After more than a year of construction work, the new Kinlochleven Primary and High School have passed an independent building inspection and are now ready to welcome pupils at the start of the school session on Tuesday August 19.

The £11.7m school is the first joint primary and secondary school to be built in the Highlands and is the ninth and tenth of the 11 new rural and urban community schools being built by Morrison Construction under The Highland Council's second education Public Private Partnership scheme to handover.

The new secondary school provision will feature general and specialist classrooms, a joint - with the primary school - integrated unit for pupils with additional support needs, and pupil support provision.

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PE provisions at the secondary include a games hall, fitness room, changing areas and in September 2009 an all-weather pitch.

Library provision is for both public and school use with open and distance learning facilities including video conferencing, office and storage space available. A performance venue - which will cater for around 150 people and will feature a projection room and storage - will also be an integral aspect of the new school's set-up.

The new primary school will feature five classrooms, its own resource/library area, a nursery room including quiet room and protected outdoor nursery play area and a multi purpose hall.

Outdoor facilities will include a hard play area, grass pitch and other play areas; drop-off for cars and buses, car parking and a secure cycle compound.

The final project under construction is Millburn Academy, Inverness which is on schedule to handover in September.

The 11 PPP2 Initiative schools are being developed by Alpha Schools (Highland) Ltd. Alpha Schools (Highland) Ltd is a consortium of Galliford Try Investments and Noble Fund Managers.

(GK/JM)