The Scottish Government has pledged £90 million towards a shared campus in Dunfermline to replace the fire ravaged Woodmill High School.
Education secretary John Swinney announced the funding during a visit to Dunfermline on Tuesday, during which he saw for himself the damage to the school in Shields Road.
Mr Swinney also met Woodmill rector Sandy McIntosh and pupils who had been relocated to Fife College’s Dunfermline campus.
The government has committed to investing £90m in a campus which would bring together pupils from Woodmill and St Columba’s high schools, as well as Fife College students.
It has been estimated the campus would cost between £150m and £180m, with the sum announced by the government to be spent on the college portion of the complex.
The government has also pledged to fund up to half the cost of the school facilities.
Discussions between the government and Fife Council about a shared campus had already taken place before fire tore through Woodmill on August 25.
Mr Swinney said: “Since the fire ten days ago, I accelerated discussions with Fife Council and Fife College and I am now very pleased to confirm we support the development of a brand new joint learning campus.
“Locating the two schools and Fife College on the same site would give pupils easy access to a greater variety of subjects and qualifications.
“Schools, colleges and universities are the cornerstones of our communities and a joint campus model will give Dunfermline a hub of high quality, low carbon and digitally enabled facilities.”
The proposal has yet to be consulted on and will be subject to the planning process.
However, the government believes it could be ready by the end of 2024.
Councillor Fay Sinclair, the SNP convener of the council’s education and children’s services committee, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity. We have been looking at ways to expand, replace and improve our school buildings for some time and a shared campus will open up so many different learning options and routes for our young people to access the careers they want.
“We have already held community engagement sessions on the future of education provision. This will inform our work with Fife College to bring forward firm proposals for a new development, which the community will be consulted on before plans are finalised.
“Today’s announcement gives the Woodmill community reassurance about the long term plans for their school, as we work through short and medium-term arrangements at this difficult time.”
Fife College Principal Hugh Hall added: “The college has been working with Fife Council in formulating the proposals and together we will be moving at pace to take forward proposals to create a unique learning environment in West Fife.”
