Village school set to re-open in August

Andrew Cowie • Published 14 Apr 2010 16:00 0 Comments

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PUPILS will be back at Cardenden Primary School at the start of the new session in August.

Local Councillor Ian Chisholm was on site at the Cardenden Primary school building and was pleased at the progress.

Council officials have confirmed the work is on schedule and hope to have the children settled in after the summer break.

The school closed due to structural problems 18 months ago and since then Cardenden pupils have been sharing Denend Primary School's building.

The local SNP Councillor said, "The contractors have done great job in getting the building work back on track after losing some time to the foul weather we had this winter.

"I have kept in touch with Fife Council officials and they hope that the children can be settled in after the summer break.

"We have had a lot of support from parents and staff who have rallied round during the bussing to Denend School. At the end of the day the problems of the old building have given us the opportunity to remodel the whole teaching environment and will give us lots more space to benefit both staff and pupils."

The new look Cardenden will house a special purpose built extension and the structure will be able to provide the school's pupils with a new modern home.

The Councillor concluded, "The administration were aware that options to merge with Denend were there but with the support of our Education Convener Councillor Douglas Chapman, funds were found to get this local and much loved school re-built to provide neighbourhood schooling for many more generations of Cardenden families."

Meanwhile Councillor Chisholm has welcomed the allocation of £200,000 to repair the roof of the historic Denend Primary School in the 2010/11 Repairs and Maintenance programme.

The Lochgelly and Cardenden SNP member said, "This lovely old building is starting to show her age.

"Built in 1910 with later additions in the fifties, the school is a listed building and part of the local heritage. I am really pleased we have managed to find the money in our maintenance budget to renew the clay roof tiles and attend to any structural work to the wooden roof beams. Because of the school's listed building status we will need to liaise with Historic Scotland. Work will not start until after the school roll gets back to normal and the Cardenden pupils are in their new school. The investment shows the SNP led Administration's commitment to to keeping this excellent school going for the people of Bowhill and Dundonald. The school is much more than a building and I have always been impressed by the happy classroom atmosphere at Denend.

"I am disappointed that the new housing zoned at Dundonald has not yet materialised but I am sure that after the recession Denend school will be able to cope with many more new families coming into the village."

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