Today (Friday 12 July) saw the topping out ceremony for the new Monifieth Learning Campus, marking a significant milestone in the construction of the £66.5M building.
The milestone was celebrated with a unique and creative contribution from young people in S6 at the current Monifieth High School who designed and painted a vibrant mural on the wall located on the roof of the new campus. The mural, rich in colour and creativity, captures the move from the current school to the new state of the art campus. It will serve as a permanent time capsule within the building, as it will be hidden once construction continues.
Young people from Monifieth High School and primary 7 representatives from each of the cluster primary schools met before school finished up for the summer holidays to see how the construction was progressing and sign their name and school details on the mural.
Representatives from Angus Council, Robertson Construction Tayside and other stakeholders came together for the topping out ceremony today to view the mural and add their signatures alongside the students to commemorate this collaborative achievement.
Council Leader, Cllr Beth Whiteside said:
“I am thrilled to see the remarkable progress being made on the new campus. This project represents a significant financial and resource commitment for the council, especially during these challenging economic conditions. However, it is crucial that we prioritise the future of our young people and our communities, who will also greatly benefit from this investment.”
Convener of Family, Education and Justice, Cllr Lynne Devine praised the students, saying:
“I would like to thank Rowan, Isla and Robyn from Monifieth High School for the wonderful mural they designed and painted. It is exceptional and truly captures the spirit of their move to the new campus. Their creativity and enthusiasm are inspiring, and this mural will be a cherished part of the school’s history.”
Kevin Dickson, regional managing director, Robertson Construction Tayside, commented:
“Today we have the honour of hosting guests to celebrate the progress made on site at Monifieth Learning Campus. The artwork created by the pupils to commemorate this milestone in the project becomes part of the Campus’ legacy along with the further signatures that have been added.
“The students who have been involved in the art installation are part of the wider user group that will benefit from Monifieth Learning Campus which has sustainability at its heart and supports the Council’s commitment to investing in education and the health and wellbeing of the local community.
“Throughout this project, we are providing local employment opportunities and delivering economic benefits by employing a local supply chain where possible. The benefits of this project will be far-reaching and will extend beyond the campus’s future users.
“Today’s ceremony marks a further step in our close working relationship with Angus Council, as we deliver this high quality, state-of-the-art Passivhaus school."
Construction of the new campus began in May 2023 and is scheduled for completion in July 2025, just in time for the new school session starting in August 2025. The project will complete in September 2026 with the demolition of the current building.
Angus Council has funded the capital investment for the project, which is part of Phase Two of the national Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP). The council will benefit from Scottish Government revenue funding once the project is complete, aligned to the outcomes set out in the LEIP.
The final design has been developed to meet Passivhaus requirements which will deliver an energy efficient building with a high level of user comfort. The building will also be available for community use through education lets, in line with arrangement at other schools.
The Passivhaus school project was awarded to Robertson Construction Tayside by Angus Council through the Procurement Hub Major Projects Framework 2 (MPF2).