New starts finally welcomed to fire-hit Kirkcaldy primary

Head teacher praises community effort in sprucing place up

A fire-hit Kirkcaldy primary school finally welcomed its youngest pupils for their first day of school yesterday.

A community effort saw people pull together to ensure Torbain Primary’s infant building was ready to house the primary one and nursery pupils.

Around 200 youngsters experienced a mixture of nerves and excitement as they arrived at the school six days after other Fife pupils began the school year.

They were forced to stay at home after last weekend’s devastating blaze caused damage to a staff room and toilets and left other areas blackened and stinking of smoke.

Primary two pupils, who also use the affected building, were temporarily housed in the main part of the school while the work was ongoing.

Parents and other members of the community joined school staff and squads of cleaners and worked for days to scrub, repaint and ventilate before the building was declared fit to open.

Businesses also mucked in, with Kirkcaldy’s New Waves Laundry offering to wash the school’s nativity costumes, Sainsbury’s providing cleaning supplies and B&Q and Morrisons also lending support.

In addition, the organisers of Saturday’s Templehall Gala donated the proceeds of their stocks stall to help replace items lost in the fire.

Torbain head teacher Caroline Bruce said the school had been looking forward to welcoming the nursery and primary one children.

She said: “Thanks to the fantastic efforts of staff, parents, the council and the community who made it possible.”

Two boys aged 15 and 16 were reported to the Children’s Reporter following the blaze on Saturday August 12.

A plastic picnic table had been pushed against a window and set alight in what was described as an act of wanton vandalism.

One councillor said the total bill for calling out the fire service, investigations, the clean-up operation and insurance claim could run to as much as £100,000. Neil Crooks also called for a debate over whether vandals and fire-raisers should be forced to repay the cost of the damage they cause.

Thanks to the fantastic efforts of staff, parents, the council and the community who made it possible. CAROLINE BRUCE

Picture: David Wardle. Youngsters making their way into Torbain Primary School for the first time.