Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Jenny Gilruth officially opened Wallyford Learning Campus today (29 November).

Ms Gilruth joined East Lothian Council elected members, council officials, staff and learners from Rosehill High School, members of the project team and community representatives at an event to celebrate the multimillion-pound facility.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “The Wallyford Learning Campus is a prime example of the Scottish Government delivering for communities through our £2 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme. It is fantastic to see the Campus come to life, and I am very pleased to officially open the facilities today.

“The new campus was needed as a result of significant population growth in this area, and through our investment 91% of schools in Scotland are in ‘good’ or ‘satisfactory’ condition, a marked increase from 62.7% in 2007.”

The strategic vision for Wallyford Learning Campus was a place for the community to meet and learn together. It brings together the newly-established Rosehill High School, a library, community centre and sports pitches. Partnerships with Edinburgh College and SRUC in the form of Construction Skills and Rural Skills academies offer further education, employability and training opportunities for both adults and young people. The development received around £22.1m funding from Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) phase 1.

East Lothian Council’s Cabinet member for Education and Children’s and Family Services Councillor Fiona Dugdale said: “We are delighted to welcome Jenny Gilruth to Wallyford Learning Campus today along with so many people involved in the development and running of this fantastic building. This has been an ambitious project to bring together a number of facilities under one roof that would improve connections and offer a range of opportunities to the widest community.

“It is a testament to partnership working using Scottish Government funding, East Lothian Council investment and officers’ skills, our construction partners’ expertise, and community involvement. The results of this careful collaboration are evident in the quality of the spaces and the benefits that are already being successfully delivered.”

East Lothian Council’s development partner Hub South East appointed Morrison Construction as main contractor to deliver the project with JM Architects undertaking design works. Main works started in August 2021 with contractors navigating Covid-19 restrictions and significant construction market challenges throughout to achieve handover date in August 2023. The finished building, with its light-filled spaces and nature-inspired interiors designed by East Lothian Council’s interior designer, was highly commended last week at the Learning Places Scotland awards Project of the Year category and commended in the Glasgow Institute of Architecture Awards.

Paul McGirk, Hub South East’s Chief Executive, said: “It was an honour to be invited back for the official opening of the Wallyford Learning Campus and to hear how the new building is being so well received by pupils, staff and the local community – a real testament to the hard work of all parties involved. The Campus is not only a fantastic educational setting but is a real collaborative asset for East Lothian, allowing the development of community, further education and business partnerships that will leave a lasting legacy.

“This was the first LEIP project to start on site in Scotland and was the first secondary school to be delivered through this new Scottish Government programme. We’re proud to have been entrusted with its successful delivery, assisting our clients in achieving aspirational policy objectives around net zero, place and inclusive economic growth and further cementing our excellent partnership with East Lothian Council.”