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

St Ninian’s RC Primary School consultation update – September 2025

Following the decision of the Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee on 9 September 2025 to approve the proposal to close St Ninian’s RC Primary School, Dumfries and Galloway Council has now informed Scottish Ministers of this decision in accordance with Section 15(2) of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 as amended.

Details for submitting representations to Scottish Ministers are as follows:

By email - [email protected] 
By post - The Scottish Government, School Infrastructure Unit, 2A (South Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ

The deadline for making representations to Scottish Ministers is Midnight Monday, 29 September 2025 (3 weeks from the decision date).

Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee considered the findings of the statutory consultation on the future of St Ninian’s RC Primary School at its meeting on 9 September 2025 and approved implementation of the proposal to permanently discontinue education provision at St Ninian’s RC Primary School realign the catchment area to St Joseph’s RC Primary School with effect from 1 December 2025.

The Council is satisfied that implementation of the proposal is the best solution to address the underlying reasons for its formulation, namely:

• St Ninian’s RC Primary School has been formally mothballed for nineteen months (correct March 2025), with no pupils in attendance since August 2023. The school roll is not forecast to rise in the near future.
• Dumfries and Galloway is currently experiencing a significant and sustained fall in pupil numbers with the National Records of Scotland predicting a further 18% fall in the 0-15 age group over the next 10 years.
• Number of children aged 0-14 identifying as Roman Catholic in Dumfries and Galloway has fallen by 34% between the census’ of 2011 and 2022.
• Challenges recruiting a Roman Catholic (or approved through the Roman Catholic Church) Headteacher and Principal Teacher for St Ninian’s RC Primary School. Along with several other rural councils, Dumfries and Galloway Council is facing increasing challenges in recruiting staff.
• Whilst the school is mothballed, the building is deteriorating with limited budgets for repairs, maintenance and capital investment. The annual cost of mothballing the building is £7,039.28. 

Officers of the Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing Directorate have carefully considered all of the consultation feedback and reviewed the proposal to consider whether any of the representations led Dumfries and Galloway Council to reconsider any other options as being reasonable alternatives to the proposal.

Dumfries and Galloway Council is satisfied that the educational benefits of the Proposal far outweigh any potential disadvantages. There are insufficient parents/carers within the St Ninian’s RC Primary School catchment area indicating a preference to place their children at St Ninian’s RC Primary School to make the school viable for re-opening. If the school were to remain mothballed this would be a continuing drain on the Council’s resources. Implementation of this Proposal will assist the Council to deliver ‘Best Value’ through making more efficient and effective use of its resources - including staffing resources as the Council continue to tackle the increasing challenge of recruiting teaching staff specifically Roman Catholic (or approved through the Roman Catholic Church) Headteachers and Teachers, against a backdrop of decline pupil numbers. The Galloway Diocese have no formal objection to the closure of St Ninian’s RC Primary School. Furthermore, the Council will continue to support local groups within the communities of St Ninian’s RC Primary School to explore options for potential future use of the School premises.

This notice is to inform interested parties regarding the decision made at the Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee on 9 September 2025 to approve the proposal to close St Ninian’s RC Primary School with an implementation date of 1 December 2025. This notice is available in accordance with Section 11A(3) of the Act.

St Ninian’s RC Primary School consultation update – 18 August 2025

On 10 December 2024,  Dumfries and Galloway Council's Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee agreed that a consultation with all stakeholders be undertaken on the proposal to close St Ninian’s RC Primary School, and realign its catchment area.

Dumfries and Galloway Council has undertaken this consultation seeking views on the proposal, under the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 as amended. The Consultation Report can be viewed here:

• Document

  St Ninian’s RC Primary School consultation report (PDF, 7.54MB)

A decision on this proposal will be made by Dumfries and Galloway Council's Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee at their meeting on 9 September 2025. An update on the decision made in regard to this proposal will be made available here.

St Ninian’s RC Primary School consultation update – 5 November 2025

Following the decision of the Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee on 9 September 2025 to agree to the closure of St Ninian’s RC Primary School, Dumfries and Galloway Council informed Scottish Ministers of this decision in accordance with Section 15(2) of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

Scottish Ministers have reviewed the Proposal Paper and Consultation Report and determined that Dumfries and Galloway Council have fulfilled their obligations under the 2010 Act, and consequently have decided not to issue a call-in notice for this Proposal.

Therefore, education provision will be formally discontinued at St Ninian’s RC Primary School as of 1 December 2025.