Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 - Strone Primary School
Argyll and Bute Council · 27 August 2026
Back to Community Services Committee — 27 August 2026 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE EDUCATION 27 AUGUST 2026 SCHOOLS (CONSULTATION) (SCOTLAND) ACT 2010 – STRONE PRIMARY SCHOOL 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 The purpose of this report is to update the Community Services Committee on the current status of Strone Primary School, and to invite Members to agree to the recommendations outlined. 1.2 Strone Primary School was temporarily closed (temporary closure was formerly called mothballing)1 by the Community Services Committee in August 2025, with agreement that a review of the school’s temporary closure would be prepared for the Committee’s August 2026 meeting at which Members will decide on a continued period of temporary closure, or request officers to begin the formal preliminary engagement process to consider the future options for Strone Primary School. 1.3 It is recommended that the Community Services Committee: a) Note the decision of the Committee in August 2025, and the updated position of the school as set out within this report. b) Agree that Strone Primary School continues to be temporarily closed and the school premises be retained on a care and maintenance basis. c) Note that any further requests for use of the school during the period of temporary closure will be considered in light of the proposed use, the current condition of the premises, and any existing lets. d) Agree that the Education Service will undertake the required preliminary engagement for Strone Primary School, in compliance with the preliminary requirements as set out in the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 and thereafter prepare an Options Appraisal for Members’ consideration at the December 2026 meeting of the Community Services Committee. 1 Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010: guidance - gov.scot
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE EDUCATION 27 AUGUST 2026 SCHOOLS (CONSULTATION) (SCOTLAND) ACT 2010 – STRONE PRIMARY SCHOOL 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 Strone Primary School has been subject to a temporary shared Headship arrangement with Strachur Primary School since December 2024. The decision on a temporary Shared Headship was informed by long term absence of school leadership in both Strone and Strachur Primary Schools followed by the Headteacher of Strachur Primary School leaving their post. There was parental support for this approach while recruitment was underway for a permanent Headteacher for Strachur Primary School and Headteacher absence at Strone Primary School. 2.2 The Education Service increased teacher staffing both in Strone Primary School and Strachur Primary School to support the temporary Shared Headship model from December 2024. 2.3 The school roll had been in decline since August 2023 and by May 2025 the school had six pupils remaining. At this point, the school had four pupils progressing to Dunoon Grammar School at the end of that school session. Following engagement with parents in the summer of 2025, the remainder of the parents (two families) believed that it was in the best interest of their children to attend Sandbank Primary School. Accordingly, there are currently no children attending Strone Primary School. 2.4 In August 2025, it was agreed by the Committee that Strone Primary School be temporarily closed, pending a further review of the arrangements in August 2026 by the Committee: either to continue the period of temporary closure or to begin a preliminary engagement process to consider the future options for Strone Primary School. 2.5 The statutory process for the potential closure of a rural school is laid out in the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 (the 2010 Act), as amended by the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. The 2010 Act as amended introduces a presumption against the closure of rural schools and a requirement to carry out additional steps, before and during the statutory consultation exercise.
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3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 It is recommended that the Community Services Committee: a) Note the decision of the Committee in August 2025, and the updated position of the school as set out within this report. b) Agree that Strone Primary School continues to be temporarily closed and the school premises be retained on a care and maintenance basis. c) Note that any further requests for use of the school during the period of temporary closure will be considered in light of the proposed use, the current condition of the premises, and any existing lets. d) Agree that the Education Service will undertake the required preliminary engagement for Strone Primary School, in compliance with the preliminary requirements as set out in the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 and thereafter prepare an Options Appraisal for Members’ consideration at the December 2026 meeting of the Community Services Committee. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1 There are presently no registered pupils at Strone Primary School. Registration for August 2026 enrolment at the school closed at the end of January 2026, with no pupils registered. A small number of pupils registering would not in itself alter the viability of the school. All members of staff from the school were redeployed into other posts within the Authority. 4.2 It was agreed by the Committee in August 2025 that Strone Primary School be temporarily closed and the premises be retained on a care and maintenance basis. 4.3 Since the school’s temporary closure, there have been no lets of the school premises. There has been one approach by a community group who were proposing to use the premises as a wellness centre. Following a review in April 2026, the proposal was unable to be progressed any further at this time as the planned use would not allow for a quick turnaround of the premises should it require to reopen as a school within a short timescale. 4.4 The temporary closure of a school does not require a statutory consultation to be carried out as it is an informal non-statutory measure. It is appropriate where the Authority considers that a school is not presently viable, but do not wish to close it immediately in order to assess the prospects of the number of pupils in the area increasing to the extent that the school should be re-opened in the future. 4.5 The Scottish Government’s Statutory Guidance on the 2010 Act stresses that this flexibility to close a school for a temporary period is not used to undermine
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the requirements of the 2010 Act to consult on all closure proposals. Temporary closure is only appropriate for an interim period, should be subject to at least annual review and, in most cases, should last no more than three years in total. 4.6 Registration for new Primary 1 pupils enrolling in August 2027 will be open from 6th November 2026. A small number of pupils registering for Strone Primary School by 21st November 2026, for entry in August 2027, would not in itself necessarily alter the viability of the school. However, if a sufficient level of demand for the re-opening of the school was to be demonstrated at any point in the process that may follow, the Education Service would keep this under review, and present further reports to the Committee on this matter as appropriate. 4.7 It is proposed that a preliminary assessment of options regarding the future of the school be undertaken, by way of a preliminary engagement exercise and Options Appraisal report, in accordance with the preliminary requirements of the 2010 Act. It is proposed that the findings of the Options Appraisal be presented to the Committee in December 2026 for Members to consider and determine next steps. 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 Should Members agree, the Education Service will undertake the required preliminary engagement for Strone Primary School, in compliance with the preliminary requirements as set out in the 2010 Act and prepare an Options Appraisal for Members’ consideration at the December 2026 meeting of the Community Services Committee. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy - none 6.2 Financial - The preliminary engagement work, if agreed, will accrue a small cost for the Education Service. As the school is temporarily closed, the Council must pay costs associated with the upkeep and maintenance of the school premises. 6.3 Legal - The provisions of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 will subsequently apply if the Authority later decides to formulate a proposal under that Act in order to determine the future of Strone Primary School. 6.4 HR- none 6.5 Customer Service – none at present 6.6 Risk – none at present 6.7 Climate Change – none 6.8 Fairer Scotland Duty – none at present 6.9 Equalities - protected characteristics – none at present 6.10 Consumer Duty – none at present
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6.11 Island Communities - none 6.12 Children’s Rights and Wellbeing – UNCRC: Article 3 – Adults must do what’s best for me, Article 28 – I have the right to an education, Article 29 – I have the right to an education which develops my personality, talents and abilities. DOUGLAS HENDRY Executive Director with responsibility for Education Councillor Kieron Green Policy Lead for Education 9th July 2026 For further information contact: Jennifer Crocket Chief Education Officer/Head of Education – Wellbeing, Inclusion and Achievement Jennifer.Crocket@argyll-bute.gov.uk Wendy Brownlie Head of Education – Performance and Improvement Wendy.Brownlie@argyll-bute.gov.uk Susan Galloway Education Manager Susan.Galloway@argyll-bute.gov.uk Graeme McMillan Transformation Programme Manager Graeme.Mcmillan2@argyll-bute.gov.uk