Readers probably thought they knew a rural school when they saw one. They reckoned without the efforts of the Scottish Executive.
A parliamentary answer from Peter Peacock, the Education Minister, explains (if that is the word): “For various statistical purposes, the Scottish Executive classifies settlements of 3,000 or less people to be ‘rural’.
“That core definition is further refined by reference to settlements based on the 3,000 and 10,000 population thresholds. Settlements of less than 3,000 people and within 30 minutes drive of a settlement of 10,000 or more are classified as ‘accessible rural’; settlements of less than 3,000 people and more than 30 minutes drive to a settlement of 10,000 or more are classified as ‘remote rural’.”
Haven’t finished yet. “For statistical purposes,” the minister stated, “any school in an ‘accessible rural’ or ‘remote rural’ settlement would be classified as a rural school.” So it’s all rural then.
Phew! Got there, as they say in remoter places.
