Parents have had their say on plans for a new school in a north-east town during a public consultation event.
It was years in the making when First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited Peterhead Academy in September to confirm the creation of a new community campus in the town.
The announcement came as part of a £1 billion Scottish Government spending plan for new schools across Scotland.
The new Peterhead Community Campus will replace the academy, Dales Park Primary, Meethill Primary and the Anna Ritchie School for children with additional needs by bringing nursery, primary and academy education together under one roof.
Aberdeenshire Council has set aside £71 million to invest in the new campus, which will include a 1,400-capacity secondary school and a new 600-capacity primary.
Parents have now gathered at Meethill Primary and Dales Park Primary to hear firsthand about the project, and offered a largely positive response.
Elizabeth Reid has three children who will attend the new school, which is expected to welcome its first intake of pupils in 2025, and was among those who welcomed the progress.
She said: “I’m from Greenock originally, so I’ve seen the benefits of schools like this one down there.”
Another parent, who asked not to be named, agreed the meeting was “very positive” and said the project is “really exciting and has been a long time coming”.
Ahead of the meeting, a FAQ sheet was prepared to answer some of the main queries people had raised about the new school.
Several parents had expressed concerns about class sizes changing, but the council’s quality improvement manager, Max Booth, said that would “only change if the Scottish Government changes it”
The head of Aberdeenshire Council’s education committee, Gillian Owen, attended both public events.
She said: “The Peterhead Campus project is hugely important to the whole of Peterhead.
“Engagement of this kind is crucial at this early stage, just to gauge what the community wants to see.”
Peterhead South and Cruden councillor, Alan Fakley, added: “More than a year into this, it’s getting quite exciting.
“At these meetings, when you see people contemplating a school name and uniform, it’s starting to become real.”
Those who didn’t attend the meetings but wish to express their views on this project can do so by contacting learningestates@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
