Education / Skeld school to stay mothballed
SKELD Primary School will remain mothballed following an annual review of its closure.
The school on Shetland’s Westside was mothballed last year amid declining pupil numbers.
As part of an annual review of mothballed schools carried out earlier this year, parents in the Skeld catchment area were asked if they would be interested in enrolling their children at the school if it was to re-open – but no enrolment forms were returned.
A report to members of Shetland Islands Council’s education and families committee due to be held on Monday said: “There are 15 children of primary school age living within the Skeld catchment area.
“As part of the annual review, a letter was sent to their parents and carers on 30 January 2025 to ask whether they would enrol their child in Skeld Primary School if the school was to reopen.
“An enrolment form was included with the letter.
“Parents and carers were asked to complete and return the enrolment form to register their interest by the 15 March 2025. No enrolment forms were returned.
“On this basis, the potential school capacity of 20%, which is required for potential re-opening, has not been reached.”
The annual review recommended that all four of Shetland’s mothballed schools stay closed.
This includes the primary schools in Skerries, Papa Stour and Fetlar.
The report into this is deemed to be confidential and has not been shared to members of the education and families committee.
For Skerries and Fetlar there continues to be no children who require education provision living on either island.
While mothballing decisions are based on educational requirements, the cost of maintaining mothballed schools is given in the report.
Papa Stour has been mothballed since 2016, with its maintenance cost listed as £43,137 and other costs of around £31,000.
Skerries was also mothballed in 2016, and its maintenance cost since then is nearly £30,000, with additional costs of nearly £34,000.
In 2022 councillors agreed to mothball Fetlar Primary School as its roll fell to zero. Its maintenance cost since then is just over £24,000, with extra costs sitting at £4,542.
The 2024/25 maintenance budget for Skeld Primary School was £23,050, with anticipated extra costs of £8,000.
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