Senior pupils at blaze-hit school to return to classes

● Alternative accommodation still sought for younger children

Senior pupils at fire-hit Woodmill High in Dunfermline have been told they will be able to resume lessons next week, but no solution has been found for younger children.

Fife Council said meetings would take place with pupils’ parents tomorrow after identifying “a possible opportunity” to house S5 and S6 pupils from Monday but said it wanted to discuss the proposals with parents and other groups before making them public.

Other pupils may return to lessons on a “phased basis” from next week as council workers try to find accommodation and transport for them.

Headteacher Sandy Mcintosh insisted that the school would remain together as a community, adding that he expected children to wear uniforms while being taught in temporary accommodation.

The fire on Sunday night began in the department of additional needs and destroyedmanyclassrooms.a 14-year-old boy appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court this week, charged with wilful fire-raising to danger of life.

Mr Mcintosh said: “We have identified solutions that will allow S5 and S6 pupils to return to their learning from this coming Monday, 2 September. We know they’re anxious to pick up their certificate courses and we’re inviting parents and pupils to sessions tomorrow evening to talk about how arrangements will work.

“We’ve identified a possible opportunity to accommodate our DAS pupils in a single facility from Monday, 9 September. We need to discuss these proposals with a number of groups before we can talk about more detail publicly.”

He added: “Officers from across the council are still securing accommodation and transport for our 1,000 S1-S4 students. This is a large and complex task. We’re working on solutions that would keep whole year groups together and bring them all back into a school as soon as possible, which might be on a phased basis over the next week.

“To do that, we will have to use space within other secondary schools and community facilities in Fife.”

Meanwhile a crowdfunding campaign to buy equipment for the school has reached more than £9,000 within two days of being set up.

Parent Karen Anderson launched the fundraising campaign on Just Giving.