Pupils look to the future

Youngsters visit town’s new school buildings

Airdrie school pupils looked into the future as they were treated to special Christmas events at the town’s n ewe s t school buildings.

Youngsters used virtual reality goggles to see what their future classrooms will look like inside the new building for Dunrobin and Petersburn primaries, which are merging; and at the under- construction Tollbrae and St Edward’s joint campus.

Building contractors Morgan Sindall invited children, staff and local councillors to some festive events to show how both projects are progressing.

Pupils at Petersburn and Dunrobin came together to add baubles to a Christmas tree inside the new building, as well as singing carols while its lights were switched on.

Their new £ 17.3 million school is a distinctive twostorey curved building, currently under construction on fields at Petersburn Road beside the current Dunrobin Primary.

It will have a capacity of 484 pupils and include a nursery and learning support unit; the second phase of the project will see the existing school demolished to expand the playground and accommodate a sports pitch and parking.

Meanwhile, youngsters at neighbouring St Edward’s and Tollbrae primaries, located on South Biggar Road, joined forces to fill a time capsule to be buried in the grounds of their new shared campus.

It contained school ties, badges and scarves, as well as photos of pupils, school handbooks and staff lists, and even an old mobile phone.

Both sets of pupils will be moving into a joint campus with two classroom wings connected by a shared gym, dining hall and multi- purpose rooms – accommodating pupil rolls of 342 and 217 youngsters.

The £17.9 million building will have 20 classrooms over two floors, and two nurseries providing 85 pre- school places.

Once the existing schools are then demolished, a floodlit synthetic pitch will be put in place on the current St Edward’s site, and car parking where Tollbrae currently stands.

Morgan Sindall is building the two school sites as part of North Lanarkshire’s ongoing Schools and Centres 21 rebuilding project, and pupils will move into their new classrooms during 2019.

Stuart Parke r, the construction group’s managing director for Scotland, said: “We’re incredibly pleased to be working with North Lanarkshire Council on building what we’re sure will be a lasting legacy for education in the area.”

The two special events in Airdrie were attended by North Lanarkshire provost Jean Jones, depute council leader Paul Kelly, Airdrie Central councillors David Stocks, Trevor Douglas and Nancy Pettigrew and Airdrie South representatives Paul Di Mascio and Sandy Watson.

Provost Jones, who helped bury the time capsule at Tollbrae and St Edward’s, said: “This an exciting time of year for everyone – but even more so for pupils and staff at all the schools involved who are looking forward to moving to their new schools.”

Big moment Pupils and staff watched as a time capsule containing school uniform items and photos was buried in the grounds of the under-construction St Edward’s and Tollbrae joint campus

Perfect harmony Youngsters from Petersburn and Dunrobin primaries filled the new building with song as they performed Christmas carols

Christmas cheer Current pupils at four Airdrie primaries will be moving into their new buildings during 2019

Preview tour Councillors were invited to see the progress on the new school in Petersburn, with virtual reality displays even on offer

On song St Edward’s and Tollbrae pupils sang carols inside their new joint campus to get guests in the Christmas spirit

Seal of approval Tollbrae and St Edward’s pupils joined forces to fill a time capsule about their schools

Taking shape Dunrobin and Petersburn pupils and their special guests heard how the new school is progressing