Bertha Park Academy takes shape.

The Bertha Park academy is due to open in 2019

Scotland’s first new secondary school in more than 20 years is taking shape at the heart of a £1 billion Perthshire village.

The steel structure of the Bertha Park academy is being swung into place on the edge of Perth.

And with an opening date of summer 2019, the school has already welcomed its first wave of pupils.

Sixteen youngsters from eight local primaries were given a tour of the site by Robertson Tayside construction crews.

The children are enjoying a series of six visits as part of the Robertson Reporters programme.

Gemma Gourley, director of social sustainability at the Robertson Group, said: “This is both a unique and immensely valuable opportunity for the pupils to be invested right from the start of a project that will completely change the future of Perth – with many of them going on to attend the new school in the coming years.”

The £32.5 million school will have a roll of 1,100. The first generation of around 100 pupils are due to move in by August 2019.

Designs for the new academy include an additional support needs unit and multi-use games area.

A biomass energy plant, which turns natural gas into electricity, will be built in the school grounds to help provide power.

Bertha Park was awarded £23m of Scottish Government money and is part of a wider £145m shake-up of schools across the region.

It is the first brand new secondary school – not a replacement – to be built in Scotland since 1995.

Work on the 800-acre Bertha Park village is being spearheaded by Springfield Properties, which secured planning consent for its masterplan last year.

Construction on the 3,000 homes will continue for the next 30 years, creating about 450 building jobs.

It is estimated Bertha Park, featuring 60 acres of commercial land – shops, offices and restaurants – will generate work for 2,000 people.

Caroline Shiers, convener of the local authority’s lifelong learning committee, said: “I am delighted that local young people are being given the opportunity to participate in the development of the new school premises at Bertha Park through the Robertson Reporters programme.”

The Conservative councillor added: “This scheme ensures that the council’s commitment to providing excellent learning environments continues to be realised with this new – and very welcome – addition to our school estate.”

This scheme ensures that the council’s commitment to providing excellent learning environments continues to be realised. COUNCILLOR CAROLINE SHIERS

The steel structure of the new academy is being put into place at the site on the edge of Perth.