Pupils and teachers alike are now enjoying the additional space provided following the completion of Newton Farm Primary School extension.
An additional seven classrooms have now been added to the original 14 with more cloakroom / storage spaces, toilet facilities, an additional staff office, a general-purpose room and an increase to the dining room space.
Head Teacher Catherine Meechan said: “Everyone is delighted now that the extension has been completed. The increased space has made the whole school seem even airier and brighter.”
Now with a total of 21 mainstream classrooms, the school will continue to provide the flexibility and space to accommodate all the learning needs of the pupils.
Councillor Gavin Keatt, the depute chair of the council’s Education Resources Committee, said: “This improvement to the school is exactly what we are striving to achieve. It shows that by working together we can achieve the best teaching outcomes for our young people.”
P7 pupil Katie Anderson said: “Having more space in our school has made it much less crowded.” And Ollie McDermott, also from P7, added: “The extension means there is so much more space to move around in.”
The pupils were delighted when the extension to their school was officially opened by Clare Haughey MSP.
Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said: “The new extension at Newton Farm Primary is a milestone as it is the first project to be completed using support from the Scottish Government’s £2 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP).
“It is an excellent example of how Scottish Government and councils are working together to improve schools.
“The Learning Estate Investment Programme will see schools upgraded across Scotland, benefitting around 50,000 pupils. It has been great to see first-hand what a difference this first completed project will make to learners at Newton Farm Primary.”
The cost of the expansion programme was £4.39m, 50% of which will be covered by the Scottish Government’s LEIP. Work began in July 2021 and was completed in time for the new term in August 2022.
