Good progress is being made with construction of the new £47.2 million Wallyford Learning Campus, which is set to open its doors in August next year, the council has reported.

The building, which is being built on farmland west of Masons Way, is rapidly taking shape and at the heart of it will be East Lothian’s newest secondary school, which is needed to meet the needs of an expanding school roll amid the construction of hundreds of new homes in the area.

READ MORE: Education Secretary visits site of £47.2million new Wallyford secondary school

Taking pupils living in the catchment areas of Wallyford Primary School and Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School in Musselburgh, it will have a projected future pupil roll of more than 1,000.

About 300 young people are expected to attend initially when the school opens.

Pupils due to start S1 in August 2023 who are in the Pinkie St Peter’s and Wallyford Primary catchment areas will form the new S1 intake.

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Youngsters attending Musselburgh Grammar School, living in the Pinkie St Peter’s and Wallyford catchment areas, who will be going into S2 and S3 in August, 2023, will transfer to the new Wallyford Learning Campus when it opens.

Pupils attending Musselburgh Grammar School - living in the Pinkie St Peter’s and Wallyford catchment areas, going into S4, S5 and S6 in August, 2023 - will remain at Musselburgh Grammar School for the remainder of their senior phase secondary education, as they prepare to sit exams in that session.

East Lothian Courier: The new Wallyford learning campus, which features a new secondary school, is due to open in August, 2023The new Wallyford learning campus, which features a new secondary school, is due to open in August, 2023

An East Lothian Council spokesperson explained “In certain circumstances there will the option of pupils remaining at Musselburgh Grammar School for the rest of their secondary education. For example, younger siblings of pupils attending Musselburgh Grammar in August, 2023, who live in the Pinkie St Peter’s and Wallyford catchment areas, would have the option to attend Musselburgh Grammar if they wish.”

Pupils with severe and complex learning needs, who live across East Lothian and have been assessed by the Education Resource Group as requiring a specialist provision for their secondary education, will also attend the new learning campus.

The council spokesperson said: “Parents/carers will be able to apply for their child to do so by submitting a placing request to the council. We expect the appropriate forms will be available on our website around November, 2022.”

They added: “Young people from other primary school catchment areas in Musselburgh will continue to attend Musselburgh Grammar School.”

Alongside modern teaching and social spaces, the new learning facility will include specialist provision for secondary age young people with severe and complex needs who live across the county, a dedicated Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) centre, and a Tots and Teens area.

In addition, the campus will provide access to gym, sport, nutrition and health and wellbeing facilities. A range of partnership opportunities have been well developed in order to provide an enhanced range of outdoor learning, employability and training opportunities, for both adults and young people.

The council spokesperson said: “The building has been designed to complement the neighbouring Wallyford Primary School with extensive glazing, access to natural light and brick-clad facades. We are very excited about the additional opportunities that this campus provides.”

East Lothian Council is in the process of recruiting a head teacher to lead the new campus.

“Working collaboratively with the senior leadership teams in Musselburgh Grammar School, Wallyford Primary School and Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School, the head teacher will engage with learners who will transition to the new school and their parents/carers.

“The head teacher will collaborate with stakeholders to create a vision for the new school, lead the recruitment of staff and establish its operating systems,” said the council spokesperson.

They added: “More information about this, including the recruitment of the staff team, will be announced in due course and there will be opportunities to find out more as work progresses.”