The next phase of consultation for the proposed £24m Barrhead High School has been launched.

Pupils, staff, parents and community groups have been invited by East Renfrewshire Council to its second set of design sessions.

Feedback from pupils and the wider community on what they want to see in the new school will now be used by architects BDP to shape the eventual design of the state-of-the-art facility.

Convener for Education and Equalities, Councillor Elaine Green, said: "Excitement is really starting to grow about the new school and the major improvements this will help us deliver for Cowan Park.

"We are consulting widely in the town and spelling out exactly what our plans are.

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"Through this extensive consultation, our young people, parents, and the public can all see for themselves the amazing benefits these developments will bring to Barrhead.

"The building will be a inspiring new learning environment, which will help our young people shine. Barrhead High is a school that is improving year on year, and is in fact out-performing schools in comparable areas across Scotland, so let's give pupils and staff a building to match.

"And we want an improved Cowan Park to match this too - the proposed location of the new school will take up to 37 per cent less space in the park than the existing building, and it will allow us to press on with our masterplan for the park, which will deliver significant improvements."

The new Barrhead High is due to open for the beginning of the 2015/16 school session.

East Renfrewshire Council is investing £12m in Barrhead High and has secured funding of a further £12m from the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT). Last month, the council said it would seek approval from the Court of Session to ensure the build programme is not delayed, and to protect the external funding it won from the SFT.

(JP/CD)