Edinburgh school to be built on framework of Curriculum for Excellence

A new school designed to meet the specific requirements of Scotland’s new curriculum will form part of a £42 million campus project earmarked for Scotland’s capital.

The new James Gillespie’s High School, which is due to open in 2015, has been designed around the principles of Curriculum for Excellence, the controversial new teaching framework introduced into Scotland’s schools in 2010.

The new school, which will feature “collaborative research spaces” and an “innovation hub” is being joint-funded by Edinburgh city council and the Scottish Government.

Approval for the school follows an extensive consultation with staff, pupils, parents and local residents. It will be the centrepiece of a new £42m campus development, which is also expected to include increased nursery capacity and improvements to the existing primary school.

City Education Leader Cllr Marilyne MacLaren said: “The new high school will provide a modern and inspiring environment, with a number of pioneering design features that I think will lead the way for contemporary school buildings throughout Scotland.”

Introduced in 2010 after it was delayed for a year due to concerns from teachers, Curriculum for Excellence is the teaching framework used for children aged 3-18.