Displaced Woodmill pupils will stay in Fife

Education chiefs have found places for the 1,400 youngsters from fire-damaged school within Fife

Fife pupils displaced by a blaze that tore through their school last weekend will not be hosted in Perth and Kinross, it has been announced.

The fire at Woodmill High School in Dunfermline has left 1,400 pupils without classrooms.

It had been suggested the new Bertha Park High on the outskirts of Perth could have hosted some in the short term.

Perth and Kinross Council confirmed it was ready to help if needed.

However, it was revealed yesterday that will not be necessary as alternative accommodation has been found for all of the displaced pupils in buildings across west Fife over the course of next week.

While the school will be split, year groups will be kept together and Woodmill will keep its own identity, with staff moving with the pupils.

The move will begin from Monday. Carrie Lindsay, Fife Council’s executive director of education and children’s services, said: “We still don’t have full access to the building, so we don’t know what the long-term options will be.

“We have options within Fife, outwith Fife from surrounding local authorities, things that are not Fife Council buildings...but until we know how much of the Woodmill building we can get back, we don’t know.”

Decisions on whether the school will be rebuilt will be made further into the future.

Woodmill rector Sandy McIntosh thanked all of those who had helped get a short-term plan in place so quickly, including his own staff and those from neighbouring schools.

“The school community has been devastated by what’s taken place,” he said.

“The support that’s been provided has been phenomenal. There has been a real resilience among the young people wanting to get back to school as quickly as possible.”

He added: “The generosity of schools has been amazing and we have worked very hard to ensure our young people are not disadvantaged.”

It also emerged yesterday tens of thousands of pounds has been donated to help the school community.

A JustGiving page appealing for donations to replace lost equipment and resources following the blaze at the Dunfermline school on Sunday has raised more than £11,000.

A £50,000 bequest from bosses at the Sky contact centre in Dunfermline has also significantly boosted coffers.

Collections are being held at other schools and businesses across the region and a community fund has been set up.

We still don’t have full access to the building, so we don’t know what the longterm options will be. CARRIE LINDSAY FIFE COUNCIL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES