The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
October target for start on £3.2m extension at school
Education: Invitationfortenderstobuildnewnurseryatpopularprimary
The £3.2 million refurbishment and extension of an Orkney school could begin by the end of next month.
Orkney Islands Council is inviting tenders for the contract to extend and refurbish St Andrews Primary School.
Councillors have agreed to include the £3.2 million project in the current capital programme.
The 24-month project includes the construction of a new nursery and extension to the PE hall, along with improvements to the existing school, including drainage.
The extension will allow the school to accommodate up to eight classes and it is anticipated the project will allow for an increasing pupil roll at the school which educates just over 200 children.
The deadline for tenders is the end of this month, with work then due to begin towards the end of October.
St Andrews Primary, which opened in 1996 as a result of the amalgamation of the schools in Holm and St Andrews, serves the east mainland with a catchment area covering Holm, Deerness, Toab and Tankerness.
East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray councillor Andrew Drever, said: “St Andrews Primary School is very highly regarded.
“It has a growing school roll and that is predicted to continue.
“I very much welcome the tendering process for an extension and refurbishment to see the works begin to accommodate the increasing number of school pupils and nursery bairns.
“This will ensure the community has a fantastic educational facility for many years to come.”
The school has strong links with K i r kw a l l Grammar School, the secondar y school to which all children transfer following their primary seven year.
The two schools work on a range of transition projects to support pupils moving to secondary education.
Up until the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the school ran a selection of activities for children outside its opening hours.
These included football, netball, badminton and a chess club.
Further activities are run through a community facility, including football and rugby.