Dr Alasdair Allan, Scottish Government minister for learning, was the guest of honour for the official ceremony on the site on which the new school will be built in Fountainbridge.

He was joined at the event by pupils and staff from the school, City of Edinburgh Council education, children and families convener Cllr Paul Godzik and vice-convener Cllr Cathy Fullerton and representatives from contractors O’Hare and McGovern.

The new Boroughmuir High 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.

The school is due to be ready for pupils starting the 2016/17 school year in August 2016 and is being built on a site 500m away from the current Viewforth building.

The design for the canal-side site includes:

Cathal O’Hare, contracts manager for O’Hare and McGovern, said the company was determined to make Boroughmuir school a flagship project and eventually a landmark building in Edinburgh.

He said: “This is a massively prestigious project for us at OHMG. It signifies our growing presence in Scotland and the fact that it’s in Edinburgh makes it extra special.

“We want to provide a building of which staff, pupils and parents can be really proud. The school has had a long and distinguished tradition. It is so much part of the area’s social history and we want to make sure future generations will benefit from a first class educational facility.”