Celebrations mark the official opening of Maybole Community Campus

Maybole Community Campus has been officially opened by Councillor William Grant, Education Portfolio Holder for South Ayrshire Council and Jenny Gilruth MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.

To mark the occasion there was an opening ceremony with guests treated to a musical extravaganza involving pupils from the new campus. Children and young people from Carrick Academy, Culzean Primary and St Cuthbert's Primary pulled out all the stops as choirs, bands and dancers took to the stage.

Those attending the ceremony heard about the new campus' innovative learning spaces, as well as other features such as the rooftop playground, woodland play area and multipurpose amphitheatre!

Guests were asked to write down their reactions to the campus, so that their comments can be added to a time capsule which will be buried at a later date.

As well as the new schools and an early years centre the campus is also home to a police office and Maybole Leisure Club.

The local community have been making use of the 25-metre swimming pool at the campus, along with two all-weather pitches, sports hall, and a fitness suite. Residents can also use rooms at the school for meetings and events.

The campus is very proud of its excellent energy performance with triple glazing, solar panels, air source heat pumps, there's even a wind turbine!

Councillor William Grant, Education Portfolio Holder for South Ayrshire Council said: "I would like to thank everyone involved with Maybole Community Campus for organising the official opening, the pupils were superb. The campus looks amazing and it's already transforming learning in Maybole and beyond.

"Through a mix of refurbishment and new build programmes, we continue to invest in education. This is set to continue over the next decade with around eighty-five million pounds spent modernising our schools and educational facilities."

Jenny Gilruth MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills said: "The Scottish Government is absolutely determined to improve the quality of our school estate and I am very pleased that, in partnership with South Ayrshire Council, we have been able to provide £22.2 million to support the new Maybole Community Campus. It is so important that our children have learning environments that are fit for the future and that support quality learning and teaching experiences. 

"The opening has been a wonderful demonstration of the clear talent and creativity of pupils at the school, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching their performances." 

Councillor Martin Kilbride, Buildings, Housing and Environment Portfolio Holder for South Ayrshire Council said: "This is a fantastic campus. It's an ideal facility as the schools retain their own identities, but share the connecting spaces, coming together to learn and socialise.

"The campus has outstanding green credentials and is 'A' rated for energy performance. This achievement is down to modern construction techniques and materials combined with the latest renewable energy technologies."

Councillor Alec Clark, Tourism, Culture and Rural Affairs Portfolio Holder for the Council said: "Our schools often become a focus for the local community, particularly in more rural locations. Maybole Community Campus is already widely used by residents, as well as the police and a number of other partners.

"Everyone working on this project has gone that extra mile and the results are fantastic. I would like to thank residents for their support and for ensuring that the campus continues to be a hub for the local community."

The head teachers for the schools said: "Our campus stands as a symbol of the old and the new, the past and the future. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our colleagues at South Ayrshire Council, the Scottish Government, hub South West Scotland, and Morgan Sindall for bringing Maybole Community Campus to life. A special thank you goes to the entire community for your unwavering support and engagement throughout this project."

Michael Ross, Chief Executive of hub South West said: "We were very proud to attend the opening event of this fantastic community campus. We have a long track record of working in partnership delivering transformational education facilities for South Ayrshire Council, having delivered nine state of the art educational facilities over the past decade across South Ayrshire. This campus will be a valuable community asset for generations to come, and we are thrilled to have played our part in enabling this."