Statutory consultation on the review of Education Provision St Ninian's RC Primary School

We are proposing, subject to the outcome of the statutory consultation process, to discontinue education provision at St Ninian's RC Primary School which is currently mothballed and re-align its catchment area to St Joseph's RC Primary School.

Why we are consulting

This proposal has been issued by Dumfries and Galloway Council Education and Learning Directorate in accordance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 as amended. 

It is proposed that education provision at St Ninian's RC Primary School be discontinued with effect from 1 December 2025.

A public meeting was held on Tuesday 15 April 2025, 6pm, at Penninghame Primary School.

What we will do

We will consult by

• providing a notice of the consultation and a summary of the proposal to the relevant consultees (this is that notice and summary)
• placing an advert in the local press
• putting information on our website
• holding a public meeting to explain the proposal
• ask all consultees to tell us what they think of the proposal

What to do now

Read the full proposal document.

Let us know what you think by 5pm on Friday 9 May 2025.

Get involved

Complete the survey

Email to: statutoryconsultation@dumgal.gov.uk 
Write to: Statutory Consultation – St Ninian's RC Primary School
Dumfries and Galloway Council
Militia House
109/111 English Street
DG1 2HR 

Respondents are required to clearly state the capacity in which they are expressing their views and agree to their name and any statement/comments being published as part of the statutory consultation process and published in the final consultation report (all other personal information will be redacted).

Following the close of the consultation, we will provide Education Scotland with:

• copies of the written representations submitted
• a summary of the oral representations made at the public meeting
• any other relevant documentation

This will allow Education Scotland to prepare a report on the proposal within a period of three weeks.

After receiving Education Scotland's report, we will then prepare and publish a consultation report in accordance with Sections 9, 10 and 13 of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 as amended. 

Dumfries and Galloway Council Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee on 9 September 2025, will thereafter make its final decision on whether to implement the proposal. The decision will be made a minimum of three weeks after publication of the consultation report. 

If Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee makes a closure decision, we shall notify the Scottish Ministers within six working days of that decision and publish the fact that the Scottish Ministers have been notified, and that representations can be made to them. 

The Education Authority would also be required to publish a notice on its website of the decision to implement the proposal and why it has been satisfied that closure is the most appropriate response to the reasons for formulating the proposal.

Key dates

Statutory Consultation Period: Monday 10 March to Friday 9 May 2025.

All written responses must be received by the last day of the consultation period, Friday 9 May 2025 at 5pm.