Campus first of its kind if green-lighted

Dunfermline learning campus will be the first of its kind in Scotland if the green light is given to co-locate two of the town’s secondary schools and Fife College.

The first public consultation meeting has been held online, following the publication of proposals for the replacement of Woodmill High School and St Columba’s High School.

If plans are approved the new schools – on the former Shepherd Offshore site at Halbeath – could be built by summer 2024.

Due to housing expansion in the area over the coming years, Woodmill High School, which currently has just under 1,400 pupils, will be built to accommodate up to 1,700 and St Columba’s, which has a roll of almost 900, will have a capacity of 1,000.

Buildings will be integrated to allow sharing of some accommodation, such as assembly halls, dining space, some senior phase curricular areas and outdoor education facilities. They will also have enhanced sports facilities.

Among those answering questions about the £180-200 million learning campus were Shelagh Mclean, Fife Council head of education, school estate service manager Louise Playford, St Columba’s head teacher Mick Mcgee and Woodmill depute head Jackie Sullivan.

While dining hall provision is yet to be determined, Mr Mcgee said timetabling and a high profile around the schools of senior leadership teams would be key.

Woodmill had maintained its ethos and community feel even when its roll grew from 900 to almost 1,400, noted Ms Sullivan.

Ms Playford said: “We do recognise that up 2,700 is a huge number of young people and as part of the design process we are not only looking at maintaining the identity of the schools, which absolutely is one of the core principles of this project, but we will also have to think about zoning space within the schools so that actually we can create quieter areas, for example, throughout the building so it does not feel too big.”

Activity will be assessed, Ms Mclean said, so the types of spaces required can be provided for the amount of time they are needed.

She said: “We find in our schools that our assembly halls are not used all of the time. If we don’t use it all of the time, a huge amount of space can be wasted, so for us making best use of that time and making sure it is used as regularly as possible allows us to make best use of the building.

“There will be an entrance for Woodmill High School pupils, there will be an entrance for St Columba’s High School pupils.”

Mr Mcgee said: “The opportunities for the young people are tremendous.

“I think we can make this, between the two schools and college, one of the best educational establishments in Europe.”

PLANS: Consultations have been held over Woodmill, St Columba’s and Fife College.