This week staff and pupils started the new school year in the state-of-the-art learning and community campus.

Kier was appointed by the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver the new Currie High School building. The new learning campus has been built to Passivhaus standard, minimising energy consumption and reducing the reliance on active heating or cooling systems, ensuring sustainable and eco-friendly construction.

In addition to the Passivhaus design, the new school includes other sustainable features supporting the council to meet its sustainability commitments. This includes measures to improve the air quality and thermal performance of the building which are vital to achieving Passivhaus certification.

The new school and community campus has been designed with the needs of learners, as well as the local community in mind. The school includes a four-court sports hall, a gym hall, fitness suite, dance studio, a Passivhaus four lane swimming pool and a 3G pitch.

The main entrance foyer includes the school library alongside informal social and meeting spaces for the community to use. These facilities include a wellness centre, meeting room and café area which has been included with the aim of providing refreshments for community users in the near future.

Aiming to encourage cross curricular and collaborative learning, the school has two large open plan learning plazas that are easily accessed by classrooms on all three floors.

Designed with inclusion of all learners in mind, along with classrooms in an Integrated Support Zone, there is a sensory room and nurture room. Breakout and retreat spaces throughout the school offer pupils choice on where they want to work, socialise or take time out.

The new school building has been designed in line with the guiding principles of the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Strategy and is one of the projects in the first phase of the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Investment Programme.

Children, Education and Families convener, Councillor James Dalgleish, said: “The handover of Currie High School marks a new era for staff and pupils alike, as well as the local community, and it’s fantastic to see that the new school building is officially open.

“The new school has been designed with future proofing and sustainability front and centre. The design and landscape was informed and influenced by the school’s senior leadership team to ensure that the needs of pupils were prioritised throughout.

“Alongside this, it was crucial that the building met our sustainability commitments, and it is fantastic that the school is one of the very first Passivhaus secondary schools in Scotland. I am thrilled that the school and wider community will benefit from this fantastic new building both now and well into the future.”

Sean Fenner, managing director for Kier Construction North & Scotland, said: “Currie Community High School is a special project that showcases our deep sector expertise in delivering complex, high-performance education facilities. It reflects our passion for creating spaces that not only support learning but also lead the way in sustainability and decarbonisation. 

“As the first Passivhaus school in Scotland with a swimming pool, it sets a new standard for low-energy design and long-term value. We’re proud to have worked in close partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver a future-proofed school that will benefit generations to come—both as a place of learning and as a sustainable community asset.”