Next steps revealed for major Renfrewshire schools investment

The next steps for major investment in Renfrewshire schools have been set out – with future options to be developed for all schools in Johnstone, plus Trinity High in Renfrew. 

Renfrewshire Council is delivering the biggest-ever long-term investment in the area’s schools – with councillors last year agreeing to make available an initial £170m to help transform and modernise the area’s learning estate for future generations. 

This week (Thursday 21 August) will see councillors on the education board consider a report setting out the case for change for the schools they previously agreed as initial priorities – Johnstone High, the town’s seven primary schools, and Trinity High. This sets out agreed key facts for each school, such as capacity, condition, costs, pupil travel, and more. 

This is the first part of a four-stage business-case process designed to ensure a range of options are carefully considered and that long-term investment decisions create the best value for money and community benefit. 

The next step for each school will see a longlist of possible options created and published later this year, then narrowed down to a shortlist to be developed further. This will ultimately allow the best way ahead for each community to be chosen. 

For each of the agreed priority schools, this process will also consider if any nearby schools or other community facilities could form part of the options which are taken forward. 

Every school in the area was last year assessed under the process set out in Renfrewshire’s Learning Estate Strategy, with 13 agreed as priorities for investment. 

As this included three Johnstone primaries (Thorn, Auchenlodment and St Margaret’s) plus Johnstone High, it was agreed all Johnstone schools would be looked at together, to ensure existing capacity is being well used, and investment can benefit the whole town. 

The case for change sets out that: 

• Johnstone’s seven primary schools are currently only 68% full and this is predicted to fall further over the next decade 
• Some of Johnstone’s primaries are modern buildings in very good condition, but three are decades-old and in need of improvement 
• Johnstone High is an older building which needs significant investment 
• Trinity High is forecast to go over capacity in the next decade, and the current site may be difficult to extend or redevelop. 

Councillor Emma Rodden, convener of the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board, said: “We are making major investment which will transform Renfrewshire’s schools for our pupils, staff and communities over the years ahead and this is the next step towards that. 

“It’s crucial we have a thorough process to plan that investment in the best way, informed by a clear idea of what our communities need. So it is important to stress it will be further down the line before any decisions are made. 

“This important first step sets out the facts for each area. That will allow us to consider all options for each community, analyse them in detail, and identify the best one. 

“Key to that will be seeking feedback from school communities each step of the way, which is a process we plan to start in the Johnstone and Trinity areas over the coming weeks.” 

A further eight schools already identified as priorities will go through the same business-case process, starting early next year. These are: Castlehead High, and St Catherine’s, Gallowhill, St Peter’s, West, Heriot, Brediland and Bridge of Weir Primaries.

The council is currently delivering a new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus (opening August 2026), plus the new Thistle Primary School in Dargavel, and an extension to and redesign of Park Mains High School in Erskine (both due to complete August 2027).