A century after the Press and Journal first reported on its struggle to attract pupils, a tiny Aberdeenshire school has been officially closed.
Strachan School opened to children in January 1877 and initially served a wide catchment area, including Feughside, Glen Dye and Blackness.
For decades, however, the Press and Journal has been reporting on its concerningly low school roll.
Aberdeenshire Council finally took the decision to approve a recommendation to carry out a formal public consultation on shutting the school, once thought to be among the smallest in Scotland,
Locals had, however, suggested the reduction in numbers was stage-managed, with some parents claiming to have been “bullied” into sending their children to other primaries.
A consultation was held in the village this year and now Aberdeenshire Council’s education committee has approved plans to start the process of formally closing the school.
The building could now become home to a community or another educational facility.
Councillor Rosemary Bruce said: “It is sad we have come to this point, but since it has been two years since a pupil was last at the school we have no choice.”
Fellow councillor Martin Ford had suggested waiting a further year before starting to close the school.
He said: “It ought to be a thriving school with a reasonable number of pupils and the building itself is in a good condition. It would be premature to close it.”
Colleagues disagreed.
The news comes a week after the announcement that Market School in Inverurie would be demolished.