Safeguarding our rural schools consultation

The Scottish Government are urging teachers, parents, young people and anyone with an interest in rural schools to take part in their 'Safeguarding our rural schools' consultation. These proposals are set out in the consultation document ‘Safeguarding our rural schools'.

The Scottish Government want to hear your views on their proposals for changes to legislation regarding school closures and improving school consultation procedures.

Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop said, "Local schools are an important part of ensuring vibrant local communities and local economies in villages across rural Scotland.

"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 buildings and the impact on the environment of new travel requirements."

What's wrong with the current system?

The 'Safeguarding our rural schools' consultation paper says that current legislation is a patchwork of rules and regulations which is thought by some to be difficult to understand and no longer fit for purpose. Current rules and regulations leave some parents and communities with no clear understanding of their rights and how the system operates.

What are the main points of the consultation?

Improving the consultation process.
The Scottish Government think that when making certain changes (including the closure of a school) a council should have to:

• Publish a consultation paper, including an educational benefit statement about the proposals
• Consult for at least six weeks of term time
• Seek the independent views of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE)
• Hold a public meeting on its proposals
• Publish a report of what people said during the consultation (including HMIE's views), and how the council has responded

Safeguarding rural schools
The Scottish Government also want councils to consider:

• Alternatives to closing a rural school
• The impact on the community of closing a rural school
• The impact of closing a rural school on the community's use of the school's buildings, facilities and grounds
• Impact of new travel patterns on pupils, others, and on the environment, if a rural school closes

How to take part

The consultation will be open until 19th September 2008. Download the consultation document 'Safeguarding our rural schools'.

You can respond in writing to:
School Closure Consultation CRE 995
CSU, Spur U5b Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh, EH11 3XD

You can email your response to: schoolclosure.consultation@scotland.gsi.gov.uk