Hightae Primary School

Right in the heart of Hightae, our little primary school has been the local school for the Royal Four Towns for generations. With just one class and 12 pupils, it offers the kind of personal attention that bigger schools find hard to match. It’s a place where children are known by name, everyone looks out for each other, and the whole community feels involved.

Hightae Primary School, Hightae

A small school with big heart

Hightae Primary sits on School Road in Hightae, Lockerbie DG11 1JN. It is partnered with St Mungo Primary and currently has one composite class covering P1 to P7. The roll sits at 12 children, which means teachers can really tailor the work to each child’s pace and interests.

The school follows Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence and puts a strong focus on literacy, numeracy and digital skills. Staff also make full use of the surrounding countryside for outdoor learning – wellies and waterproofs are part of the uniform on wet days.

What the school is known for

Back in 2013, Hightae Primary became the first school in Scotland to receive “excellent” ratings across every single category in an Education Scotland inspection. Inspectors highlighted the warm relationships, high expectations and the way older pupils naturally help the younger ones. You can read the full story on the BBC News website.

The school also holds Bronze Rights Respecting School status and is working towards Silver. Children learn about their rights and responsibilities, and the whole place runs on respect and kindness.

Our school's story

Hightae Primary has been the heart of education in the Royal Four Towns for generations. The school has stood on School Road in Hightae since at least the late 19th century and has never moved from its current location.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s the roll was much larger – around 40 to 49 pupils. Numbers gradually declined over the following years, reaching around 10–14 by the time of the 2013 inspection. Today the school has one composite class with 12 children. This small size allows the kind of personal attention that bigger schools find hard to match.

A typical day

The school day runs from 9am to 3pm. There’s a morning break at 10:30 and lunch from 12:30 to 1:15. Because it’s one class, the timetable mixes whole-class lessons with plenty of small-group and individual work. Everyone mucks in – older children often read with the younger ones or help during practical activities.

Hightae Primary School Parent Council

Every parent or carer of a child at the school is automatically part of the Parent Forum. The Parent Council is the smaller group of volunteers who meet regularly with the headteacher to discuss everything from school improvement plans to fundraising and events.

The current chairperson is Mrs Lisa Wilson. You can reach the Parent Council at hightaeparentcouncil@gmail.com. They organise coffee mornings, support school trips and help keep the lines of communication open between home and school.

Parent Council contact

hightaeparentcouncil@gmail.com

How to enrol your child

If you live in the Hightae catchment area, Hightae Primary is your local school. Enrolment for P1 normally happens in January each year – the council sends out forms and you take them to the school with proof of address and your child’s date of birth.

You can apply for a place at any time by contacting the school office directly. The headteacher and staff are happy to show prospective families around and answer any questions you have about how the school works.

School office

01387 810382

gw08officehightae@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

Full details on catchment areas and enrolment are on the Dumfries and Galloway Council website.

Frequently asked questions

How big is the school? +
Very small – one composite class with 12 pupils in total. This means every child gets plenty of individual attention.
Is there a school uniform? +
Yes – white polo shirt or blouse, school sweatshirt, dark trousers, skirt or pinafore. Wellies and waterproofs are recommended for outdoor learning.
Can I visit the school? +
Absolutely. Just phone the office on 01387 810382 and the headteacher will arrange a time to show you round.
How do parents keep in touch? +
The school uses Groupcall for texts and emails, regular newsletters and face-to-face chats at the school gate. Parents’ evenings and learning conversations happen twice a year.
Does the school have good links with the community? +
Very strong ones. The school uses the Royal Four Towns Hall for PE in winter, joins in village events and works closely with the Parent Council and local groups.

Find us

Hightae Primary School is on School Road in Hightae, Lockerbie DG11 1JN.

Get involved

Whether you want to join the Parent Council, help with reading or attend a coffee morning or school event, new faces are always welcome. The school and the Parent Council love having extra hands and fresh ideas from the four villages.