Officially open for business

THE new Eastwood High school opened yesterday to a great fanfare by local people, pupils. staff and elected representatives.
Mark Kyle, Jim Fletcher, Mary Montague, Stuart Maxwell, Alasdair Allan, Elaine Green, Alastair Carmichael Bianca Deliada and Julia Walker at the opening.Mark Kyle, Jim Fletcher, Mary Montague, Stuart Maxwell, Alasdair Allan, Elaine Green, Alastair Carmichael Bianca Deliada and Julia Walker at the opening.
Mark Kyle, Jim Fletcher, Mary Montague, Stuart Maxwell, Alasdair Allan, Elaine Green, Alastair Carmichael Bianca Deliada and Julia Walker at the opening.

Built at a cost of £29 million, Eastwood was constructed under the Scottish government-funded Schools for the Future programme, run by the Scottish Futures Trust.

Convener for education and equalities, councillor Elaine Green unveiled a plaque to officially open the new building.

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A special guest on the day was Dr Alasdair Allan, the minister for learning, sciences and Scotland’s languages.

The school is the result of a link that East Renfrewshire council built with its Midlothian counterpart to provide a joint delivery of new schools for both authorities.

By thus joining forces, with both using the same designer, contracot and supplier, the councils managed to shave more than £4 million off the final bill.

A second commemorative plaque was presented by convener for community services and community safety, councillor Mary Montague, to the school’s head boy and head girls — Mark Kyle and Bianca Deladia — and Julia Walker from the council’s sports services, to be hung in the new sports centre.

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Councillor Elaine Green said: “The stunning, new £29 million Eastwood High school represents a major investment by East Renfrewshire council, which is committed to delivering the very best education facilities.

“Eastwood, like all our schools, is providing a first-class learning experience for young people — just days before the new school opened its doors to pupils for the first time, they recorded their best-ever exam results — now they have an inspiring environment to match.

“We are proud to have been, with Midlothian council, the first local authority in Scotland to have taken pat in this groundbreaking project.

“It has been such a success that we are using the same model for the new, £24 million Barrhead High school.

“It is very exciting to see the new Eastwood High take shape and it is wonderful to be here again today to officially open our newest school.”