Closure plan and reprieve news in same week for Dalry

THERE was bad news then good news for Dalry Secondary this week.

At a meeting on Tuesday, councillors agreed to formally start the closure consultation process.

However, at the same time, the school was offered the chance to be part of a national scheme that could give it a ‘new purpose’.

And it has given many in the community hope of a reprieve.

Nonetheless, the consultation will now get underway after education officers concluded that closure and catchment realignment to Castle Douglas High School represents “the most appropriate response.”

With just eight pupils expected to be enrolled for the 2026/27 academic year across S1 and S2 only — and no pupils in S3 or S4 — they confirmed that Dalry would be “the smallest secondary school in Scotland”.

Their recommendation to close follows a public engagement process that included four community drop-in sessions and an online survey.

At the education committee in Dumfries this week, councillors backed the official advice to trigger the statutory consultation process for closure.

Officials had told them closure is unavoidable due to declining pupil numbers and high costs, and it was revealed the total net financial cost of operating the school in 2024/25 was approximately £480,000.

They did acknowledge the depth of feeling locally, noting how it’s consistently described as the “beating heart” of the area and fears of rural depopulation and impact on local businesses.

However, it has since emerged that Dalry has been offered the opportunity to become the first school in Scotland to pilot a new national subject called Home Advantage.

Designed for pupils aged 5–16, the proposal comes from Doors Academy SCIO, whose national framework has been formally submitted to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing and to the Scottish Government.

Home Advantage is a practical, skills‑based subject focused on: house construction, including modular and repair skills; sustainability and energy‑efficiency; housing literacy; real‑world life skills and pathways into employment and training

Doors Academy SCIO believes Dalry Secondary is uniquely placed to lead the pilot due to its size, community identity, and current uncertainty over its future.

A spokesperson said: “Dalry has the chance to become the first school in Scotland, and indeed the world, to pioneer a subject that prepares pupils for real life, real skills, and real opportunities. This could give the school a new purpose, a new identity, and a future.”