Crosshouse Primary and Communication Centre key handover

The school and Communication Centre opened on Friday 7 September and the children and young people have been enjoying exploring their new buildings, playground and outdoor learning spaces.

Councillor Elaine Cowan, Cabinet Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning, Education and Skills and Culture visited the new school to perform the official key handover with Leader of the Council, Councillor Douglas Reid, local members Councillors Lillian Jones and Iain Linton; Eddie Fraser, Chief Executive and Linda McAulay-Griffiths, Chief Education Officer and Head of Education. They then joined Head Teacher Tina Gaitens for a tour of the new facility.

They viewed the new gym and dining area; the classrooms and open plan areas within the building, which give teachers and practitioners the opportunity to change learning spaces seamlessly encouraging active learning. They also viewed the beautiful new library with panoramic windows overlooking the playground and outdoor learning spaces.

Councillor Elaine Cowan said: “Due to the period of national mourning we were unable to visit Crosshouse Primary and Communication Centre, the week after they moved in so we have been really looking forward to today and seeing the children and young people in their newly refurbished and extended school for the first time.

“The Council’s extensive school improvement programme is ensuring that our children and young people are learning in the best facilities possible. When we buried the time capsule, it was hard to imagine what the finished school would look like but it is really light and airy and feels like a very positive and calm space.”

The refurbishment and extension was carried out by Fleming Buildings Ltd.

The two-storey extension houses a new integrated dining and PE block, five additional teaching spaces for both primary school and communication centre use and eight communication centre classrooms that have dedicated quiet rooms. The existing building has been completely refurbished and outside the children have fun landscaped areas for outdoor learning and play.