St Kevin's ASL Primary School and St Stephen's Primary School closure decision: letter to Glasgow City Council

Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010: Glasgow City Council - St Kevin's ASL Primary School and St Stephen's Primary School 

I refer to your email of 24 June 2022 notifying Scottish Ministers of Glasgow City Council’s decision of 23 June 2022 to implement the proposal to close St Kevin’s ASL Primary School & St Stephen’s Primary School and create a new combined, inclusive primary school. Ministers have considered this proposal in line with the requirements set out in the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 (“the 2010 Act”). 

Under section 17 of the 2010 Act, Ministers may only issue a call-in notice if it appears to them that the education authority may have failed: 

(a) in a significant regard to comply with the requirements imposed on it by (or under) the 
Act so far as they are relevant in relation to the closure proposal, or 

(b) to take proper account of a material consideration relevant to its decision to implement 
the proposal. 

Section 15(2) of the 2010 Act requires an education authority to provide a copy of the proposal paper and the consultation report prepared under the Act to Ministers when notifying them of a closure proposal.

Section 15(4) of the 2010 Act requires Ministers to take into account any relevant representations made to them by any person during the 3 week period from the date that a closure decision is made. In relation to this closure proposal, the 3 week period began on 24 June 2022 and expired on 13 July 2022. No representations were received.

Having reviewed the documents provided by Glasgow City Council under section 15(2) and considered all relevant representations made under section 15(4), Ministers consider that Glasgow City Council has fulfilled its obligations under the 2010 Act and do not intend to issue a call-in notice for this proposal.

Glasgow City Council may now implement its decision to close St Kevin’s ASL Primary School & St Stephen’s Primary Schools in line with the timescales set out in its proposal paper. 

We also noted in Education Scotland’s report on the closure of St Kevin’s ASL Primary School & St Stephen’s Primary School they recommend Glasgow City Council Council continue to engage with all stakeholders to address their concerns in relation to meeting the wide ranging learning and development needs of all learners. This includes making clear the steps that will be taken by the school to assess and meet in full the wide range of learning and additional support needs for all learners. In addition, Glasgow City Council should make clear to stakeholders how it will continue to monitor the progress of all learners within the new school.

Yours sincerely,

Sam Anson
Deputy Director, Workforce, Infrastructure and Digital
Learning Directorate