CV63 2025 | Page 44

44 BAM- South & West Fife High School

BAM- SOUTH & WEST FIFE HIGH SCHOOL

BAM Construction is delivering the new £ 88 million Caledonia High School in Fife— a sustainable, Passivhaus-designed secondary school set to serve over 1,700 pupils from 2026.
The construction of Caledonia High School in Rosyth marks one of Fife Council’ s most significant education infrastructure investments in a generation. Set to replace Inverkeithing High School, the £ 88 million project is being delivered by BAM Construction with architectural design by AHR Architects and development management by hub East Central Scotland.
The new school will serve young people from South and West Fife and is designed to provide a modern, flexible, and environmentally responsible learning environment for over 1,700 pupils.
The school is being built on the site of the former Fleet Grounds, and once complete, will feature a three-storey building with contemporary learning spaces, specialist classrooms, an assembly hall, and a suite of state-of-the-art sports facilities. The campus will include a sports block, all-weather pitches, and grass playing fields, designed to support both school PE provision and wider community use after hours.
Initial groundworks began in summer 2024, with the main build commencing later that autumn. In March 2025, the school reached a key construction milestone with a formal topping-out ceremony, attended by pupils, council representatives, BAM Construction, and hub East Central Scotland. The event marked the completion of the building’ s steel frame and roof structure, allowing the project to move into the next phase of internal works, M & E installation, and final fit-out.
The build is on track for completion in spring 2026, with the school due to open to pupils in the August 2026 term. It forms part of Fife Council’ s wider Learning Estate Strategy, which includes a pipeline of new and upgraded schools aimed at raising attainment, enhancing wellbeing, and supporting local economic growth.
At the heart of the design is a commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency. Caledonia High School is being delivered to full Passivhaus standards— a first for secondary schools in Fife— enabling an expected 75 % reduction in energy usage compared to standard new-build schools. The building will also target reductions in embodied carbon, with specification choices guided by RIBA and Scottish Futures Trust net-zero performance benchmarks.
Natural daylight, air quality, and acoustic comfort have all been prioritised in the design to create an environment that supports concentration and wellbeing. With a flexible openplan layout— known as the“ see and be seen” model— the school will promote collaborative learning while ensuring strong visual connectivity and passive supervision.
AHR’ s design also integrates community accessibility, ensuring key facilities such as the sports halls, pitches, and assembly spaces can be used by local groups out of hours, helping to establish the school as a central asset for the wider South and West Fife community.
Naming the school was a carefully considered process. In early 2025, Fife Council launched an extensive public consultation, receiving input from over 6,700 stakeholders including pupils, parents, staff, and residents. The selected name— Caledonia High School— was chosen for its inclusive, timeless character and strong regional resonance. The name reflects local pride and the ambition to create a school that is forward-thinking yet rooted in the identity of the area.
The project is being procured and delivered through hub East Central Scotland on behalf of Fife Council, with support from the Scottish Government via the Learning Estate Investment Programme( LEIP). The LEIP supports the delivery of modern, digitally-enabled, low-energy schools
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