STAFF and children at a new school in Edinburgh are celebrating after Morgan Sindall Construction completed work in time for the new school year.
The new school project in the south east of the Scottish capital started life as Broomhills Primary in September 2019 but was renamed Frogston Primary School after a vote by children, parents, staff and community representatives in October 2020.
At the start of this school year earlier this month, Frogston Primary welcomed nine classes of children from Primary 1 to Primary 7.
It is the first brand new primary school in Edinburgh since the 1980s and has enough room for 420 pupils, and an Early Years Centre for up to 80 children.
The £13 million 4,000 sqm school project was designed by architects Holmes Miller and incorporates 14 classrooms spread across two storeys, with its steel roof construction designed to reflect the Pentland Hills. It also contains six flexi spaces, a games hall, dining hall, library and three general purpose rooms.
Frogston Primary has outdoor spaces to promote outdoor learning and a love of nature, including a sports pitch solely for school use and benefits from a seven-a-side 3G sports pitch and a large outdoor play area.
Stuart Parker, Morgan Sindall Construction’s managing director for Scotland said: “We deservedly have a reputation for working well with the community during the life of our projects and that certainly had to be to the fore during this one.
“Excellent collaboration between contractors, the council and the community at all times has brought a great result and happy pupils and staff. We’re delighted to have created this brilliant new building that will play such an important role in learning and development of the young people of south east Edinburgh.”
One of three major development sites in Edinburgh, the housing estate in which Frogston Primary is situated has contributed to a rise in population in this part of the city, which led to pressures on existing catchment areas of other primary schools.
Cllr Ian Perry, education convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I’m delighted the first cohort of pupils at Frogston Primary School have settled in so quickly to their new surroundings. Due to construction delays caused by the pandemic, staff and pupils spent their first year at Valley Park Community Centre and praise must go to them and their families for coping so admirably with those temporary arrangements.
“Frogston is the first new school we have built for a generation and it’s an exciting period for education in the capital as we have committed funds in future budgets as part of our ambitious new learning estate building programme which will see more than £500 million planned investment over the next decade.”
The project was procured through the council’s City of Edinburgh Contractor Works framework and used exclusively local supply chains and Edinburgh-based consultants.
