Fife College has today (4 September) welcomed the announcement of Scottish Government funding for a new Dunfermline Community Learning Campus.
Bringing together Fife College’s current Dunfermline Campus, Woodmill High and St Columba’s High School, the modern, fit for purpose, low carbon facilities could be ready by the end of 2024.
Scottish Government confirmed today it will invest up to £90 million in capital to fund the College portion of the campus, and up to 50% of the overall cost for the schools element. The total estimated cost is between £150 million and £180 million.
The College has been in discussions with The Scottish Government and Fife Council on the construction of the joint school and college campus since before the recent fire at Woodmill High.
Fife College Principal Hugh Hall said:
“The proposals for the new Campus, incorporating two High Schools, the College and a University hub are learner-centred, innovative and progressive and will be transformational for education in Scotland.
"The College has been working with Fife Council in formulating the proposals and together we will be moving at pace to create a unique learning environment in West Fife.”
Deputy First Minister, John Swinney visited the College’s Dunfermline Campus today, meeting Woodmill High Headteacher Sandy McIntosh, school students being accommodated at Fife College and representatives of the College and Fife Council.
John Swinney said:
“Woodmill High School was devastated by the fire and it is clear that Fife Council, Fife College and surrounding schools have made a tremendous effort to find alternative accommodation and minimise disruption to pupils’ learning.
“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 Dunfermline Learning Community Campus.
“Locating the two schools and Fife College on the same site gives 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.”
Convener of Fife Council's Education and Children's Services Committee Fay Sinclair 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."
Photo caption: (L to r) Hugh Hall, Fife College Principal, Sandy McIntosh, Woodmill High Headteacher, John Swinney MSP, Deputy First Minster, Kevin O’Conner, St Columba’s High School Headteacher, Carrie Lindsay, Executive Director Education and Children's Services for Fife Council, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP for Dunfermline and Fay Sinclair, Convener of Fife Council's Education and Children's Services Committee are pictured at Fife College’s Dunfermline Campus following the announcement of Scottish Government funding to help create a new Dunfermline Community Learning Campus.
