Moray Council agrees next steps for Elgin High School capacity expansion project
Moray Council has agreed to progress an internal repurposing project to meet the future capacity requirements at Elgin High School.
The decision follows independent checking of updated data, which indicates future pupil numbers would be lower than previously forecast.
An extension is therefore no longer necessary to meet future teaching space needs, given future pupil numbers could be managed by repurposing space within the existing school.
The September 2024 school census data indicated a significant reduction in future pupil numbers forecast to attend Elgin High School, including planning for future house building. The extension project was paused in November 2024 to allow time for the updated school roll forecasts to be independently verified before any final decisions were made.
An independent external review confirmed that the school roll forecasting method used was robust and suitable for future capacity planning. It also supported the view that the most recent figures do not support the need for a large extension, reflecting a national fall in primary school numbers, which will affect secondary schools in the coming years. The September 2025 school census data confirmed this finding with actual pupils and forecast pupils attending Elgin High School being lower than previous predictions.
A separate study looked in detail at how spaces at Elgin High School are currently utilised. Commitee members, parents and community representatives recently took the opportunity to visit the school to see for themselves the changes internally that could ensure suitable learning spaces in a repurposed building. The report findings indicate that, with changes to timetabling, more efficient use of rooms, and the repurposing of some underused spaces, the school would accommodate up to 950 pupils, more than sufficient to meet forecast future capacity demand.
Leader of Moray Council and Chair of the Education, Children’s and Leisure Services Committee, Cllr Kathleen Robertson, said: “Elgin High School is a much-loved part of the community, and we want to make sure it continues to meet pupils’ needs for years to come. These reviews have given us confidence that by making better use of the space already there, we can create the right learning environment and use resources wisely to benefit young people in Elgin. I also thank community representatives and lay members of the education committee for their input during the engagement process.”