Saturday October 31st 2026
St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Selkirk
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Permanent closure of a Scottish Borders school will be on the agenda next week.
St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Selkirk closed in June 2024 following a significant drop in the school roll.
The school has a capacity for 50 pupils but numbers had fallen consistently over recent years.
When mothballing plans were endorsed it was projected that the school would soon have zero pupils.
Members of Scottish Borders Council will meet on Thursday, November 5.
They will be recommended to agreed commencement of a statutory consultation on a proposal to permanently close St Joseph’s.
A report concludes that “demand has not materially increased and that neither reopening the school nor continuing the mothballing or temporary closure, for a third year is reasonable”.
It adds: “The council recognises the importance of safeguarding the right of parents and carers to seek Roman Catholic denominational primary education.
“St Margaret’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Galashiels is approximately 6.1 miles from St Joseph’s and Halyrude Roman Catholic Primary School is located in Peebles.
“St Margaret’s roll in increasing. Officers have advised that, should additional denominational enrolments rise, appropriate measures could be considered, such as potentially safeguarding of denominational placements by way of introduction of a policy, and including additional staffing or other reasonable arrangements, to safeguard access to Roman Catholic provision within that area.”
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