Highland school with no pupils saved from closure

A Highland school with no pupils has been saved from closure because there could be children joining in the future.

Badcaul Primary School was mothballed in January 2022 after its last few children were relocated to Ullapool Primary – a 60-mile (97km) round trip for some of them.

Highland Council officers recommended shutting the school permanently, but councillors have voted to keep it available to future pupils and staff.

Councillor Marianne Hutchison, who brought forward the proposal, said a new fish farm being built nearby could potentially bring workers’ families to the area.

A report to Highland Council’s education committee said pupils who had moved to Ullapool Primary had settled in well and were enjoying a positive learning experience.

But the report added the children had also expressed “sadness” at the loss of their old school.

Ms Hutchison told the committee’s meeting on Wednesday the new fish farm at Badcaul was expected to be operational later this year, and could mean families moving to the area.

She said there was also some opposition in the local community to the school being closed for good.

Skye councillor Ruraidh Stewart described the plans to shut the school entirely “short-sighted” and risked “killing off a community”.

The committee voted against closing the school, and instead to keep it mothballed, meaning it would be shut but kept in a condition ready for future use.

Reporting by local democracy reporter Will Angus.