1990-1996: Endings

John Aitkenhead was in his 80s as Kilquhanity House School entered the 1990s. Declining health, changes in leadership and pupil numbers along with a damning HMI report led to closure of the school.

A short but difficult article to write!

At the Jubilee celebrations in 1990 rumours had spread that John Aitkenhead was to announce the closure of the school. He quashed these rumours making it clear that that was not his intention.

As the 1990s progressed pupil admissions began to decline.

John had appointed Richard Jones as his deputy. Richard had been teaching woodwork and other crafts at Kilquhanity for the past twenty years. He was a skilled woodworker and musical instrument maker. As former professional musician he was instrumental in the recordings of the Courtyard Music Group albums in the 1970s.

As the 1990s progressed John’s health deteriorated further, and he relied on both Richard and Gavin Aitkenhead to manage the day-to-day running of the school.

In 1993 John appointed Gavin as headmaster of Kilquhanity.

In theory Gavin and Richard Jones were given responsibility for the management of the school. John was to act as consultant.

In conversations with Gavin he acknowledged that although John had given him the role of headteacher, John, was unable to give Gavin complete responsibility. There followed many disagreements with John unable to ‘let go of the reins’ and Gavin frustrated and impotent over many issues.

By this time Gavin Aitkenhead was living off-site in New Galloway with his young family, and he was only willing to take on the role of Headteacher as long as the school became a day school only – that is no more boarders.

In May 1994 John issued the following statement:

In my records there is attached to John’s copy a hand-written note that says:

‘This statement is made in the sincere hope that it will be provide a basis for a good working relationship between Gavin (Aitkenhead ed.) and Richard (Jones, Deputy Head and Woodwork teacher ed.) – as essential that would require to be tested in the coming year.’

Kilquhanity was John’s school and had been for the previous 54 years. I do not think he was, at this time, trusting that Gavin and Richard could take it on board and run the school as John would wish.

On the 5th June 1994 John and Morag were on holiday in Skyros where John received a phone call from Richard Jones. John’s note of this phone call states:

Phone call at Dino’s from Richard
A tiny bit of hope
Resigned as Deputy
Everything on hold till we meet.
Richard sends love to Morag
Both ask us to enjoy remainder of holiday.’

On the 3rd of June 1994 John wrote to Gavin

On the 7th June 1994 John composed a poem to Gavin

The last line read:

‘For young an auld livin’ the gather.’

Like all of John’s poetry this one came from the heart of the man. 

In September 1996 Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education (HMI) carried out an Inspection visit of Kilquhanity house School. 

As John states below the HMI report was ‘Damning . . . ‘ of the school. On 3rd of December 1996 John issued the following statement to the Staff, on the future of the school;

This was followed on the same day with a statement to parents. Shortly after this I was approached to become a Trustee of Kilquhanity to work alongside other Trustees and the family to manage the closure of the school. The following year the Aitkenhead family, staff, kids and parents all struggled with the closure; there was much anger and sadness. For once in its life Kilquhanity was unable to celebrate.

In 2002 the Kilquhanity estate was sold to Kinokuni Childrens Village (Japan). Staff and children from the 5 Kinokuni schools have continued to visit since then. (at the time of writing 2024)

In 2003  Morag Aitkenhead wrote the following to Shinichiro Hori the Director of Kinokuni Childrens Village, Japan, and the new owner of Kilquhanity.