Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Ex-education chief opens new school
A NEW £8.1 million school in Dundee was officially opened today.
Pupils at Sidlaw View Primary and Jessie Porter Nursery celebrated the milestone at a ceremony.
Michael Wood, the outgoing executive director of Dundee City Council’s children and families service, unveiled plaques to mark the occasion.
The new school is part of a campus that will include the replacement for Baldragon Academy when it is complete.
Up to 400 pupils will be able to attend the new two-stream primary school, which also includes a dining and assembly hall, a production kitchen, a gym hall, offices and drama and music provision.
Mr Wood, whose role has now been taken on by Paul Clancy, said: “I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to open this tremendous school building. It is a great day for the school community and a celebration of the children’s creativity and talent.”
Pupils marked the official opening with a programme of song and music.
The construction was undertaken by Robertson Tayside, which has been involved in a number of other construction projects in Dundee including the new Harris Academy.
Kevin Dickson, the firm’s regional managing director, said: “It’s been a pleasure to work on the combined primary school and nursery, which we delivered under Scape Group’s National Major Works framework. The new Sidlaw View offers real value to the local community, with the facilities installed giving children the best start to their education experience.
“The completion marks the beginning of the overall campus regeneration which, when completed, will be an exemplary centre for learning.”
Scape Group is a public sector owned built environment specialist offering a full suite of national frameworks and innovative design solutions.
The project is the latest in a series of new school projects across the city.
Among the others planned is a new Coldside school campus, on the site of the old Alexander Street multis, while a North East campus will replace St Luke’s and St Matthew’s, and St Vincent’s primary schools.