Pupils get an early taste of university life in £50m tie-up

A UNIQUE £50 million education initiative establishing a direct link between a secondary school and a university has been announced.

The new Madras College in St Andrews will be constructed on university land. In exchange the university will take ownership of the school's current historic building.

St Andrews University plans to create a 10m project offering "state of the art" sports facilities which will be shared by the university and the school.

A total of 40m has already been set aside by the council.

Madras College Rector Ian Jones said: "It is an exciting plan giving us a unique opportunity to work with the university to the advantage of the whole community throughout north-east Fife.

"It will also provide us with a state of the art facility in collaboration with St Andrews University and will benefit all pupils."

Currently Madras is the only state secondary school in Scotland where pupils are split across two sites.

The original building, which dates from 1833, can house only the senior school pupils, with a modern building for younger pupils a mile and a half away.

Under the new scheme canteen, library and assembly hall facilities could also be shared, but the partnership would not just be practical – it is hoped pupils would take part in university lectures and use university laboratories.

Lecturers would visit the school while pupils would be encouraged to visit the university to help improve transition of youngsters into higher education.

The project business case, prepared by the council, aims to gain full planning consent by September 2011.

It is hoped construction could begin in October 2011, with the new school opening in 2013.

An artist's impression shows the new school building would consist of three wings emanating from a central hub, with a sunny, south-facing quadrangle in a nod to the previous South Street base of the school.

Cuttings from cherry trees at the school's former Kilrymont building would also be used to maintain the historic link.

The sports facilities would include 12 court games halls, tennis courts and both real and synthetic rugby and football pitches.

Dr Louise Richardson, principal of St Andrews University, has been in discussions since she took over at the university just over a year ago.

In February she said: "It will demystify university, and kids who never imagined applying to university will be coming to school on the campus at St Andrews and suddenly realise university is in their grasp."

She added: "It's an opportunity for the university to give back to the community – to do something creative and ambitious."