Consultation on the proposal to discontinue education at Knockbreck Primary School, Isle of Skye

Consultation on the proposal to discontinue education at Knockbreck Primary School, Isle of Skye

Highland Council is carrying out a statutory consultation on a proposal to discontinue education at Knockbreck Primary School, Isle of Skye, and re-assign the school catchment area to Dunvegan Primary School.

On the 26th August 2026, the Highland Council Education Committee agreed to consult on a proposal to discontinue education at Knockbreck Primary School, Isle of Skye, and re-assign the school catchment area to Dunvegan Primary School.

Reasons for the proposal:

• Knockbreck Primary School has been temporarily closed since April 2024, and no pupils currently attend the school. At the time of publication of this proposal, six primary-aged pupils reside within the catchment area, with five attending Dunvegan Primary School and one attending Portree Primary School.
• The Council has reviewed current attendance patterns, recent school roll information, community feedback and available demographic information. The Council has identified no evidence of current or foreseeable demand sufficient to support the sustainable re-opening of the school.
• The Council considers that continued temporary closure would not provide an appropriate long-term solution and would prolong uncertainty regarding the future of the school. The proposal would provide clarity regarding future educational provision for children residing within the catchment area and align statutory catchment arrangements with established attendance patterns.
• The Council has also identified educational benefits associated with access to larger school settings, including larger age-appropriate peer groups, enhanced opportunities for collaborative learning and social interaction, and wider curricular and extra-curricular opportunities.
• Community engagement undertaken on 2 March 2026 found no evidence of significant demand for the re-opening of the school and indicated that former pupils had settled successfully within their receiving schools.

Before any final decision can be taken, a formal consultation is required in accordance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

Consultation

The purpose of this formal consultation is to gather the views of those who would be affected by the closure of Knockbreck Primary School and the re-assignment of the school catchment area to Dunvegan Primary School.

The consultation will run from:

Wednesday 2nd September 2026 until Friday 30th October 2026

All comments received during the consultation period will be presented to the Highland Council’s Education Committee for consideration.

Your Views

We want to hear your views on this proposal.

You can take part in the consultation by:

• Completing the online questionnaire - http://www.highland.gov.uk/schoolconsultations
• Emailing your comments to Education.Consultations@highland.gov.uk
• Writing to Education Services at the following address:

Education Business Support Team

Highland Council

Charles Kennedy Building

Fort William

PH33 6RQ

All comments must arrive no later than 30th October 2026

More details regarding the process for submitting responses are available in the letter to stakeholders.

Consultation Documents

The key documents relating to this consultation are available below:

• Proposal Paper
• Dunvegan and Knockbreck catchment areas
• Integrated Impact Assessment Screening Summary
• Letter to Stakeholders

Printed copies are also available for inspection at Dunvegan Primary School.

Public Meeting

A public meeting was held on Thursday 10th September at Dunvegan Community Hall to discuss the implications of this proposal.

Further information

If you have any questions regarding this consultation, please contact the Education Business Support Team:

Education.Consultations@highland.gov.uk

This consultation is being carried out in accordance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010