Nearly one in three of Dumfries and Galloway primaries below 50% capacity

Nearly one in three of region's primaries at less than 50% capacity

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, The figures are contained in a report to the council's education committee

At a glance

There are nearly 100 primaries and 16 secondaries across Dumfries and Galloway
Dozens of sites operated at less than 50% of their capacity in 2021
Plans to start the process to permanently close one primary were agreed earlier this year

6 December 2021

More than 30% of the primary schools in Dumfries and Galloway are operating at less than half capacity.

The latest figures are contained in

They show that 31 out of 98 primaries across the region had a school roll lower than 50% of capacity in 2021.

Three of the 16 secondary schools in the area also have pupil numbers below that level.

Dumfries and Galloway Council agreed five years ago to new guidance in relation to low school rolls.

It decided that it would look at ways to improve efficiency at any site where numbers were forecast at below 50% over a six-year period.

Figures for 2021 show dozens of schools were at that level - at least based on 2021 pupil figures.

Carsphairn Primary has been mothballed since 2019 with no placing requests for pupils since then.

Five schools across the region operate at 25% of capacity or lower according to the latest statistics.