Concern over future of year group at rural secondary school
Worries are growing around provision for the incoming S4 group at Dalry Secondary School
Last updated 6th Jul 2023
Parents of children at Dalry Secondary School who are set to enter S4 after the summer holidays are being encouraged to enrol their kids at Castle Douglas High School instead.
The recommendation has come from Dalry School and the council, after the shrinking year group size made delivery of a full Curriculum for Excellence education unviable for next year.
Families affected have been voicing concern as to what this means for their children.
Jan Burrows moved his daughter to Castle Douglas High after subject options became unavailable at Dalry, but he says he’s worried the trend could have a knock on effect: “The community is very concerned about what’s going on."
He added: “We have to not let this happen again…parents have to really stick together, fight for the curriculum and the classes they want, and don’t give up on it.”
It comes after ongoing discussions about the curriculum
In a statement, the council said: “Our Council wrote to all 9 parents of pupils in S3 in November 2022, highlighting concerns over a very limited curricular pathway in 2023/24 given the number of young people choosing to stay in Dalry for S4.
“The school staff, led by James Smith as Headteacher, have worked hard with young people to ensure their senior phase programme meets their entitlements and reflects their post-school ambitions.
“Following the choice made by more pupils to move to Castle Douglas High School from August ‘23, the Headteacher and the Head of Education wrote to parents last week to set out that it was our professional view that it is not possible to deliver the full entitlement of Curriculum for Excellence for 4 pupils, that we recommend they commence their senior phase at their partner school, CDHS.
“Dalry secondary school is an S1-S4 school. We are continuing to speak to pupils and parents to make sure young people are confident in the options they make. It is not the case that there will be no S4 to enter, as provision will be made.”