CONTRACTORS handed over the keys this week for the newest school in the Borders.

The £32 million intergenerational campus in Jedburgh will open to pupils after the Easter holidays.

But this week education bosses and teachers were finally allowed into the stunning new building to begin preparations.

The project was delivered on time and on budget by Hub South East and main contractor, BAM Construction.

Greig Jamieson, commercial director of Hub South East, told us: “I’m incredibly proud to have handed the keys of this fantastic inspiring learning space to our partner, Scottish Borders Council, and seeing the positive reactions of those visiting for the first time, I’m confident that pupils, staff and local people will find it a real asset to the community of Jedburgh.

“This project is demonstrable evidence of what can be achieved when the true partnership working ethos of the Hub initiative is embraced.

"A great deal of work went on in the background between all parties to ensure the design, development and construction of the project could proceed at pace to meet a spring 2020 deadline set by Scottish Government and we managed this successfully, resulting in the delivery of a modern, high quality, innovative building that meets the intergenerational learning needs of the town.”

The new Jedburgh Grammar Campus will serve children from two- to 18-years-old.

And it will also offer new community and sporting facilities, including a multi-use games area, 2G hockey pitch, 3G sports pitch, 100 metre synthetic running track, 300 metre grass track and gym.

Alongside classrooms, there will be a rural skills area, flexible hall space that can be used for multiple activities and a café.

And despite anger in some quarters of the Jedburgh community, the public library and contact centre will also be housed in the campus.

To mark the handover. Jedburgh Grammar headteacher Susan Oliver was given a sneak peek around the new building, along with staff, pupils and Borders and community councillors.

Council Leader Shona Haslam said: “The new Jedburgh Grammar Campus is amazing, and the children who saw the facility this week were also blown away with the equipment and facilities on offer such as the sprung floor dance studios and technology rooms.

“There is also state of the art security measures in place for all children and a range of fantastic sports facilities.

“I look forward to joining the community as the new campus opens its doors next month.”

The Campus replaces the current Jedburgh Grammar School, and former Parkside and Howdenburn primary schools.

Council spokeswoman for education Carol Hamilton told us: “The new Jedburgh Grammar Campus is a truly inspiring building.

“With the Council now having the keys, the finishing touches are being made to ensure it is ready to open next month and start to provide significant educational and wellbeing benefits for children, young people, families and the wider community in one location.”