Street demonstrations, heated debates and even a special protest song met school closure proposals when they were last tabled by Moray Council 10 years ago.
Independent consultants recommended shutting 10 primary schools as well as Milne’s High School in Fochabers in 2014, nine years after separate plans to shut 21 schools were shelved in 2005.
The report was compiled amidst a backdrop of a wide range of concerns including staff recruitment, an increasing backlog of maintenance bills, the suitability of aging buildings, declining numbers in some rural schools and restricted capacity in others.
When published, the proposals were met with a furious response from parents and communities with councillors eventually rejecting them.
A decade on from 2014, which came roughly a decade after 2005, very little has changed in Moray’s school estate with a maintenance backlog beyond unaffordable levels. In the area, 22 of 44 primary schools and five of eight secondary schools are ranked below the minimum standard for condition.
Now Moray Council is running another expansive consultation examining the future of every school in the region.
Senior officials have already said the programme will lead to a “reduced estate” through a mix of new builds, mergers and closures.
However, they have stressed that educational benefits for pupils will be the priority throughout.
So how did we get here, and what could the future of Moray’s schools look like?
What happened when Moray school closures were proposed in 2014?
Edinburgh-based Caledonian Economics was hired by Moray Council to assess the region’s whole estate.
It came as the local authority faced increasing pressure from competing priorities nine years after closures were abandoned in 2005 due to overwhelming public pressure.
Projections at the time in 2014 indicated some schools would soar to up to 142% of capacity by 2020.
However, at the other end of the spectrum, some classrooms would remain virtually empty with one school at just 6% of capacity.
Across the region it was estimated that, despite some schools bursting at the seams, there would still be over 2,400 “spare” pupil spaces in classrooms amidst increasing maintenance costs.
Meanwhile, warnings were also sounded about the condition and suitability of buildings, problems recruiting and retaining staff and a restricted S5 and S6 curriculum in secondary schools.
Moray school closure recommendations made in 2014
The Caledonian Economics report made the following recommendations:
Buckie ASG (Associated School Group)
- Seriously consider new-build coastal primary school to serve Findochty, Portknockie and one or both of Cullen and Portessie.
- Seriously consider merging Portgordon and Cluny primary schools.
Elgin ASG
- Continue to review situation at Mosstowie due to it being “on the cusp” of three classes and “significant” inward placing.
Forres ASG
- Seriously consider reducing primary schools in Forres from three to two with closure of Anderson’s.
- Close both Dallas and Logie primary schools and realign Forres catchments to incorporate them.
- Revisit future of Alves at a later date once future of potential housing developments is known.
Keith ASG
- Create new 3 to 18 campus on site of Keith Grammar and Keith Primary School to also incorporate Newmill, Crossroads and all or part of Botriphnie.
- Have discussions with Rothiemay to see if community wants to be part of 3 to 18 campus.
- Open discussions with Catholic Church about whether St Thomas’ Primary should be included.
Milne’s ASG
- Close Milne’s High School with pupils in Lhanbryde and Fochabers to attend Elgin High with remaining attending Buckie High or Keith Grammar.
- Merge Milne’s Primary and Mosstodloch Primary at a refurbished and remodelled Milne’s High site.
Speyside ASG
- Give serious consideration to merging Craigellachie Primary with either Rothes Primary or Aberlour Primary.
- Give serious consideration to new-build school to bring together Glenlivet, Knockando and Inveravon primary schools.
Outrage at Moray school closure proposals
There was a furious reaction to Moray Council’s school closure proposals when they were first tabled.
Rural communities dismissed the report from Caledonian Economics as “virtually worthless”, arguing it was based on opinions of “very small groups”.
Community councils stressed it was possible for children in small schools to receive the same education as their counterparts in larger areas.
The level of feeling got so high that Moray Council staff even called police to attend a demonstration from angry Findochty children outside the Elgin HQ.
The demonstration started peacefully with youngsters singing a protest song they had written themselves.
But council staff then called the police after workers and members of the public felt “intimidated” by the protest with some children straying inside.
In Fochabers, hundreds attended a march led by bagpipes to save Milne’s High School.
