THE smallest school in Britain is to close after its only pupil moves to a secondary school on Mainland Orkney.
North Ronaldsay Primary School’s single classroom will be kept on “stand-by” from August after Teigan Scott, 12, takes the weekly flight to her new school.
The pupil has attended the tiny school building for several years but will now take a 20-minute flight to Mainland Orkney to attend Kirkwall Grammar School.
Teigan’s mother Maureen Johnstone said: “Teigan has just finished primary seven and is heading to Kirkwall Grammar School. She’s had a lot of preparation for the move.
“She leaves early on the Monday and will come back on the Friday. She’ll stay in Papdale Halls during the week.”
Johnstone said the school closure was “a big loss to the island” but that Teigan would know a lot of pupils at her new school.
She added: “She is our youngest, so it will be a bit quiet around the house.”
Councillor Kevin Woodbridge said the population on North Ronaldsay, the most northern island in the Orkney archipelago, had halved since he arrived in 1977. He said poor transport links and broadband services affect the population’s ability to work.
He said: “It’s very sad but it demonstrates the decline on the island that has led to this. When I came here there were 17 people at the school and 127 on the island, now we have 50 to 60 people. I think it’s totally down to the transport on the island, we only get fresh food once a week during winter.”
Orkney Islands Council said the school would be brought back into use if more families with primary school age children move to the island. It will also be used by community groups on the island.
A spokesman said: “The classroom will be kept on stand-by from August onwards and would be used as a school room again if a family or families with primary-age children move to the island. In the meantime, it will remain open for people of all ages in North Ronaldsay to use for a range of learning activities, managed by the local community association.”
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