Friday November 1st 2024
Council Leader Councillor Kelly Parry cuts the ribbon.
.Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Luke Jackson
Pupils and staff at Woodburn Primary School in Dalkeith, Midlothian are enjoying new state-of-the-art educational facilities after main contractor Kier and the council completed the £11.4m extension and refurbishment project early.
Opened six weeks ahead of schedule the new 2,262 square metre extension and refurbishment, increases pupil capacity from a three-stream to a four-stream entry. The new facility will also be available for community use.
The school has been extended on two storeys to include nine new classrooms and an additional gym hall while the dining hall and kitchen have been upgraded and extended to accommodate the expansion of the school.
Outdoor improvements feature new play areas, a sensory and activity garden using locally sourced materials, shrubs and wildflower seeds. Log seating has been crafted from trees removed during construction, saving 10 tonnes of wood waste for reuse or recycling from the site. The project team also achieved a ’10 tonnes Achievement Award’ through donations to the Community Wood Recycling charity, diverting waste from landfill while supporting social enterprise.
As an organisation committed to reducing the carbon footprint on its projects, Kier installed smart sockets in the site cabins at Woodburn, leading to an energy consumption reduction of 53% – equating to 986kg of carbon saved during the construction process.
Kier has also created new jobs and work placement opportunities and delivered several education engagement events. In addition, it has given almost £5,000 to the local community through donations including sports equipment, foodbank vouchers and voluntary local labour work.
Improvements to the Early Years’ playground and the resurfacing of a nearby access road have also been carried out by the Kier team pro bono part of the social value work delivered alongside the project.
Officially opening the new extension recently, Midlothian Council Leader, Councillor Kelly Parry said:
“It’s great to see the pupils and staff so excited about the new extension. And who could blame them? What a wonderful learning environment to help give our children the best start in life while providing excellent facilities for our wider community.”
Headteacher of Woodburn Primary School, Joanna Findlay said the extension opening was another highlight in a great year for the school and nursery.
She said: “Having watched the hard work and dedication of the team building our fantastic extension from the ground up, it’s wonderful to see it finished and being enjoyed by our staff and children. We are in the process of planning opportunities for our families and wider community to come and visit our new learning spaces, both indoors and out.
“We are very proud of the recognition the school received in our HMIe Inspection earlier this year. Alongside our Rights Respecting Schools Sustained Gold Award, this acknowledges the hard work and commitment of our whole school community.
“Going forward, we are excited to build on these successes through utilising our new learning environment in creative and innovative ways.”
Phil McDowell, regional director for Kier North & Scotland said:
“We are thrilled to see pupils and staff at Woodburn Primary School enjoying their fantastic new facilities. Our expertise in design through to completion has enabled us to deliver an outstanding school on behalf of Midlothian Council whilst being sensitive to, and creative with, the environment around the site.”
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