Threat to local rural schools?

[Kintyre Forum News]

With the closure of Crossroads Primary, near Kilmarnock should we be concerned for our local rural schools here in Kintyre?

The school of 52 pupils has closed after ministers failied to failed to intervene to stop the closure. The Scottish Rural Schools Network said ministers should have called in East Ayrshire Council's decision to close Crossroads Primary, near Kilmarnock. It claimed the refusal contradicted an SNP manifesto pledge. The Scottish government said it was satisfied the council's decision had met its statutory obligations.

[witchnettle]

I was told recently that skipness school is down to one pupil and the head teacher has retired, my immediate thought was that the school would close, but it seems they are advertising for a new teacher.
The theory being that there may be some new private houses build in the village and this may bring in families, so the school will remain open in hope.
I personally think any private houses build in Skipness will likely be sold to retired folk, as young families are not going to be able to afford Skipness prices, and there aren't the jobs in these parts to attract families these days.
So how long will they keep the school open with one pupil on the chance of this?
Is it good for a child to go to school with no peers?
Lastly how can anyone justify the cost, especially when that child lives 20 mins away from another primary school and a bus already runs there (Tarbert)
Perhaps i am being an old meany and cannot see the big picture, but i really can see no good in this at all.
The person who told me thinks it is really good that they are keeping the school open.
what do other folk think?
x

[witchnettle]

i had it confirmed today that skipness school is staying open for one pupil, this pupil has a full time teacher, a teaching assistant and someone coming in to make their lunch, and i presume someone cleaning etc.
I was gobsmacked, but apparently it takes a lot to close a school, and cannot be done easily.
In a village like skipness that child could so easily go to Tarbert school, so i see this as totally unnecessary and frankly i would not like any of my children to be in school with no other children.
perhaps i'm being a meany but i think in this day and age that this is totally bonkers.

[MPR]

I'm in line with you witchnettle, but given the red tape state of affairs,it will be open for years yet.
What a waste of money!

[Hels]

I had heard that it was staying open because there are plans for a fair sized affordable housing development in Skipness - no idea if that is rumour or fact though.

I think it's inevitible, but unfortunate that several of our rural primary schools are going to close with budget cuts - and I believe that much of the "consultation period" or red tape has been reduced. (from 1 year to 3 months ..... or is that just rumour again?!) Seems crazy if this one is being kept open at great expense for a development that may be years off.

[John S]

I brought this up with the education spokesperson on Friday. The post will be temporary, the school can't be easily closed while parents still opt to send children to the school. The whole school estate is currently under review and Skipness will be considered with every other school as part of that review. The impacts of the review will be far beyond Skipness. The housing development rumour has no basis on the situation, and as far as I can ascertain is just a rumour.