Dear community member
We are writing to provide you with an update on the new Thistle Primary School, which is currently under construction in Dargavel Village and remains on track to open for the start of the new school term in August 2027.
This update will cover progress with the build, the appointment of the new Thistle Primary School Headteacher and an update on the school catchment and admissions. |
The new school is being delivered by Renfrewshire Council in partnership with HubWest Scotland and BAM Construction. Once complete, it will provide a modern learning environment for around 800 pupils and include facilities for wider community use, including a full-size sports pitch, outdoor play areas and community spaces.
As you can see in the below pictures, construction is moving forward well, and the steel structure of the building is now in place.
We are also pleased to report continued progress across the wider build. Window installation is now underway, helping to further define the structure and move the project towards becoming fully weather tight. Internally, partitions are being erected across the upper levels, including the top floor, which is beginning to give a clearer sense of the layout of classrooms and shared spaces. Work is also progressing in the outdoor areas, with preparations being made for play spaces and landscaping, ensuring that both the indoor and outdoor environments will support high quality learning and community use. |
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You can also see a drone flythrough of the new building, which was filmed recently. |
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New headteacher appointment |
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We are delighted to say the head teacher for Thistle Primary, David Rigmand, is now in post. David, who was previously head teacher of Wallace Primary in Elderslie, will be working closely with my team at council HQ and with Mr Carlton and Mrs Chisholm at Dargavel and Bishopton primaries to plan the opening of the new school next summer.
David is looking forward to getting out into the community and helping build an identity for Thistle Primary School. He is keen to hear from any prospective Thistle PS parents/carers interested in joining him on a parent steering group to help shape the new school.
This will cover issues such as school values and ethos, uniform consultation, communication and engagement, and school policies and identity development. If you would be interested, please email ThistleConsultation@renfrewshire.gov.uk or complete the survey below.
Over the next year, David will host open evenings for any prospective families at Thistle Primary, and assemblies within the two nearby schools, and we will keep you informed once dates for these are set. |
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Catchments and admissions |
To help David and the central education team plan the staffing and operation of the new school, we are keen to know how many families currently living in the area plan to send their child or children to Thistle Primary when it opens in summer 2027.
From next summer, the current Dargavel Primary catchment will split into two – the north part will become the catchment for Thistle Primary, the south half will remain the catchment for Dargavel Primary. The Bishopton Primary catchment will not change.
You can see which catchment your house is in by clicking the interactive catchment map link. |
We have created a short survey and invite those of you living in the Thistle PS catchment to let us know your plans at this stage. You can fill that out using the link. |
The survey is only to give us an indication over numbers. If you are unsure of your plans at this stage or need more information, the survey will be open until the 10 July 2026 and includes the option for you to say so.
We appreciate there will be a number of things for parents to consider, so we’ve tried to set out some of the key points here:
- Any child who has already started at Dargavel or Bishopton, or who will do so this summer, has the right to remain in that school for their whole primary education if they wish, regardless of their address. No one will be asked to move if they don’t want to;
- However, those of you who live in the Thistle Primary catchment and have child(ren) who currently attend Bishopton or Dargavel, will have the option to move your child or children to the new school from 2027 should you wish;
- Anyone living out with the Thistle catchment who wishes to attend Thistle Primary would have to submit a placing request.
- If your elder child(ren) has already started school at Dargavel, and you wish your younger child to do the same, you can apply for a place.
The formal P1 application process for the new Thistle PS will start in November this year. This survey is only for our initial guidance at this stage.
I hope you all have a great summer.
Kind regards
Gerard McLaughlin
Head of Education
Renfrewshire Council |
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