In these austerity-bedevilled days, when nearly all the news from the public sector is grim, it is heartening to celebrate a project that is forward-looking, innovative and full of hope. Even critics of faith schools as such might acknowledge that the new joint campus bringing together Catholic and Jewish primary schools in Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire, is a bold development fired by goodwill and a determination to educate children in a caring and tolerant environment.

Local Catholic children at St Clare’s will join with Jewish pupils from Calderwood Lodge, sharing a central hub and amphitheatre, a playground and a nursery, as well as sport, art, science, music and drama facilities. Each school will have its own teaching wings but, undoubtedly, the most exciting aspect will be the shared central space with its group learning zones, digital technology and all-important wi-fi coverage.

East Renfrewshire Council, which also opens a new Barrhead High School today, is to be congratulated heartily for this £17 million development, as is the Scottish Government, which contributed funds. One might be forgiven for thinking that, despite the imposition of austerity from elsewhere, we were indeed living in the early days of a better nation. At any rate, yesterday was a good day for education, a good day for East Renfrewshire, and a good day for the future of Scotland.