Angus schools closure updates to be published next month

A special meeting at the end of next month will reveal which Angus schools could be considered for closure under a major review of the education estate across the county.

Children and learning committee councillors will be presented with the outcome of a pre-consultation exercise on the Angus Schools for the Future programme on January 30.

It follows a number of public events held throughout the area.

No sites have yet been earmarked for closure, but the council has said it needs better and more sustainable schools – and fewer than the 53 that exist at present.

Education committee members have already been told that 2,779 pupil places of the 11,487 available across Angus are currently unfilled, with 32% of schools sitting at less than 60% occupancy.

It also costs up to six times as much to teach pupils in some rural primaries, compared to the rate in town schools.

Angus Council said: “We need suitable, sustainable, connected and accessible buildings with good outdoor spaces for learning, sport and play.

“But we also need to make the best use of scarce resources – we need schools that are better and more sustainable and we need fewer of them.

“Right now we have too many schools and places for the number of children and young people in the county.

“In short, to give all of our children and young people the same access to opportunities, our schools have to change.”

A council spokesman said the authority was grateful to everyone who took the time to give their feedback as part of the Angus Schools for the Future pre-consultation, adding: “There was an encouraging response to the questionnaire.

“All of the feedback is being analysed and considered, and a report will be submitted to a special meeting of the children and learning committee on January 30.”

Preparation for formal consultations will start in the spring or summer and the process will be carried out in accordance with the School (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.