Time capsule ceremony at Crosshouse Primary and Communication Centre

Councillor Elaine Cowan, Cabinet Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning, Education and Skills and Culture; local members Councillors Lillian Jones, Iain Linton and Douglas Reid and Linda McAulay-Griffiths, Chief Education Officer/ Head of Education, joined Head Teacher Tina Gaitens, Charlie and Mason from the Communication Centre and young people from P7 for the time capsule ceremony.

This was the first time any of the children and young people have been inside their new school. Ronnie Burrows from the main contractor, Flemings and the Council’s Capital Programme team were on hand to show them where the new gym hall was going to be, the new school kitchen and some of the new classrooms. The time capsule was then placed carefully under a staircase within the extension.

Each class contributed to the time capsule. They wrote about their lives, in and out of school, drew pictures of things that were important to them and included some small toys. One class made a poster about how much their favourite toy cost while others wrote about the pandemic, explaining what it was like to live through Covid-19, and included face coverings and hand sanitiser within the time capsule. They also wrote about their hopes for the future and their career aspirations.

There are also photos of all the children and young people within the time capsule.

Councillor Elaine Cowan said: “What an honour that for my first official outing as Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning, Education and Skills and Culture I was able to join with children and young people from Crosshouse Primary and Communication Centre for a time capsule ceremony. The whole school worked very hard preparing items for the time capsule and I really enjoyed hearing from the P7’s about their hopes for the future.

“All the children and young people were so excited to be the first to see inside their new school. Charlie and Mason from the Communication Centre were taking lots of photos to show their classmates and their teacher when they got back to class. They were particularly impressed with the new lift within the extension.

“I was also pleased to receive an update from Fleming Buildings Ltd and our Capital Programme team, to hear that the build is progressing well and on target to be completed this August.”

The refurbishment and extension, which is being carried out by Fleming Buildings Ltd and due to be completed in August, will provide our children with new, light and bright classrooms and a variety of exciting and flexible indoor and outdoor spaces.

The two-storey extension will house 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 will each have dedicated quiet rooms. The existing building will be completely refurbished and outside the children will enjoy a new running and cycling sport track, sports pitch and fun landscaped areas for outdoor learning and play.