Work on Brunstane Primary School completed after £10m investment to make primary one of Edinburgh's most sustainable schools

Refurbishment on an Edinburgh school has been completed following a £10 million investment to make it one of the city's most sustainable schools.

Work has been completed on a retrofit of Brunstane Primary School in the east of the city and has been handed over to The City of Edinburgh Council.

The refurbishment has seen a three-storey tower and a single-storey block brought up-to-date including 14 classrooms and pupil support spaces.

Refurbishment works on Brunstane Primary School have been completed following a £10 million investment to modernise the school. | City of Edinburgh Council

The school’s gym hall, kitchen and staff areas were also refurbished as part of the works.

Sustainability has been key to the project, with a new energy centre built on-site including a new air source heat pump to provide an updated heating system and replace existing gas boilers.

Photovoltaic panels have also been installed on the roof of the school, while new insulated cladding on external walls and the roof has also been installed alongside improvements to windows.

Education, children and families convener, Councillor James Dalgleish, said: “We want all our schools and early years settings to offer the best possible learning environment for our children and young people.

Refurbishment of Brunstane Primary School has seen upgrades to classrooms, the gym, kitchen, pupil support areas and staff areas, as well as the creation of a new on-site energy centre. | City of Edinburgh Council

“Central to this is ongoing investment in our school buildings to ensure that they meet the needs of our learners, offer a comfortable learning and teaching setting and support our net-zero goals.

“It is fantastic to see that the refurbishment works at Brunstane Primary School are complete, just in time for pupils and staff returning after the Easter break.

“The improvements to the building will make a huge difference to how the school building is used by teachers and pupils in the here and now, and for many future generations of young learners in Brunstane.”

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The refurbishment was undertaken by construction company GRAHAM Building and work began on the project in October 2024.

Chris MacLeod, regional managing director at the firm, said: “The handover of Brunstane Primary School marks the successful completion of a complex retrofit project delivered within a live school environment.

“Pupils and staff can now benefit from a modern, energy-efficient space that supports both learning and wellbeing, while considered sustainability elements will significantly reduce the building’s carbon footprint.

“Throughout the programme, our focus has been on minimising disruption and working collaboratively with the school to ensure a smooth delivery.”