A SPECIALIST Scottish school for children and young people with autism will close down after almost 50 years.
Scottish Autism announced with “deep sadness” that the New Struan School, in Alloa, would be shutting for good in 2026.
Opened in 1977, the school caters for pupils across the autism spectrum with different levels of communication, social understanding and sensory needs.
Offering both residential and day tutoring, New Struan School can accept up to 42 girls and boys from ages 5 to 19. However, a decline in pupils in recent years means just six remain.
Dorry McLaughlin, the chief executive of Scottish Autism, said that the board had made the “difficult decision” to close both the school and its residence from June 2026.
McLaughlin went on: “Originally opened as Struan House School in 1977, the school has provided high-quality, specialist education to hundreds of autistic children from all over Scotland. New Struan is a proud part of our history.
“We recognise the excellent work still carried out by our team of teachers and support staff, and this decision is in no way a reflection on their dedication and hard work.
“However, times have changed, and local authorities are now seeking to support children closer to their own communities.
“We have seen a gradual decline in referrals over the past decade, and a school originally built for 42 young people now supports only six learners, three of whom will leave school in the summer.
“This makes it harder to provide a school community and shared learning experience in the way that we have in the past. As a result of this shift in commissioning, neither the model offered, nor the financial situation faced by New Struan are sustainable.”
McLaughlin said Scottish Autism would continue to work to provide “local, individualised and inclusive support to autistic young people”.
She added: “Given that most autistic young people are now placed in mainstream schools, we are also seeing increasing demand for our training and consultancy service. Through this work we partner with teachers to improve inclusion and ensure that autistic children receive the education to which they are entitled, building on the expertise of New Struan.
“We are determined to support autistic young people to learn and flourish, which has been part of the mission of Scottish Autism since our foundation.”
