Rural schools to stay shut as just two pupils seek to enrol

Five small rural schools in south-west Scotland are to remain closed after just two pupils sought to enrol after the summer.

Dumfries and Galloway Council has previously closed the sites at Ae, Borgue, Hottsbridge, Kirkbean and Tundergarth on a temporary basis.

A report to the local authority confirmed there had been two enrolment requests for Ae and none for the other primaries.

As a result all five sites will remain closed for the academic year 2026/27 starting in August.

The local authority has temporarily closed a number of schools in recent years.

None of them has since reopened and a number have moved towards permanent closure.

A report to go before councillors next week outlined the low level of interest in enrolling at any of the five locations.

It comes against a backdrop of a continuing fall in the number of pupils across the region.

In September 2021 the roll across primary schools in Dumfries and Galloway stood at 10,092 but that had fallen to 9,323 in September last year.

Secondary school numbers have also decreased and are predicted to drop further.

Ae Primary has been closed since April 2023 with Tundergarth closing in August of the same year.

The other three shut in August 2024.

In January this year, families in all the catchment areas were contacted to see if there was any interest in enrolling or transferring to any of the schools.

However, just two enrolment forms were received for P1 at Ae and none for any of the others.

The report said the families which had submitted enrolment forms had been contacted to discuss a suitable alternative school.