Learning Estate Programme Update ECSPB
Renfrewshire Council · 12 March 2026
Back to Education and Children's Services Policy Board — 12 March 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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OFFICIAL To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 12 March 2026 __________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services __________________________________________________________________ Heading: Learning Estate Programme Update __________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. The current phase of the Learning Estate Delivery Programme is ongoing with the following live projects: • Paisley Grammar School Community Campus • Park Mains High School Extension & Internal Interventions • Thistle Primary School 1.2. This report provides a short update on the latest development of project construction and design progress. __________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations Members of the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board are asked to: 2.1. Note the progress of project delivery in the Learning Estate Programme.
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OFFICIAL 3. Paisley Grammar School Community Campus 3.1. The project to deliver a new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus continues to deliver on time, and on budget, and is scheduled to complete by the summer of 2026. 3.2. Construction is progressing at pace, with many areas in the building now fully complete including decoration and furniture fit out. 3.3. Digital fit out has now also commenced with interactive teaching boards now implemented throughout the school, and all ICT equipment progressing through the order and preparation stages. 3.4. Work continues on the major construction of the new Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMIDS) South project that will deliver core travel infrastructure supporting the school including a new link road that connects Renfrew Road to Harbour Road, facilitating alternative travel routes for both active travel and vehicular access to the new school. 3.5. Work also continues to complete the new underpass connecting Gallowhill to existing active travel routes by utilising a former railway underpass. This work is scheduled to be completed by spring 2026. 3.6. The Council’s Roads Department is also progressing a number of identified improvement works to the critical roads and footpath network in the vicinity of the new school. 3.7. Recently, the Scottish Government approved exceptional closure days for Paisley Grammar School. A request was made to allow vital preparation by staff for moving to the new school at the end of this school year, and for set up time at the start of the new school year. This means that pupils attending Paisley Grammar School will finish two days earlier in June 2026, and open two days later at the start of the new term in August 2026. As part of this process, the school will advise pupils how to source any relevant learning material, and will provide payments to all families of pupils who are in receipt of free school meals to account for these days. 4. Park Mains High School Extension & Internal Interventions 4.1. The design process of the extended Park Mains High School is largely complete with some final contractor and sub-contractor design portions that will follow at the point of construction. The contractor is now completing the market testing process where all sub- contractors, specialists, and materials will be procured and costed. 4.2. At the Finance, Resources and Customer Service Policy Board in February 2026, a contract recommendation was agreed to award Morrison Construction with the initial construction contract to begin work to deliver the extension and internal intervention works. 4.3. This process will allow the Contractor to begin construction work on site in March 2026 to prepare the site and begin critical ground works in preparation of the full construction beginning thereafter. 4.4. Following commercial agreement and market testing of the remaining work packages, the full construction contract is anticipated to be proposed to the same Board in April 2026 to allow the main works construction to continue seamlessly from the work which will begin in March 2026. This process has been planned to allow all works to complete by August 2027 as outlined in the project timelines.
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OFFICIAL 4.5. This market testing process will allow a final contract price for construction to be agreed ahead of formally awarding both an advanced works contract, and a main works contract in early 2026 ahead of construction. 5. Thistle Primary School 5.1. Work has now commenced on site to construct the new Thistle Primary School in Dargavel. This initial phase of work has seen a substantial amount of groundworks including drainage, foundations, and hard landscaping to be progressed. The structure of the new school building is progressing and is now a visible feature. 5.2. The project remains on track to complete in the summer of 2027 and updates will be provided to this Board on the progress of construction as it progresses. 5.3. A Head Teacher has been appointed for Thistle Primary School, and will take up post shortly to ensure all operational and policy matters for the school are planned and implemented within appropriate timelines. 6. Business Case Development 6.1. A separate report is being presented to this Board which includes the Outline Business Case documents for the three initial projects agreed to proceed (Johnstone Primary School Estate, Johnstone High School, and Trinity High School). 6.2. These business cases have been produced to allow a decision to be made on the next phase of delivery with a recommended shortlist of options presented. Please refer to relevant report for full detail. ______________________________________________________________ Implications of this report 1. Financial All budgets associated with the capital projects discussed in this report have been agreed by Council and undergo rigorous management and quality assurance on a regular basis. 2. HR and Organisational Development None. 3. Community/Council Planning Our Renfrewshire is thriving - New, and improved, learning estate assets will allow our children and young people to thrive with the best possible infrastructure to support their school experience. Staff, and community users will benefit from modern and inclusive environments. Reshaping our place, our economy and our future - The learning estate shall be appropriately scaled and equipped to meet curriculum expectations and
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OFFICIAL deliver an appropriate learning and teaching experience for all. 4. Legal None. 5. Property/Assets These projects will deliver significant improvements to the learning estate, extending the life of assets, and improving the experience of young people, staff, and the wider community. 6. Information Technology Digital improvements will be delivered through the learning estate strategy, where access to technology for all, will be a key priority for projects. 7. Equality and Human Rights The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health and Safety None. 9. Procurement Any procurement work required is conducted in collaboration with the Council’s Procurement team and adheres to appropriate regulations. 10. Risk All projects are bound by rigorous governance and supported by detailed risk registers. Risk is reported and managed at various levels with scrutiny applied to ensure mitigations and contingency plans are in place. 11. Privacy Impact None. 12. Climate Risk New, and improved, learning estate assets will directly contribute to the Council’s journey towards net zero. Sustainability is a key concept of all projects. 13. Children’s Rights When considering any future school provision, the impact this will have on children is a key consideration, and any work will be based around the direct needs of children to allow their education experience to thrive. Whilst children have a right to choose where they wish to attend school in collaboration with their parents, the council’s admissions policy applies to ensure that schools that are oversubscribed can be managed.
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OFFICIAL 14. Cosla Policy Position None. Children’s Services JL/JO Feb 2026 Author: Jack Lochans – Strategic Learning Estate Manager jack.lochans@renfrewshire.gov.uk