Plans to introduce stronger protection for rural schools and for improved consultation before all school closures were launched today by Education Secretary, Fiona Hyslop. 

The consultation on a “Safeguarding Rural Schools” Bill seeks views of parents, young people, teachers and other interested groups.  It follows a consultation on Rural Schools (Scotland) Bill, a Member’s Bill launched by Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser in January which called for a presumption against closure of rural schools. 

According to a Scottish Government classification, Scotland has around 1000 rural schools which represents 41 per cent of primary schools and 23 per cent of secondary schools. 

Launching the consultation at a rural Ayrshire primary school, Hyslop said:

"It is important that rural schools get the protection that they need and this Government wants their future safeguarded. There can be much heart-ache and time-consuming efforts in current consultations and we want to try and relieve that. This Government wants to make the process for handling all school closures fairer, more robust and more transparent, and we want to see better consultation before any decision is taken.

"Our proposals would lead to a number of improvements in the way authorities consult on all school closures.  They would have to provide an educational benefit statement, consult for a minimum of six weeks of term time and extend the list of consultees to include among others, HMIE. 

"In the case of rural schools specifically, the authorities would also have to have regard to alternatives to closure, the impact on the community including use of the buildings and the impact on the environment of new travel requirements.

"The consultation will run until September 19 to allow for school holidays and giving a full three months of term time for responses and therefore plenty of opportunity for everyone to register their views.  I would urge everyone with an interest in schools to take part."

Fraser, whose own three-month consultation on his proposed Bill recently came to an end, commented:

“I welcome this consultation being launched by the Scottish Government on rural schools. I launched my Members’ Bill Proposal to introduce a legal presumption against closure of rural schools in January, in fulfilment of a Scottish Conservative manifesto commitment.

“Too many rural schools have been closed in Scotland in recent years and I believe that we must change the law to safeguard those which remain. Closing rural schools is not just an education issue. A closure affects the health of a rural community and in the past, when schools have closed, we have seen a wider decline in a rural area, as young families are reluctant to settle there.

“In addition, school buildings are often the hub of community activities, extending well beyond formal education. I look forward to working with the SNP minority government to see legislation enacted to increase the protection for rural schools.”