Rural Perthshire school’s anxious summer after U-turn

Decision a ‘price for being rural’

Parents at a Perthshire primary school believe their kids are paying a price for being rural after education chiefs reneged on promises over staffing arrangements.

Kinloch Rannoch Primary School and Nursery parents face an agonising and uncertain summer after council education staff informed them of significant changes to teaching arrangements, just days before the start of the summer holidays.

The email informing them of the changes came 7 weeks after the same parents, who work in local businesses, were reassured that teaching would remain unchanged next term.

‘Thinned out’

Now parents have been informed that, due to a drop in pupil roll, which will only last one year, teaching duties will be assumed by a streamlined team of one Head Teacher and one new classroom teacher.

Furthermore, children ranging from age 5 to 10 will also see periodic single ‘group’ teaching rather than being split into two distinct year-defined classrooms; something which has worked well for pupils to date.

Complaints against the decision have been filed but questions remain unanswered, with the schools set to close for summer, on Thursday.

Not only is the uncertainty causing anger and frustration, but parents are also unlikely to know how changes will impact their children until after schools resume, and have sought an urgent review.

Additional needs

With 61% of the pupils requiring some additional support, parents feel they are being treated differently for being rural.

“We feel we are not being treated fairly,” said one. “Just because we are miles away from the centre in Perth, it doesn’t mean we should be left waiting for answers like this. To be told 5 days before the end of the term, when we had been previously reassured, is not an appropriate way to be treated.”

“One of the key things that the children need is stability. We potentially face a whole summer waiting. Already two very popular teachers are leaving and that has been really saddening for the children. They face persistent instability and now will be looking at more.”

The Cornerstone has proved a great addition to village life

Fluctuations

The school roll at Kinloch Rannoch has fluctuated down the years. This year the school has enjoyed a pupil roll of 18 with a Head Teacher, 2 classroom teachers and 3 support staff.

This coming term, 5 kids will graduate to secondary school and 3 P6s have left, with only 1 moving up from nursery, making 11 pupils in total.

This will be temporary, however, with 4 stepping up from the nursery, bolstering the roll again next year.

“The school roll is dropping because some pupils’ educational needs in older years are not fulfilled resulting in parents chosing to move children up early to school in Aberfeldy. With even less teachers, this problem becomes more pronounced,” said another impacted parent.

“A very rural school should never be treated by the same rules as schools in Perth. The sheer distances and availability of choice already limits rural pupils. Year on year, parents have campaigned for wraparound childcare, for at least 2 classes and have worked hard to mitigate the effects of consistent reductions in extra curricular activities being offered.”

“Geographical deprivation is a known challenge in Highland Perthshire and blanket central decisions threaten our pupils and our community. We were given assurance in a letter dated 5th May 2026 that 2 classes would remain, yet a mere few weeks later this assurance has been broken.”

“Our children have been adversely affected emotionally and instead of celebrating the end of term and their achievements they are worried about yet more change and new teachers who may not understand their needs and learning styles.”

“It is also not fair on the staff in school who work so hard to support the learning needs of all of the children. Being spread too thin makes this an impossible ask.”

In an explanatory letter to parents, A Perth & Kinross Council Quality Improvement Officer, said that in light ‘of a continued decline in pupil numbers, the staffing model for session 2026/27 will require further adjustment.’

The letter added that pupils working in smaller groups and sometimes in whole school groups was a ‘flexible approach’ which would ensure children received an ‘appropriate and high quality learning experience.’

Situated on the edge of Loch Rannoch, the picturesque village of Kinloch Rannoch is popular with visitors and new attractions such as the community-owned Cornerstone have created fresh vibrancy.

However, the community struggles with a lack of housing and wraparound care, impacting businesses, and the recruitment of professionals such as teachers.