The Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2025
This Order, made by the Secretary of State under the Education and Inspections Act 2006, officially designates specific primary schools in England as 'rural primary schools' via a list published on the Gov.uk website. The designation triggers mandatory legal requirements for local authorities or governing bodies considering the closure of these schools, compelling them to consider the community impact and alternatives.
Furthermore, the Order revokes the previous Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2024 and comes into force on December 18th, 2025, applying to England and Wales.
Arguments For
Establishes a clear, updated list of primary schools officially recognized as 'rural' in England, which triggers specific legal protections regarding their potential closure.
Ensures that when local authorities or governing bodies propose shutting down a designated rural primary school, they must legally consider specific factors like the impact on the local community and available alternatives, aligning with the intent of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.
Provides legal clarity by formally revoking the previous 2024 Order, ensuring that only the most current designations apply from the commencement date.
Arguments Against
The designation relies on an external document published on Gov.uk, meaning the legal meaning of the Order is contingent on an external, frequently updated list, potentially creating administrative complexity for those needing to verify the status of a specific school.
Extending coverage to 'England and Wales' while only designating schools in England might cause jurisdictional confusion regarding the application of related Welsh educational statutes.
The revocation of the 2024 Order removes any legal standing for schools previously designated under that Order unless explicitly re-listed in the 2025 Order, potentially leading to a temporary gap in protection if the revocation precedes the designation taking full effect or if the lists differ.
The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of the power conferred by section 15(7)(b) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.
The Secretary of State is formally creating this legal Order by using the authority granted under section 15(7)(b) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.
Citation, commencement and extent
1.
(1) This Order may be cited as the Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2025.
(2) This Order comes into force on 18th December 2025.
(3) This Order extends to England and Wales.
The official name of this legal instrument is the Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2025.
This Order officially becomes effective on December 18, 2025.
Although the designation applies to schools in England, the legal scope of this Order covers both England and Wales.
Designation of rural primary schools
- The schools named in the list called “List of local authority maintained rural primary schools 2025”, published on the Gov.uk website on 16th December 2025, are designated as rural primary schools in England.
This provision officially designates certain primary schools in England as 'rural primary schools'.
The specific list of schools is contained in a document named “List of local authority maintained rural primary schools 2025,” which was made public on the Gov.uk website on December 16, 2025.
Revocation
- The Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2024 is revoked.
This formal action cancels and nullifies the previous legal instrument, The Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2024.
For and on behalf of the Secretary of State Matt Collins Deputy Director Department for Education 17th December 2025
This section documents the official signatory details, confirming that Matt Collins, serving as Deputy Director for the Department for Education, authorized the Order on behalf of the Secretary of State on December 17, 2025.
Explanatory Note (This note is not part of the Order)
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.
This non-statutory note clarifies the Order's purpose: to officially list primary schools in England as 'rural' under Section 15 of the 2006 Act and cancel the 2024 Order.
Section 15 mandates that bodies proposing to close a designated rural school must review specific considerations, such as community impact and feasible alternatives.
Under Section 16 of the same Act, mandatory pre-proposal consultation must occur with specified groups, including parents and relevant local councils, before any decision to close a designated school is finalized.
The designation is based on an external list published online, which authorities must consult when planning school closures.
Contact details are provided for obtaining physical copies of this list.
Authorities determined that this Order will not cause a significant impact on private, voluntary, or public sectors, so a full regulatory impact assessment was not required.
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