Statutory consultation on the discontinuation of education provision at Dalry Secondary School

Review of Education Provision Notice and Summary of Proposal for closing Dalry Secondary School, Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 as amended. 

Dumfries and Galloway Council is consulting on the proposal to close Dalry Secondary School. This notice provides a summary of the proposal; it is a requirement for you to be notified of the consultation as a consultee, in accordance with Schedule 2 Section 1 of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

Dumfries and Galloway Council is conducting a public consultation from Thursday 27 August to Friday 9 October 2026. This is the period in which you will be able to make representation to Dumfries and Galloway Council in respect of the proposal. It is important that everyone we are consulting with tells us about their thoughts on the proposal.  

This summary provides further information on where a full copy of the proposal can be obtained and also advises as to how you can make representation. 

The Proposal

Dumfries and Galloway Council is proposing, subject to the outcome of the Statutory Consultation process, to discontinue S1 to S4 education provision at Dalry Secondary School and realign its catchment area to Castle Douglas High School.

It is proposed that S1 to S4 education provision at Dalry Secondary School be discontinued with effect from 2 July 2027.  

Reasons for this Proposal

This is considered to be the most appropriate response to address the reasons for the proposal which are:

• Dalry Secondary School’s pupil roll for academic year 2025/26 was 13, resulting in increasing difficulty in delivering a broad and balanced curriculum (the number of enrolled pupils has since reduced to 8 for session 2026/27)
• the majority of pupils residing within the Dalry Secondary School catchment area choose to attend an alternative secondary school
• there is no evidence that the number of catchment pupils will rise, with regional demographics showing a continuing decline and an expected 18% reduction in the 0–15 population over the next 10 years
• like many rural councils, Dumfries and Galloway Council has been experiencing increasing challenges in recruiting staff, including at Dalry Secondary School 
• at the Full Council meeting on 28 March 2024, Members agreed that Dalry Secondary School should not be temporarily closed (formally known as ‘mothballed’) and that S1–S4 provision should continue until at least the end of 2025

Dumfries and Galloway Council Plan 2023-2028

Councils, as an Education Authority, have a statutory duty in terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make adequate and efficient provision of school education across their entire area for the current school population and future pattern of demand. This is reflected in Dumfries and Galloway Council Plan 2023-2028, Education and Learning Directorate.  

The council will improve education and learning opportunities to help all our children, young people and citizens fulfil their potential. This starts with pre-school, then school, before progressing into further or higher education or transition into work. We will work with our partners to create and promote lifelong learning opportunities so everyone in the region can live a meaningful and fulfilling life and contribute to their community.  

Strategic outcomes

• places of learning are inclusive, sustainable and meet the needs of local communities
• we get it right for every child
• children, young people and adults transition successfully through all life stages  
• young people and adults succeed in what they want to achieve
• participation in creativity and play is part of early and lifelong learning experiences
• local people can build their skills and confidence

Alternatives to the proposal (including the proposal)

The proposal and reasonable alternatives to the proposal were considered as part of the preliminary requirement and are detailed below:

1. school closure - discontinue S1 to S4 education provision at Dalry Secondary School and realign its catchment area to Castle Douglas High School
2. status quo - no change to the current school arrangements at Dalry Secondary School
3. temporary closure (previously known as ‘mothballing’) - Dalry Secondary School is closed for up to three years and its catchment area realigned to Castle Douglas High School, with the expectation that pupil numbers will increase sufficiently to allow the school to reopen
4. nursery to S4 provision - a single headteacher management structure created responsible for Nursery, Primary and S1–S4 secondary stages of education at Dalry School 

Representations may be made on the following;

•    the proposal
•    reasonable alternatives to the proposal as listed above; and 
•    suggestions of other reasonable alternatives not listed above that address the reasons for the proposal

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 online
• holding a public meeting to explain the proposal (Monday 7 September 2026)
• ask all consultees to tell us what they think of the proposal including via an online survey

What to do now

•    read the full proposal documents
•    attend the public meeting which will be held on Monday 7 September 2026 at 6pm at Dalry Secondary School, Dalry
•    let us know what you think by 5pm on Friday 9 October 2026 via the survey

Dalry Primary School Statutory Consultation Survey
 

Write to: 
Statutory Consultation – Dalry Primary School 
Dumfries and Galloway Council   
Militia House  
109/111 English Street  
DG1 2HR  

Email to: [email protected]  

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).

What's next

Dumfries and Galloway Council is seeking your views on the proposal during the consultation period - it does not assume that the proposal will go ahead. All points raised during the consultation period will be included in the final consultation paper before being presented to Elected Members at Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee where a decision will be taken as to the outcome of this process.

If the proposal goes ahead, any children current and future from the Dalry Secondary School catchment area would be educated at Castle Douglas High School, although parents/carers would still be able to make placing requests for other secondary schools.

Please note that this summary document is for convenience only. Copies of the Proposal Paper can be obtained from:

• Dalry Secondary School, Dalry
• Castle Douglas High School, Castle Douglas
• Dumfries and Galloway Council Headquarters, Dumfries