Argyll Rural Schools Network is committed to protecting and promoting all of Argyll’s rural and island schools, and to bringing Argyll and Bute Council to a clear understanding of their importance. Schools are more than just venues for our children’s education; they are vital community assets. As such, they are fundamental to the Council’s responsibility to secure the social and economic sustainability of its diverse rural communities for the long-term benefit of Argyll & Bute’s whole population. ARSN believes that Argyll & Bute could take a national lead in the delivery of rural education by forming strong links with communities to obtain mutual benefits.
Specifically, ARSN believes that our rural schools:-
• Offer an excellent education, effectively delivering the Curriculum for Excellence.
• Underpin the communities they lie in; without schools there is little prospect of our communities retaining or attracting families, potentially exacerbating demographic trends towards an ageing population, particularly in rural areas.
• Are essential for the long term sustainability and growth of our communities, both as direct employers and as important local services that attract businesses to locate in Argyll and Bute.
