Smallest school to close when pupil moves on

The smallest school in Britain is to close when its only pupil moves to a secondary school in mainland Orkney.

North Ronaldsay Primary School’s single classroom will be kept on “standby” from August after Teigan Scott, 12, takes the daily flight to her new school.

The pupil has attended the tiny school building for several years but will now take a 20-minute flight to mainland Orkney to attend Kirkwall Grammar School.

Councillor Kevin Woodbridge said the population on North Ronaldsay, the most northern island in the Orkney archipelago, had halved since he arrived in 1977.

He said poor transport links and broadband services affect the population’s ability to work.

He said: “It’s very sad but it demonstrates the decline on the island that has led to this.

“When I came here there were 17 people at the school and 127 on the island, now we have 50 to 60 people.”

Orkney Islands Council said the school would be brought back into use if more families with primary school age children move to the island.

It will also be used by community groups on the island.

A council spokesman said: “This approach to keeping the room actively in use has been developed in discussion between Orkney Islands Council and a number of community groups in North Ronaldsay.”