Peebles High School rises from the ashes with sustainable, future-ready campus and £5.9 million community impact
Peebles High School rises from the ashes with sustainable, future-ready campus and £5.9 million community impact
Pupils and staff are settling into a transformed learning environment with the opening of the new Peebles High School, replacing the building lost to fire in 2019. Delivered by BAM in partnership with Scottish Borders Council and Hub.
South East, the project combines a modern, sustainable school with a strong focus on community and skills development in the Scottish Borders.
BAM embedded social value into the heart of the project, facilitating £5.9 million in benefits for the local area. From design competitions and engagement sessions with school pupils to structured work placements for students from
Scottish Borders College across multiple trades, the project provided meaningful opportunities for young people to gain practical experience and build skills for the future. Local employment and supply-chain opportunities further strengthened the wider community impact.
The new two-storey school is designed to support contemporary education and the evolving curriculum. Nine glazed atrium spaces topped with unique hyperbolic paraboloid roof structures flood flexible teaching and social areas with natural light, creating a sense of openness and connection across the campus. Specialist facilities for science, technology, creative arts and sport are tailored to the needs of modern learners, helping students thrive both academically and socially.
“This project has been about more than building a school - it’s been about creating a lasting positive impact for the community and a learning environment that will serve students for generations. By embedding social value into the construction process, we’ve provided local young people with opportunities to gain experience, develop skills, and engage with the building from the earliest stages.
“The school itself offers pupils a modern, flexible and sustainable space where they can learn, collaborate and grow. It’s a perfect example of how thoughtful design and delivery can combine to benefit both people and place.”
Malcolm Keillor Construction Director, BAM
Sustainability is central to the school’s design which meets the rigorous standards of Scotland’s Learning Estate Investment Programme. Fully electric, thermally efficient, and digitally enabled, the building delivers comfortable conditions year-round while reducing energy use and operational costs. These features allow resources to be reinvested directly into pupils’ learning and school initiatives, while supporting Scotland’s transition to a lower-carbon built environment.
