Scotland's rural schools can be fundamental to safeguarding small, fragile local economies and the Scottish Government is committed to protecting their often unique place in the community.
Speaking as she visited a 10-pupil primary school in Dalwhinnie, Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, said that in these difficult economic times, it is incumbent upon the Government to do all it can to protect those facilities which enable small communities to thrive. She also stressed that local access to educational opportunities plays an important role in creating a wealthier and fairer Scotland, particularly in remote and rural communities where the range of opportunities and services available locally may already be less than in urban areas. Ms Hyslop said these were all contributing factors to the Schools (Consultation) Bill being introduced to Parliament this week.
Ms Hyslop said:
"Dalwhinnie is an excellent example of a school at the heart of its community. The majority of the children who attend here are the children of local gamekeepers whose work is essential in sustaining and fuelling the local economy. Having a local school here ensures families can thrive in such a remote location.
"By focusing on rural schools, we are also helping to safeguard a way of life."
"The Bill will update and strengthen the consultation procedures that local authorities apply to all school closures and other major changes to schools - by ensuring that the best practices already adopted by some, become universal practice for all. It will establish a process that is coherent, easy to understand, fair, workable, open and transparent. As a result of the Bill a local authority would have, among other things, to publish and advertise a detailed proposal paper, produce an educational benefits statement - to ensure that educational benefits and needs are at the heart of the consultation, consult for a minimum of six weeks of term time, seek HMIE's view on the educational aspects of the proposal, and extend the list of mandatory consultees to include, among others, pupils and teachers.
"The Bill will though leave the consultation and decision making processes squarely and rightly in the hands of the local authorities who are responsible for seeking always to improve the quality and standards of the education which they deliver to communities right across their areas.
Ms Hyslop also said:
"In the case of rural schools specifically, the authorities would also have to have special regard to alternatives to closure, the likely impact on the community, including use of the buildings, and the likely impact on the environment of new travel requirements.
"Updating and improving the 1981 regulations governing the consultation processes for all school closures and other changes is long overdue."
If passed, the Bill's proposals could be in place by next year. Its passage through Parliament begins 10 months after the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning announced a public consultation into the school closure process.
The consultation ended in September and the feedback was incorporated into the Bill now before Parliament.
There are around 1,000 schools in rural areas (as defined by the Scottish Government's Urban/Rural Classification). This means 41 per cent of primary schools and 23 per cent of secondary schools are rural schools, using this classification.
Many of the changes are already established good practice, for some authorities - we believe there should be legal requirements for all to ensure consistently good practice and a fair and robust system.
Rural schools are those located within the areas covered by three categories defined by the Government: accessible rural - settlements of fewer than 3,000 people and within 30 mins drive of a settlement of 10,000 or more; remote rural - settlements of fewer than 3,000 people and with a drive time of between 30 and 60 minutes to a settlement of 10,000 or more; very remote rural - settlements of fewer than 3,000 and with a drive time of over 60 minutes to a settlement of 10,000 or more.
The new Bill also proposes that the minimum period for consultations must include at least six weeks of term time. These do not need to be consecutive.
Local authorities will be required to prepare a report following their consultation period comprising:
* The number of written responses to the consultation.
* HMIE's report on the educational aspects of the proposal.
* A summary of views expressed in the written responses and at the public meeting, and of the authority's consideration of and response to those.
* Where that has involved exploring or investigating matters or suggestions, details of those activities.
* The substance of any inaccuracies alleged during the consultation period and the authority's response to them.
* The local authority would not be able to take its final decision until at least 3 weeks after the report is published.
The Bill will also replace the current system for referring certain local authority decisions to Ministers for consent with a Ministerial power to call in decisions, but only in relation to school closure decisions and where there have apparently been failures in the consultation or decision making processes. The call-in process will provide a reassurance to those affected by any school closure proposal that a safeguard exists in the rare circumstances where it appears that the new statutory duties contained in the Bill have not been properly fulfilled.