Throughout the process Moray Council was at pains to point out that the review was about more than the bricks and mortar of physical buildings.
Officials and administration councillors stressed it was about ensuring pupils got the best education possible.
The proposals divided councillors within the chambers and were ultimately overwhelmingly rejected by 16 votes to eight.
And the vote didn’t stop there, with members also ruling out any more school closures for the next five years.
Then council leader Allan Wright instantly resigned saying he had lost the confidence of the chambers, adding: “I really feel this has been a missed opportunity, and I think we will all live to regret it.”
Rural closures in last 10 years
It has been almost 10 years since that round of Moray Council school closures were thrown out in November 2014, but the number of schools has reduced during that time.
Previously, Cabrach Primary closed in 2010 after its last two pupils left.
Inveravon Primary School in Ballindalloch was then mothballed in August 2017 after its roll declined from 13 to zero in the space of a year. The closure was made permanent last year.
Meanwhile, Crossroads Primary near Keith was also mothballed in November 2022 after its roll declined to just five after the summer holidays.
At the same time, councillors also agreed to review the future of any school that drops to less than 15 pupils.
Crossroads remains mothballed today with no decision made about its long-term future.
New schools open to keep pace with growing Elgin population
However, the last 10 years has also seen new and rebuilt schools opened in Moray.
Linkwood Primary School was opened in 2021 to cope with the booming population in the south of Elgin.
Meanwhile, a site for the new Findrassie Primary in the north of the town has been agreed.
Initially it had been hoped the school would be open by the end of 2025. However, that has been deferred by up to five years with the decision being reviewed annually.
The site for another primary school in the south of the town at Glasgreen has also been identified to keep pace with housing developments.
An expanded Elgin High School also opened in 2018, with an extension already ordered, and a replacement for Lossiemouth High School hosted its first lessons in 2021.
Looking forward, a replacement for Forres Academy secured Scottish Government backing with it due to open to pupils by 2028.
Moray Council also put forward a bid for government cash for a replacement for Buckie High at the same time, but was unsuccessful.
New approach to examining future of Moray schools
Moray Council has continued to examine the future of its schools during the last decade.
However, it has stopped short of making any firm decisions about the future of the entire estate.
Through 2019 every site was established as part of a “schools for the future” programme.
Reports concluded that nine schools in the region are now “unsustainable”, including Findochty, Portessie, Portgordon, Portknockie, Craigellachie, Botriphnie, Crossroads, Inveravon and Glenlivet.
The following year Moray Council commissioned a new “strategic approach” to overhaul the region’s schools.
Funding of £300 million over the next 20 years has been confirmed for the process with the authority saying the initial focus is likely to be on Elgin, Buckie and Forres due to capacity concerns.
The announcement also confirmed that 31 of the area’s 54 schools were falling below the minimum standards for condition and suitability.
A special team within Moray Council was appointed in 2021 to lead the process.
When will decisions be made about any school closures?
Consultations are currently being run in communities across Moray to examine the future of schools in their area.
Talks have already been held in Forres, Buckie and Elgin with the process in Keith ongoing until September 30.
Specific events about the future of schools on Speyside and in the Milne’s ASG are due to take place before the end of next year.
Recommendations following the talks, which could include extensions, mergers or closures, will then be presented to councillors to debate.
Moray Council officials say no decisions have been made as part of the process, but have admitted they need to “reduce the estate”.
However, they have stressed there is a “commitment to invest” in ensuring schools are fit for the educational and population needs of today and the future.
That includes examining how some schools could be used outside of traditional school hours, which only cover 190 days a year.
Current council leader Kathleen Robertson opposed school closures as part of the 2014 process while a member of the public, but has now reassessed her opinion.
Last year, she said: “I can hand on heart say we were probably wrong. I can see now the benefits of having better and more modern facilities are crucial for education.
“Education now isn’t what it was 100 years ago. We had lots of farming communities with a huge community working the land, career choices were very different.
“You can still have schools within 20 minutes but with more socialising and learning opportunities you maybe wouldn’t get in a smaller school.”
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