New school site plans within Easter Bush Campus progress

The agreement to buy land for the replacement for Beeslack Community High School is at an advanced stage.

The school, which is expected to open in 2026, will be able to accommodate 1600 pupils and will have a dedicated learning space for children with Additional Support Needs (ASN).

Built to energy-efficient standards meaning it will have low carbon emissions, it will also have a swimming pool, pavilion, and community facilities.

Cllr Parry visited the chosen site for the school with Midlothian Council’s Cabinet Member for Education Councillor Ellen Scott, Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh, Professor Lisa Boden and Dr Katie Mellanby, Senior Lecturer in General Practice and Business Skills at the University of Edinburgh. 

“We’re ironing out some important final details. Being able to push forward with our plans to build a replacement for Beeslack and our second Centre of Excellence will be a fantastic for our communities.”

Midlothian Council Leader Councillor Kelly Parry”

Pictured front to back: Councillor Ellen Scott, Councillor Kelly Parry, Dr Katie Mellanby and Professor Lisa Boden

Cllr Scott said its proximity to Easter Bush, a world-leading research and innovation campus specialising in animal biosciences, agritech, veterinary medicine and medicine, offered an excellent opportunity to work in partnership with the university.

“The school will be a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Centre of Excellence so to be able to take advantage of the expertise on its doorstep is potentially life-changing for pupils.”

Midlothian Council’s Cabinet Member for Education Councillor Ellen Scott”

Cllr Scott said the new Centre of Excellence will not only raise attainment and help pupils from across Midlothian secure high paying jobs in the future but linking with the university, it will also become a knowledge base, helping inform improvements to building design, the curriculum and teaching methods across Scotland."

“We are delighted to be involved with this project and excited by the prospect of what this partnership can deliver for the next generation of Scottish scientists.”

Professor Lisa Boden, Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Dean of Veterinary Medicine”

The replacement for Beeslack will be Midlothian’s second Centre of Excellence. Newbattle Community High School opened as a Digital Centre for Excellence in 2018.