New school opens doors
The youngest and oldest pupils at Burnside Primary were given a special honour in marking the official opening of their new school building last week.
P1 youngster Ritchie Forrest and P7 pupil Isabela Kershaw joined Rutherglen South Councillor Carol Nugent in unveiling a plaque to celebrate the school’s £7.7 million refurbishment.
Other councillors, community figures, and former school employees were invited along as special guests last Tuesday afternoon and congratulated staff and pupils on their new-look building.
School chaplain, Reverend William Wilson, attended and gave a closing prayer after P1 and P7 pupils sang for all the guests.
Burnside head teacher Helen McGarvey said: “It was a fabulous day, which was also quite emotional because we have moved onto this new school, and the P7 pupils who attended will also be moving on.
“Everybody loves the new school. It’s bright, it’s airy, and it’s great just to be back in the Burnside school grounds.”
Youngsters moved into the new building last year, having spent the previous 18 months at the old Spittal Primary, which served as Burnside’s decant building.
The official opening ceremony took place after a comfortable settling in period for pupils and staff.
Burnside Primary now has an allweather sports pitch, a two-storey extension, a host of new rooms, and a stage with lighting and sound system.
Pupils and staff also put their stamp on the new building by choosing bright colours for the walls, along with slogans and inspirational words that have been painted on them.
The inspirational quotes were incorporated into the design plans to encourage thinking and feeling positive among the pupils.