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Council wins award for Early Years Centre
North Ayrshire Council is proud to have been awarded three prizes at the recent Learning Places Scotland Awards.
These celebrate excellence and achievement in the education sector across Scotland, with categories recognising people, projects and partnerships that help to make a lasting impact.
Two Council projects in Irvine were successful, with Marress House winning the Early Learning & Childcare Award and also being Highly Commended in the Refurbishment of the Year award, while Montgomerie Park Primary School was Highly Commended in the overall Project of the Year category.
Former tax office Marress House has been transformed into a modern and welcoming facility in the grounds of the Council’s Cunninghame House headquarters.
The centre, which opened in August 2024, will also be home to the Council’s Public CCTV and Concierge Service in a separate part of the building. It also has a training suite, which will be used to enhance the skillset of the Early Years workforce across the authority.
In the Early Learning & Childcare category, the judges found that Marress House was “a thoughtful and sustainable refurbishment that makes excellent use of an existing building.” It was also praised for having an environment that has attracted great feedback from parents and children, “helping to shape a nurturing and appropriate setting.”
Quote: There was some very tough competition in the same categories as Marress House, and I would like to congratulate all of the Council teams and departments who were involved in transforming the former tax office into such a vibrant and bright space for our children to learn in. Everyone involved has helped to breathe new life into the building, and when you visit you can see just how much Head of Centre Deborah Gott, her staff, the children and their parents enjoy the space and gardens.
Quote from: Depute Leader Shaun Macaulay, Cabinet Member for Education and Young People
There is strong evidence regarding the importance of high-quality early learning and childcare in setting children up for a brighter future, including improved school readiness, supporting educational attainment, and enhanced social and emotional development.
It can also allow parents to pursue education, training or employment opportunities, improving the household’s wider economic prosperity and well-being.
And all of these factors are taken into account when the Council builds or refurbishes education establishments.
Councillor Macaulay added: “We should also take pride in Montgomerie Park Primary School being Highly Commended in what was a very competitive category.
“It is an eco-friendly building and is the first ‘Passivhaus’ school we have built. The term Passivhaus refers to buildings that are constructed to strict energy efficiency standards which help reduce the building’s carbon footprint.”
Published: 03 December 2025