Cutting-edge building replaces existing Liberton High School as part of new community, lifelong learning and sports campus

Staff and pupils at Liberton High School have started the new school year in their brand new state-of-the-art learning and community campus this week, after the building was handed over to the Council.

Balfour Beatty was appointed by the Council to deliver the new building, which has been designed by jmarchitects. The new campus has been formed with the needs of learners in mind. To encourage collaborative learning, the school building features breakout and retreat spaces to offer pupils choice on where they want to work, socialise or take time out.

Large windows fill the building with natural light, while helping to connect departments and classrooms with outdoor spaces. Internal spaces have been decorated with warm colours and light woods to create comfortable spaces for learning and coming together.

Outdoor sports facilities include a new 3G synthetic rugby and football pitch and a multi-use games area. A new grass recreation area that can be lined for football or other sports activities will be added following the demolition of the former Liberton High School building.

The 1,200-space school forms the centrepiece of the new Liberton Community Campus, a multi-purpose facility to help meet the needs of young people, their families and the wider community.

Its spaces have been designed to allow all generations to come together in a number of ways, including a community café, library, GP surgery and workspaces for Council partners. New sports facilities operated by Edinburgh Leisure will feature bookable amenities for the whole community, including a fitness suite and dance studio.

Information on when the other community facilities within the building will be ready for use will be published soon.

The new Community Campus has been built to Passivhaus standard, minimising energy consumption and reducing the reliance on active heating or cooling systems, ensuring sustainable and eco-friendly construction.

In addition to the Passivhaus design, the new school contains other sustainable features supporting the Council to meet its sustainability commitments. This includes measures to improve the air quality and thermal performance of the building which are vital to achieving Passivhaus certification.

The new school building has been designed in line with the guiding principles of the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Strategy and is one of the projects in the second phase of the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Investment Programme, alongside the project to redevelop Wester Hailes High School.

Children, Education and Families Convener, Councillor James Dalgleish, said:

The opening of the new Liberton High School marks a major milestone for pupils, staff and the wider community. This building has been designed to be futureproof with sustainability at its core, and I’m proud that it stands as one of Scotland’s first Passivhaus secondary schools.

The school’s leadership team has played a crucial role in shaping a learning environment that puts the needs of young people first, while also meeting our commitments to a net‑zero future.

This project is however about more than just a school. It’s the foundation of a community lifelong‑learning and sports hub that will bring together education, public services and local amenities in one accessible place, from a Community Library to an NHS GP Surgery. This reflects our ‘Living Well Locally’ strategy, ensuring local services are co‑located where people need them most.

Our aim is simple: to put local people at the heart of this campus, giving everyone the opportunity to learn, participate and thrive. I’m delighted that this exceptional new building will help to bring more local people in the community together, and we’re looking forward to announcing more about the new community facilities soon.

Stuart Danskin, Project Director at Balfour Beatty said: As Balfour Beatty’s first Passivhaus secondary school and the centrepiece of the new Liberton Community Campus, the successful completion of Liberton High School demonstrates our expertise in delivering innovative and sustainable infrastructure that creates lasting value for communities.

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