Donaldson's School will help build a Smarter Scotland by enabling more young people to seize their talent, grow in confidence and reach their full learning potential, First Minister Alex Salmond said today.

The First Minister was speaking as he officially opened the new purpose-built Donaldson's School in Linlithgow today. The national school caters for residential and day pupils, from nursery through to secondary, who are deaf or have significant speech and language difficulties.

The First Minister said: "Donaldson's School is one of Scotland's most historic schools with 150 years of teaching generations of young Scots. Today's opening of this new building in Linlithgow marks a new chapter in Donaldson's history.

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"This new school building includes excellent facilities and state-of-the-art technology to meet the specific needs of each and every pupil at Donaldson's. The design of the building clearly reflects the ethos of the school - to enable every child to reach their full learning potential.

"The Scottish Government acknowledges and supports the work of Donaldson's to provide a first class education for children who are deaf or have significant speech and language difficulties while helping them to develop the necessary life skills to achieve future success."

The First Minister congratulated the staff and pupils on their "collective strength" in making this school a national institute for education and wished them all the best in their school building.

(GK/JM)