The £18.3 million project is being delivered by Hub South East in partnership with West Lothian Council, with Morrison Construction appointed as the main contractor - the same team that delivered the award winning Calderwood Primary, West Calder High School and the Winchburgh Schools Campus.

Plans will see a new school constructed adjacent to the existing school in Langton Road, East Calder, with the recently built Early Years extension retained. The designs, by architects NORR, see a triangular shape building which will deliver optimum energy performance and with smaller perimeter spaces grouped around larger ones within - including a central games hall - the inspiring new learning space will ensure a real educational connectivity. Once complete in 2024, pupils will move over to the new building and the current school will be demolished.

Roddy Clark, Hub South East’s operations director, said: “A great deal of work has gone into the development and design of this project in the background, so reaching Contract Close is a significant milestone in making the new primary for East Calder a reality.

“Having already successfully delivered the award-winning inspiring learning space at Calderwood Primary, as well as the recent Winchburgh Schools development, we are proud to be further entrusted to take forward West Lothian Council’s latest investment in education and we look forward to working with our partners and the local community as the project progresses.”

Executive councillor for education Andrew McGuire said: “I’m delighted that work is set to start on a superb new East Calder Primary School soon.

“We are committed to delivering the best possible platform for education for children in West Lothian by continually improving our school estate. Educational attainment has been rising consistently for the last decade in West Lothian, and making sure we have buildings suitable for learning is a key part of this.

“In a challenging and volatile construction market, agreeing a fixed price of £18.3m for the new school provides certainty for the council and the local community going forward.”

David Ewing, managing director of Morrison Construction Building Central, added: “We have a tremendous collaborative relationship built over many years with West Lothian Council and Hub South East. We are looking forward to East Calder becoming yet another fantastic school to add to the portfolio of award-winning projects we have built together, and providing the high-quality facilities that students and staff deserve.”

The new East Calder Primary School Project is jointly funded by Scottish and local fovernment as part of the Learning Estate Investment Programme.

Meanwhile, West Lothian Council’s Education Executive has approved plans to launch a formal consultation to seek views on the establishment of a new primary school in the Hawkhill area of Winchburgh.

The development of a new primary school and nursery at Hawkhill is required to ensure new housing developments have appropriate catchment schools and ensure West Lothian Council meets its statutory educational responsibilities.

The proposed new primary school will have an initial capacity for 231 pupils and will have a flexible design that will allow for future expansion if required.

The new primary school will be fully funded from developer contributions as part of a Section 75 planning agreement.

A 42-place nursery will be a component of the proposed development.

The intention is to commence construction on site in 2024 with pupils attending the new school from August 2025.

Planning permission will be sought to deliver the new facilities as part of the ongoing process.

Executive councillor for Education, Andrew McGuire, said: “The establishment of a new Primary School and associated nursery in the Hawkhill area is required as further development continues in the Winchburgh area.

“I’d encourage everyone to please engage with the council on the proposals once the formal consultation period commences in April. This will help ensure another first-class educational setting is delivered for the benefit of local children for years to come.”

Following approval from Education Executive, the public consultation period will commence Monday 24 April 2023 and last until Friday 9 June 2023.