THE £30 million Neilston Learning Campus in East Renfrewshire has been officially opened.
Jenny Gilruth MSP, cabinet secretary for education and skills, and councillor Andrew Anderson, convener for education, equalities, culture and leisure at East Renfrewshire Council, unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.
The facility, which brings together St Thomas’ and Neilston primaries and Madras Family Centre onto a single campus, opened its doors to pupils in March last year. The official opening event provided an opportunity to showcase how it has transformed the learning opportunities available.
Heron Bros led the build of the learning facility on behalf of East Renfrewshire Council.
The campus was designed to ensure both schools and the family centre retain their unique identities and teaching spaces, with shared facilities including a large sports hall, Digi-Zone, a dedicated space for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEAM), an art room, a green screen video editing area, and drama and music space.
The opening ceremony featured musical recitals from pupils, including a rendition of ‘You are my Sunshine’ by the nursery children, a religious blessing, and speeches from pupils from both schools.
Councillor Andrew Anderson said, “Today’s official opening ceremony was a wonderful way to mark this new chapter for learning in Neilston. This fantastic campus, combined with the staff, pupils, parents and wider community, will become the beating heart of the village and contribute to an environment where our children and young people will flourish. The completed campus offers our children and young people the very best learning environment and I’m delighted that sustainability is also at the core of the design, with the latest renewable energy technologies being used including air source heat pumps. A school community is about so much more than bricks and mortar and it’s clear that the ethos and relationships which have already developed at Neilston Learning Campus since its opening will support all to achieve their very best.”
Cabinet secretary for education and skills Jenny Gilruth added, “I welcome the opening of this state-of-the-art campus – we now have a record number of pupils in Scotland being taught in schools that are in ‘good’ or ‘satisfactory’ condition. The Scottish Government is providing £10.6 million for the Neilston Learning Campus through the £2 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme which by the end of 2027-28, will have delivered 47 modern, state of the art schools.”
