West Lothian Council’s executive team has approved plans to locate the new state-of-the-art £14.7 million school in council-owned land off Grange Road, east of the Xcite Craigswood Leisure Centre.

Beatlie provides specialist education for pupils aged three to eighteen with severe and complex support and profound medical needs. The new purpose-built facility will be a centre of excellence for children and young people, providing cutting-edge educational facilities alongside partner health and wrap around support for children and families.

The move will be subject to formal education consultation with all stakeholders.

Executive councillor for education David Dodds said: “It’s fantastic to see work progressing on a superb new campus for Beatlie, that will fully meet the needs of pupils.

“The new location at Craigswood looks ideal, as it allows the school to remain in Craigshill and build on their existing positive relationships with the local community.

“West Lothian already has one of the best school estates in Scotland, and we are investing over £29m in schools for pupils with additional support needs such as Ogilvie, Cedarbank, Pinewood as well as Beatlie.

“This will ensure all our young people have the best facilities for learning we can provide for them, to help them achieve their full potential in the future.”

The new school is being developed with council investment and additional funding as part of the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Investment Programme, and is expected to be completed by late 2023.

Along with the core education facilities for nursery, primary and secondary pupils, plans for the new school also include a hydrotherapy pool, two general purpose rooms, a life skills area, multi-purpose hall and sensory garden.

Plans for the new school will include the most up-to-date assistive technology products which are designed to help facilitate greater independence for wheelchair users to explore their surroundings by increasing, maintaining or improving their functional capabilities.

In addition to the education facilities, the new school will have enhanced energy reduction measures and provide parent support facilities, including accommodation for partner agencies and support services including the NHS Child Development Centre (CDC), which currently support pupils throughout West Lothian

NHS Lothian is contributing around £1.5m to the project cover the cost of the new CDC facility.

A formal public consultation on the proposal to relocate Beatlie School to the new purpose-built facility at Craigswood is expected to be approved by education executive later this month.