The Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2025

This Order designates certain primary schools in England as rural primary schools for the purposes of section 15 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”). It also revokes the Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2024.

Section 15 of the 2006 Act requires that when either a local authority or, for certain schools, the governing body formulates proposals for the discontinuance of a rural primary school, it must have regard to specific factors. These factors include the likely effect of discontinuance on the local community and any alternatives to the discontinuance of the school. Before publishing proposals for discontinuance, section 16 of the 2006 Act requires that the local authority or governing body must consult certain persons, including parents, any parish council, and where the local authority is a county council, any district council. Where it is a governing body making the proposals, the local authority must also be consulted.

This Order designates rural primary schools by reference to a list of schools published on 16th December 2025 on the Gov.uk website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rural-primary-schools-designation. When considering proposals to discontinue schools, local authorities and governing bodies should refer to this list. A copy may also be obtained by writing to the Department for Education at the following address: School Organisation Policy Unit, Department for Education, Third Floor, Bishopsgate House, Darlington, DL1 5QE.

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.