Great excitement at Netherthird Primary for official key handover
Children and young people from Netherthird Primary School were excited to welcome special visitors to their new school for the official key handover and time capsule ceremony.
The state of the art two-storey school, which is a key part of the Council’s 10-year plan to improve the school estate, was built on the site of the old school by Kier Construction.
The school has nine classrooms, a nurture room, supported learning spaces, a family hub, a combined assembly, games and dining hall, and outside there are specially designed outdoor learning zones, a large covered external learning space and soft and hard landscaped play areas.
Paighton from P7 and Ewan from P6 did a wonderful job welcoming the special guests to their new school. Children and young people from across the school age groups then joined Councillor Elaine Cowan and Councillor Douglas Reid to perform the official key handover with Head Teacher Jemma Donnelly, local elected members Councillors June Kyle, Jim McMahon and Neill Watts; Councillor Maureen McKay, Councillor Neal Ingram, Linda McAulay-Griffiths, Chief Education Officer and Head of Education, and representatives from Kier Construction.
There was also a time capsule ceremony. The time capsules included important items prepared by the children and young people including a letter about the school by P6, drawings of the children wearing their school uniform by P1, a poem by P5, a school tie and photographs of the children and young people. The time capsules will be buried within the school garden by the team from Kier.
The whole school then performed a song written by Mrs Hill and P6 to mark the occasion. It was a fantastic performance that the children and young people really poured their hearts into. The song was to the tune of McFly’s ‘It’s all about you’ and covered their journey to their new school. It ended with the line ‘Our happy ever after’ and there were quite a few happy tears in the hall.
Councillor Elaine Cowan, Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning, Education and Skills and Culture said: “This is a really exciting time for Netherthird Primary School and the whole community. It was a real honour to perform the official key handover and time capsule ceremony with Head Teacher Jemma Donnelly and the children and young people. The children and young people really did their school and their families proud, they were so welcoming and made our visit very special.
“The school feels like a positive learning environment where children can thrive and through its clever design active, outdoor and creative learning will be part of everyday school life. It felt like the children and young people were already at home, it was actually hard to believe that the school had only opened the day before.
“The team that delivered this project, Miss Donnelly and our teaching staff deserve the highest praise for ensuring that our children and young people have the very best start in life.”
Head Teacher Jemma Donnelly said: "I was delighted to welcome special guests to our school for the official key handover and time capsule ceremony.
"I am overjoyed at our school being back in the heart of our community and look forward to working alongside our partners and friends again. It has been an emotional journey but it was all worth it to see the look on our children’s faces when they walked through the doors and saw their new school for the first time.
"It is an honour and privilege to lead Netherthird Primary School and ECC. I can’t wait to see where the next part of our journey takes us to."
Phil McDowell, regional director for Kier Construction North & Scotland said: “Netherthird Primary School provides students with a brand new, modern learning space. Working in close collaboration with the school and East Ayrshire Council, we’re proud to have delivered this project which will benefit the community and generations of pupils for years to come.”
East Ayrshire Council has worked with Kier Construction previously on the William McIlvanney Campus in Kilmarnock.