Councillors in Argyll and Bute agreed to the Tobermory South site as the preferred location, offering multiple benefits with minimal disruption to current education and travel routines. Located less than a mile from the existing high school, the site has an economic gain of over £3 million for the island without increasing travel times or carbon emissions for the majority of staff and pupils.  

The £43m project to build the new campus is Argyll and Bute Council’s single biggest investment.

The new campus will deliver a range of education benefits for children and young people with high quality modern learning and teaching facilities. It will also provide all children and young people access to improved sport and leisure opportunities. Pupils will benefit from a range of specialist staff, smooth transitions from ELC right through to secondary and more scope for work placements, flexible learning plans and apprenticeships. The campus will be fully accessible for all learners and the community.

Mull has a current population of approximately 3,000 with 178 secondary school aged pupils –55% in North Mull (includes Tobermory), 15% central, 16% South West Mull (i.e. Ross of Mull) and 14% in other parts of the island with the majority of the islands ELC and primary pupils currently attending schools in Tobermory. Community engagement has played a vital role in the project with communities helping to shape and progress the project with feedback through various routes from online surveys, drop-in sessions, Community Sounding Board, and a Pupil Working Group.

The Scottish Government has confirmed the council has gone beyond what they are required to do and is positive regarding the prudent approach they are taking.

Councillor Audrey Forrest, policy lead for education, said: “Providing our children and young people with a quality education lies at the heart of today’s decision. This has been by no means easy and we understand there are many different views as to where the new 2-18 campus should be located. This is about being both ambitious and realistic about what we can deliver for Mull. Unfortunately, even a £43m investment cannot be all things to all people when there are mixed community views. 

“That said, our priority has to be our young people, delivering a contemporary campus that opens up further opportunities for them and benefits the whole of Mull in the long term. Tobermory South offers an exciting blank page, to work together to create something special for the island. A new campus will bring fantastic opportunities for our young people and help grow the island’s economy for future generations to come. 

“Community input has been invaluable throughout this process and we thank everyone, including our young people who have taken part and helped shape the proposals so far. 

“Although we remain at a very early stage of the Mull Campus project, today marks a major milestone. With a preferred location now in place, we can progress to the next stage of preparing a business case with further opportunities to give feedback as we look to launch a public consultation.”