Published Date: Oct 7th, 2024
Pupils and staff at Lochgelly South Primary School have been using first few weeks of the school term to get settled into their newly refurbished building after a £7m investment by Fife Council.
Investigation work prior to installing a new modular unit on the grounds of the school showed a historic mine working beneath the grounds and part of the school, putting the building at risk of subsidence in the future.
Pupils temporarily moved to St Kenneth's primary school after the summer holidays in 2023 and major remedial ground consolidation work, involving drilling and grouting the site, was undertaking to secure the long term future of the school.
The work was undertaken by the council's building services teams, with the help of local contractors, and took a year to complete.
The building was stripped back to bare walls, with rotten timbers and damp plaster being removed throughout the school. After the ground consolidation work was completed, the interior of the building underwent a full refurbishment and modernisation, creating a modern school environment.
Outside, there's with a new modular nursery, multi use games area, a separate play area, fencing, paths, and a revamped car park. The roof and guttering have been repaired and innovative sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) installed, along with fully external painting of the school.
Steve Anderson, service manager for building services, said: “This was a unique and challenging project for us, and the first time this kind of ground consolidation work has been undertaken in Fife.
Restoring the school's ornate original fixtures, alongside providing new modern features, was a particularly challenge but one our in-house teams and local contractors were happy to take on to deliver a facility the young people and staff can enjoy learning and working in for many years to come”.
Fife Council's spokesperson for building services, Cllr Judy Hamilton, said: "Many children have started their learning at Lochgelly South over the years and I'm delighted that we've been able to secure the building's future for generations to come.
"I'm proud that the many of the skills needed to undertake such a challenging project are held within our own workforce or local businesses"
Lochgelly South headteacher, Lorraine Taylor, said: "Everyone was very excited to get back into our school after a year away, and our pupils are settling in well. We're very grateful to St Kenneth's for letting us share their school while the work was carried out and to everyone involved in bringing about some fantastic improvements as part of the project.
"Even though everything is brand new, the school still feels very familiar! We're looking forward to many years of learning ahead of us."
