£ 68m super school won’t open on time
A £ 68m superschool will not open on August 20 as planned.
Council chiefs admitted the new Barony Campus will not be completed on time.
The building work, undertaken by Morrison Construction, has fallen behind schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Linda McAulay- Griffiths, head of education, said: “Morrison Construction have not been able to get onsite to complete the build and the campus will therefore not open in August as planned.”
The build was progressing on schedule when the lockdown news was called on Monday, March 23. And guidance from the Scottish Government meant that all construction work on site had to stop.
This guidance is, however, being reviewed on a daily basis and as soon as the Scottish Government advises, Morrison Construction will be back on site to finish the build.
The head teacher of the
Barony Campus, Peter Gilchrist, reckons pupils will have “endless opportunities” to achieve their potential- once the school is fully operational.
The new Cumnock school will boast around 2500 pupils and become Scotland’s biggest- and one of the biggest in the UK.
Once operational, the campus will bring five schools together on one site.
Arrangements have been put in place for pupils who were due to attend the new school.
The Robert Burns Academy will operate as a split campus: S1 to S3 BGE. Curriculum will be delivered in Cumnock Academy. All P7 pupils from associated primary schools will attend Cumnock Academy. S4 to S6 will be delivered in Auchinleck Academy. The secondary Supported Learning Centre will be based within Cumnock Academy.
Lochnorris Primary School, Barshare and Greenmill primary schools will continue to operate in their current locations. Hillside Additional Support Needs School- Hillside School will continue to operate within its current premises.
Cherry Trees Early Childhood Centre- The Early Childhood Centres in Barshare and Greenmill Primary Schools will continue to operate within their current premises.