The new Wallyford learning campus – an update

This bulletin includes important information – including a reminder of who will attend/move to the new secondary school within the building when it opens.

What will be in the Wallyford Learning Campus?

At the heart of the £47.2 million building will be East Lothian’s newest secondary school which will meet the needs of a growing school roll in the local area.

The new secondary school has a projected future pupil roll of 1000+ with around 300 young people expected to attend initially when the school opens in August 2023.

Alongside modern teaching and social spaces, the new learning facility will include specialist provision for secondary age young people with severe and complex needs who live across the county; a dedicated Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) centre; and a Tots and Teens area.

In addition, the facility will provide access to gym, sport, nutrition and health and wellbeing facilities. A range of partnership opportunities have been well developed in order to provide an enhanced range of outdoor learning, employability and training opportunities, for both adults and young people.

The building has been designed to complement the neighbouring Wallyford Primary School with extensive glazing, access to natural light and brick-clad facades. 

We are very excited about the additional opportunities that this campus provides.

Who will attend the new secondary school?

 The new secondary school will cater for pupils living in the catchment areas of Wallyford Primary School and Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School, Musselburgh.

Key points:

• Pupils due to start S1 in August 2023 who are in the Pinkie St Peter’s PS and Wallyford PS catchment areas will form the new S1 intake at the Wallyford Learning Campus when it opens in August 2023.
• Pupils attending Musselburgh Grammar School, living in the Pinkie St Peter’s and Wallyford catchment areas, who will be going into S2 and S3 in August 2023, will transfer to the new Wallyford Learning Campus when it opens.
• Pupils attending Musselburgh Grammar School - living in the Pinkie St Peter’s and Wallyford catchment areas, going into S4, S5 and S6 in August 2023 - will remain at Musselburgh Grammar School for the remainder of their senior phase secondary education, as they prepare to sit exams in that session.
• In certain circumstances there will the option of pupils remaining at Musselburgh Grammar School for the rest of their secondary education. For example, younger siblings of pupils attending Musselburgh Grammar in August 2023, who live in the Pinkie St Peter’s and Wallyford catchment areas, would have the option to attend Musselburgh Grammar if they wish.
• Pupils with severe and complex learning needs who live across East Lothian, and have been assessed by the Education Resource Group as requiring a specialist provision for their secondary education, will also attend the new learning campus.

Parents/carers will be able to apply for their child to do so by submitting a placing request to the council. We expect the appropriate forms will be available on our website around November 2022.

Young people from other primary school catchment areas in Musselburgh will continue to attend Musselburgh Grammar School.

Who will lead the new school?

East Lothian Council is in the process of recruiting a Head Teacher to lead the new Wallyford Learning Campus.

Working collaboratively with the senior leadership teams in Musselburgh Grammar School, Wallyford Primary School and Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School, the Head Teacher will engage with learners who will transition to the new school and their parents/carers.

The Head Teacher will collaborate with stakeholders to create a vision for the new school, lead the recruitment of staff and establish its operating systems.

What will happen next?

More information about this, including the recruitment of the staff team, will be announced in due course and there will be opportunities to find out more as work progresses.