A report discussed at the City of Edinburgh Council yesterday outlined the results of the eight-week consultation carried out between September and November this year with parents, staff and the local community on three options.

Councillor Paul Godzik, education convener at the City of Edinburgh Council, said the decision reinforces a commitment to significant further investment in the school estate.

He said: “It’s been a long time in the planning but I’m sure all parents and staff at St John’s will be delighted that such an important milestone for the new school has been reached.

“Using this site is yet another positive outcome from being able to build the new Portobello High School on Portobello Park. This allows us to take forward this project on part of the existing combined school site rather than having to move to a completely different one. It also creates fantastic opportunities for the area of open space that will be created on the remainder of the existing combined school site.”

Mr Godzik added: “St John’s has been a long-standing priority for replacement within the Wave 3 programme which is now being delivered and has been fully funded by the Capital Coalition.”

The new St John’s RC Primary School is being part funded through the Scottish Government’s Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme which is managed by the Scottish Futures Trust.