The new £15.5m state-of-the-art Dumbarton Academy has opened its doors as the new school session gets underway.

The school welcomes approximately 700 pupils into 57 bright, modern classrooms on a campus that measures 10,518m2.

Head Teacher, Jacqui Lynam, greeted the pupils in the new assembly hall, which will also be used as a theatre. The hall has been fitted with specially designed control booths to manage sound and lighting. Part of the school is to be used for vocational classes, which are an essential part of Curriculum for Excellence, while pupils will benefit from having a hairdressing studio and construction area on site which will prevent pupils travelling to college to learn these skills.

The new classrooms have been brightly decorated and designed to meet every requirement of modern teaching with open-plan study areas, study booths for individuals and a modern library equipped with a selection of educational material.

Ms Lynam, who has been in charge of the school for two years, said: "This is a very exciting time for Dumbarton Academy pupils and staff. I am delighted with the design and quality of workmanship in the new school. Staff and pupils now have a school that is state of the art and a school that they deserve. For so long they have been working and learning in a building that was no longer fit for purpose."

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Councillor Michelle Stewart, Convener of Educational Services, added: "It is great to see the building complete in such a short space of time, and see how impressed the pupils are with it. Our pupils deserve to be educated in modern schools with up to date equipment and new technology that will help them achieve the best education possible. This fantastic school will ensure that we can deliver a first-class education, not only for our current pupils but for future generations."

BAM Construction used twin wall precast concrete to build the school instead of steel and brick. As well as increasing the quality of the structure, it saved time in the construction phase, allowing the school to be built in 62 weeks, rather than the normal turn around of 80 weeks.

Jim Ward, BAM Construction Director, said: "We worked really hard to ensure the job was completed for the start of the new term. We started the work in June last year and today we see the pupils are in their classrooms ready to start the new term. This is a great achievement by our design team and supply chain and also the partnership with West Dunbartonshire Council.

"The school is also on target for a BREEAM Excellent Award for good use of energy saving measures such as solar panels - a real feat for Dumbarton Academy."

Once complete, the site will also include a 'Walk of Life' timeline of the school's history etched into the path leading to the entrance, a fitness trail around the playground featuring outdoor gym equipment, a music garden outdoor performance area with seating for 30-40 people, and a school garden offering outdoor dining areas.

There will also be two flood-lit all-weather pitches, a grass pitch and a 100m running track.

(JP/MH)