SCHOOL children in Tullibody are set to explore a brand-new learning environment when the gates open to a joint campus this Friday, August 23.

Staff were already in to start preparations for the coming school term at the start of this week as the final touches were being put on the £15million Tullibody South Campus.

The “state of the art teaching facilities” incorporate Abercromby and St Bernadette’s RC primaries as well as the new Tulach Nursery.

Inside there are 22 classrooms across two floors plus the nursery, two gym halls, meeting spaces, a high-tech immersive room and a modern library for the community.

It is not just classrooms where pupils will benefit from education as the layout promises flexible and open learning spaces as well to provide exciting and innovative experiences for the young people.

Outside people can find a new artificial football pitch, external play areas and a hard play space marked out for netball.

An automated external defibrillator (AED) can also be found in a code-locked cabinet outside the entrance in case of a cardiac arrest emergency nearby.

The old Abercromby building is also on site; it is set to be demolished over the coming months to make way for another pitch, playground area and paths with landscaping.

Councillor Graham Lindsay, spokesperson for education at Clackmannanshire Council, was out at the beginning of the week to take a look and speak to staff including St Bernadette’s headteacher Nuala McElroy, Abercromby headteacher Aileen Ferguson and Tulach Nursery head Hazel Blackwood (pictured).

He said: “This fabulous new campus is providing a new and exciting education experience for pupils at two schools and a new nursery, as well as a modern library for the people of Tullibody.

“This facility will be among the best in the country, with state of the art teaching facilities which will provide many exciting new learning experiences for our young people.

“I know that the staff can’t wait to welcome the pupils on Friday to get to know their new schools and nursery.”

The name for the nursery was decided by the public after last year’s P6 pupils from the two primaries came up with suggestions along with stakeholders; Tulach is the Gaelic version for the town.

The building work was delivered by hub East Central Scotland in partnership with Clackmannanshire Council with Robertson Construction as the main contractor and with local stakeholders involved throughout the process.

The project was part funded by the Scottish Government’s Schools for the Future and Early Years programme and by the local authority.

During the building phase some young people from the Wee county’s three academies benefited from construction courses and work experience.