The keys to Tain’s new £72 million school campus have been formally handed over to Highland Council, clearing the way for pupils and staff to move into the new facility later this year.
The major new community campus will bring together Tain Royal Academy, Craighill Primary School and Knockbreck Primary School, which will form the newly named Tain Primary School, alongside St Duthus School on a single site.
The new campus will provide education for children and young people aged three to eighteen and is designed to create shared opportunities while allowing each school to retain its own identity.
Facilities include early years provision, primary education including Gaelic medium learning and full secondary school education within the same campus.
The development also includes a range of facilities that will be available for community use outside school hours.
These include outdoor sports pitches, a two court gymnasium, a four court games hall and a dedicated dance and drama studio.
Transition arrangements for pupils and parents are now underway as the final stages of preparation begin inside the new buildings.
Work is currently taking place to install furniture, fixtures and equipment ahead of the campus opening.
Pupils from Tain Primary School, including early learning childcare, and St Duthus School are expected to begin attending the new campus from Wednesday 22nd of April.
Pupils from Tain Royal Academy will follow on Wednesday 3rd of June after the completion of SQA examinations.
Chair of the Highland Council Education Committee Councillor John Finlayson visited the campus last week as part of the official handover from contractors Kier Group.
During the visit P1 pupils from Craighill and Knockbreck Primary Schools were given the honour of officially receiving the keys to the new building.
Councillor Finlayson said:
“It was fantastic to visit the new Tain Campus and see the outstanding facilities created for pupils and staff.
“This marks an important milestone for the Tain community, and I am confident this new community campus will support a high quality learning environment, flourishing Gaelic medium provision, and wider opportunities for collaboration between the three schools and the wider community for years to come.
“I would like to thank parents, pupils, and staff for their patience as we complete the final stages of this project.”
The new building also marks a first for the Highland school estate.
Tain Campus is the first school building in the region to achieve Passivhaus certification, meaning it has been designed to meet high standards of energy efficiency.
The building includes enhanced insulation, an airtight structure and a mechanical ventilation system that allows efficient heat recovery throughout the campus.
The project replaces several existing school buildings in Tain that are no longer considered suitable for modern education needs.
The campus forms part of Highland Council’s wider Highland Investment Plan.
The long term programme represents a £2.1 billion capital investment over twenty years aimed at improving schools, local infrastructure and public services across the region.
