Sporting hero returns home to cut ribbon on £12m Kinross school

Commonwealth hurdler pays tribute to teachers who set her on the road to sporting glory

Local hero Eilidh Doyle went back to class to officially reopen her old school and paid tribute to the teachers who set her on her way to sporting glory.

The three-time Commonwealth Games silver medallist hurdler helped cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the £12 million reconstruction of Kinross Primary School.

Looking back on her time at the old Kinross Primary, Eilidh said: “It’s been a long time since I’ve been back.

“I drive through the area a lot so I have seen the school grow from the ground up.

“I loved my time here. When I was at primary I started to realise that I was good at sports and won awards in swimming and cross country running.

“My head teacher George Wilson used to encourage us to share our sporting stories.

“Walking into the assembly today took me back to when I was younger standing at assembly with my awards in front of the children.”

She added: “The nice thing about Kinross is that it’s a wee town with a big community spirit. Even though it’s a new school, the area still has the same togetherness.”

The new school is a dramatic improvement from the 48-year-old building that once stood, serving locals from 1969 until its closure in January.

Education Secretary and North Perthshire MSP John Swinney also attended the official opening and said the school is one “learners, staff and the whole community can be proud of”.

He added: “It’s great to see the council’s continued commitment to their school estate and I am pleased that the Scottish Government has been able to support these projects through our £1.8 billion Schools for the Future programme, which will see 117 schools replaced or refurbished by March 2020.”

The new school, which welcomed its first pupils in January, has a roll of more than 560 pupils, with a dedicated nursery for 85 children under the same roof.

It features open-plan teaching zones, a dedicated gym hall, outdoor teaching facilities and grass sports pitches.

In August next year, the brand new £32.5 million Bertha Park High School will open, with work continuing on the £50 million redevelopment of Perth High.

My head teacher George Wilson used to encourage us to share our sporting stories

Picture: Steven Brown. Kevin Dickson, Eilidh Doyle, MSP John Swinney, head teacher Pauline Smith, hub chief executive Garry Bushnell, with pupils Hamish Temple, Callum Newton, Fiona Bayne, Ali Williamson, Reuben Blake, Holly Lamont, Ava Gray, Lily Forbes and Lucas Reid.