The builder has started work to construct Inverclyde Council's new £44 million Shared Campus in Port Glasgow.

The Slaemuir complex will become the new home for Port Glasgow High School and St Stephen's High School as well as a new Additional Support Needs (ASN) School to replace Glenburn and Lilybank schools.

Northern Ireland-based Graham Construction is undertaking the contract with the Education and Lifelong Learning Convener Councillor Terry Loughran commenting: "This is an exciting day for Inverclyde and especially Port Glasgow. Years of consultation and planning have come together and it is fantastic to see construction of the new campus underway. When it is completed in summer 2013 it will be a centre of educational excellence and a prized asset for the local community. The new Enterprise Centre will also offer opportunities for adults."

Port Glasgow High and St Stephen's will have their own distinct entrances allowing their individual identities and ethos to be retained. Each school will have its own foyer area leading to its own teaching spaces however the foyers will have direct access to a shared 'agora' or social hub of the campus. Pupils will have access to lockers and will be able to eat or just sit and talk informally during breaks and lunch times in a space immediately next to the shared dining facilities.

The agora also connects with the ASN School and provides access to all shared facilities. These include an art, science & technology block which includes music, a shared sports block and a shared drama performing arts area linked to the assembly hall.

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The new single storey ASN School will be made up of nursery, primary and secondary blocks for both moderate and complex learning difficulties.

Classrooms for pupils with moderate learning difficulties are closest to the agora of the campus allowing ease of access to the mainstream curriculum of the secondary schools. The ASN School will also have a hydrotherapy pool as part of a suite of therapy facilities and the dining facility is situated close to the main school dining area.

Leisure facilities include a Multi Use Games Area (MUGA), fully equipped fitness suite and gymnasium and two all weather pitches. These will be available for community use. The ASN School will have a play area and its own smaller MUGA.

Port Glasgow High and St Stephen's have moved into temporary shared accommodation ahead of the new campus being built. The St Stephen's High School campus in Port Glasgow has been modified, temporary classrooms installed and facilities improved and upgraded.

A working-group has been co-ordinating the project and is chaired by the Council Leader Stephen McCabe. He said: "I am delighted at the way the two schools have settled into their temporary surroundings and the feedback from pupils, staff and parents has been very positive. I think everyone recognises what an exciting time this is for secondary education in Port Glasgow and Inverclyde in general.

"The new campus is the single most ambitious project in our £220 million schools estate strategy."

Graham Construction has a significant track record in building new schools around Scotland and is currently working on the £25 million Coltness High School in Lanarkshire and the £11.9 million Aviemore community school in the Highlands, among others.

Michael Graham, Executive Chairman said: "The new shared campus at Port Glasgow is one of the most significant education projects we have ever been involved in.

"We have assembled a highly skilled, locally sourced team to work on this job and we are looking forward to starting construction on the site in earnest.

"This will be a unique, showpiece structure when it is completed in 2013 and Graham is tremendously proud to be playing a part in such an iconic, keenly anticipated facility."

The project has been managed by the School Estate Team and Designed by a multi disciplinary Team led by Ingenium Archial Ltd as Architects and Lead consultant assisted by Buro Happold Mechanical & Electrical Engineers, Watermans, Civil & Structural Engineers, Turner & Townsend Quantity Surveyors and Cost Managers and TGP Landscape Architects.

(BMcC/CD)