this link www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations to view a Scottish Government consultation paper "Safeguarding our Rural Schools and Improving School Consultation Procedures " which sets out proposals for legislative change to the way in which all school closures, not just rural ones, might ne handled in future.