Beeslack to move to Easter Bush
Councillors have agreed Beeslack Community High School is to relocate from its current site to land adjacent to Easter Bush from August 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.
New Additional Support Needs stage
A new additional support needs (ASN) stage will be established at the school when it opens.
Catchments will be changed
The catchment area of Beeslack will be realigned to include the catchment areas of Loanhead and Paradykes Primary Schools and the closed Glencorse Primary School catchment will be realigned to the Mauricewood Primary School catchment. Primary pupils in the newly aligned Mauricewood catchment will then go on to Penicuik High School.
Penicuik High School
A new Additional Support Needs stage will be set up at Penicuik High School.
Public consultation
At the full Council meeting today (Tuesday), councillors approved the changes after considering a report on the consultation, which ran from 19 February to Tuesday 16 April 2024.
Public meetings
Councillors heard 25 people attended two public meetings to give their views and hear more about the proposals.
Nearly 400 survey responses
A total of 388 people responded to the survey. Two hundred and forty-six responses were in favour of the proposal to relocate Beeslack to Easter Bush, 105 were not in favour and 37 had no opinion.
Clear benefits
Education Scotland HM Inspectors agree the proposal has clear educational benefits.
Helping address capacity issues
Its report states: “The proposed catchment changes and a new school building will help to address current and future capacity issues across the school estate. The majority of stakeholders are supportive of the proposals to relocate Beeslack Community High School and establishing new ASN stages at Beeslack Community High School and Penicuik High School.”
Centre of Excellence
The school, which will be a STEM Centre of Excellence, will be able to accommodate 1600 pupils. Built to Scottish Government energy-efficient standards meaning it will have low carbon emissions, it will also have a swimming pool and community facilities, including an artificial sports pitch and grass pitches.