Carsphairn Primary School Survey

Carsphairn Primary School has been mothballed since 2019. Parents/carers and the Carsphairn Community Council have tried for many years to have the primary school reopened to allow children within the catchment area to attend the local school.

As this has been unsuccessful for many years and there is soon to be a change in the mothballing policy, a small group of Carsphairn residents and parents have created a group called Carsphairn Learning and Development Committee (CLaDC). CLaDC have an application currently being assessed by OSCR to run as a two tier SCIO meaning that all decisions for the future are made with members and a board of trustees. Membership will soon be open to the residents of Carsphairn Parish.

CLaDC would like to formally ask for full closure of the school and acquire the building through a community asset transfer (CAT). After a full renovation of the building inside and playground outside, CLaDC would like to offer holiday clubs with various specialists being brought in to allow our children to access different sports and activities that they may not be able to participate in locally; weekend and evening youth groups with fun activities; and in the future, a chance to access an online education and face-to-face education in the building.

The project’s main focus will be from ages 4 to 18. The outside area will be open to children to use outside of hours as a safe space to play and socialise with each other. This will allow families who already reside here, to make use of a building that is currently unused and falling into disrepair, and for families in the future to choose Carsphairn as a place they would like to settle.

CLaDC have created a form to ask residents within the catchment area if they would agree to full closure of the currently mothballed primary school. If the survey responses indicate a wish for closure, CLaDC will inform Carsphairn Community Council and they will ask Dumfries and Galloway Council for formal closure of the school.

CLaDC want to ensure that any actions taken represent community wants and needs - please fill this simple form out as a household.

CLaDC would appreciate your timely response by Sunday 13th April.