Campus and Developments
The main Heriot's campus is a single site of some 10.5 acres in area, encompassing attractive lawns and gardens, playground spaces, and buildings to accommodate the Nursery, Junior School, Senior School and After School Club.
The centrepiece is the historic and architecturally important Old Building, in which the original Heriot's Hospital was housed. This continues to be used for teaching on a day to day basis by a number of Junior School classes and the Senior School's English, Mathematics and Modern Languages Departments. The rest of the campus consists of a range of separate buildings set around a large playground, providing the facilities required for the delivery of the full 3-18 curriculum, as well as the necessary support functions (Catering, Administration, Finance, Support Services etc). The overall appearance and atmosphere of the campus reflects Heriot's strong sense of history, but modern additions in the shape of the Nursery and Middle Primary buildings and an ongoing programme of internal refurbishments and upgrading, including extensive investment in IT, have kept Heriot's facilities up to date with the demands of the modern curriculum.
The School has recently acquired the former Grassmarket Campus of the Edinburgh College of Art, which lies immediately adjacent and is now linked to the main school campus. The purpose of the acquisition is not to expand pupil numbers, but to provide Heriot's with the additional space necessary to enable development of the campus with an eye to new specialist facilities, such as those for PE and Music, enhancement of existing facilities and more rational and flexible use of the whole school site. Following an extensive feasibility study, the School has established a long-term strategic plan for the future development of the whole school campus incorporating the Grassmarket site. The first phase has a new sports hall as its centrepiece. Planning permission has been given for the sports hall, and work on this exciting project is due to begin early in 2009.
