The local authority has also won £300,000 of Scottish Government funding towards its new faith schools’ joint campus.

The money has been awarded to help create a special hub area for pupils and staff of both schools right at the heart of the campus.

The council is building a schools campus serving both the Catholic and Jewish faiths on one site.

For the first time, it will bring together two purpose-built denominational primary schools with provision for a nursery.

It’s thought it will be the first of its kind in Europe.

Both schools – a replacement for the existing Jewish school, Calderwood Lodge and an additional primary for the Catholic community – will have separate entrances, teaching wings and head teachers.

The council applied to the Scottish Government’s Inspiring Learning Spaces fund towards an innovative interactive hub at the centre of the building.

The award of £300,000 is among the highest awards made to 20 schools projects across Scotland.

The idea is for a market square-style shared space, with first-class ICT facilities, full wi-fi coverage and a range of small and larger group learning zones.

The central space will revolve around an amphitheatre, which is designed to be a flexible meeting place for children from both primaries that’s neither an assembly hall or a classroom.

Convener for education and equalities, Councillor Elaine Green, said: “Our proposal for a faith schools’ joint campus is a bold and unique one.

“It will respect and nurture children’s individual religious faiths while at the same time delivering inspiring spaces for learning, teaching and social integration.

“Each school will have their own distinct areas but the hub proposal, with its radical design, offers a new and innovative approach to learning and teaching.

“I’m delighted that’s been recognised by the Scottish Government and that they have made this award to support the project.” The new campus, which is expected to cost in the region of £13 million, is to be built in Newton Mearns, on a site opposite Mearns Castle High.

Work is due to start in March 2016 and it will be ready for its first pupils in August 2017.

There will be a shared nursery class, and the playground will be shared, as will other facilities, such as sport, art, science and music/drama. Kosher catering and dining facilities will be provided for Calderwood Lodge.

The Jewish faith school will close its doors at the end of the 2016/17 school year. Although owned and managed by East Renfrewshire Council, it is located in Newlands, Glasgow. Most of the Jewish children live locally and there has long been a desire to have a school within the East Renfrewshire community.

East Renfrewshire pupils at Calderwood Lodge would continue to transfer to Mearns Castle, their current associated secondary school, and the new Catholic primary will be associated with St Ninian’s High.