WORK to transform two schools in East Renfrewshire will begin - on the same day.

The £18.2m joint faith schools' campus in Newton Mearns and Barrhead High are the two developments in the area.

The Leader of East Renfrewshire Council Jim Fletcher joined the authority’s education convener Elaine Green, in carrying out two turf-cutting ceremonies at sites where the two new schools are about to take shape.

Councillors Fletcher and Green were joined on the site where Heron is building a new £18.2m joint faith schools’ campus in Newton Mearns by the headteachers of Calderwood Lodge and St Cadoc’s Primary School, Marion Carlton and Maria McBride, and pupils representing each of the two schools most affected by the development.

Councillors Fletcher and Green then headed off to Barrhead where they conducted a similar ground breaking ceremony to mark the start of work on the new £29.7m Barrhead High School, which is being built at the Johnny Kelly Pavilion and blaes pitch site adjacent to the existing school.

East Renfrewshire education convener Elaine Green said: “I’m absolutely delighted to mark the start of work on not one, but two new schools in East Renfrewshire on the same day.

“The Council is investing more than £77 million in the education estate over the next three years to ensure East Renfrewshire residents continue to enjoy the very highest standards of education provision.

"It’s an exciting time for staff, pupils, parents and partners alike and I shall be watching progress at sites across East Renfrewshire with great interest!”