For most pupils the start of term means new uniforms, pristine school bags and shiny shoes but for children in Lenzie this August it also meant a brand new £11.5m school building.
The new Lenzie Meadow Primary School and nursery class was built on the site of the old Lenzie Moss Primary and is now home to 568 pupils from there and Lenzie Primary. It will also host 58 pre-school children in its new nursery.
It is the second school to be delivered by the Council as part of its Primary School Improvement Programme. The first was the award-winning Lairdsland Primary in Kirkintilloch which opened in Spring 2015.
Council Leader Rhondda Geekie went along to the school today (Friday) to meet pupils and teachers. She said, “It was wonderful to see the children coming together in their fabulous new school. They have been involved since the design process and have had a guiding hand in creating the kind of school they wanted.
“I know I show my age when I remark on how different modern schools look compared to what many of us are used to but it really is wonderful. Lenzie Meadow is so bright and colourful and the use of open areas and outdoor spaces for various things like project work or break-out sessions is a great asset to teachers.
“Today’s young people expect to learn with technology and with the inclusion of LCD touchscreens as well as Wi-Fi throughout the building, they haven’t been disappointed.”
Lenzie Meadow Interim Parent Council has been working alongside Council Officers to ensure that the new school meets the needs of pupils and parents within the community. Co-Chairs, Gordon MacDonald and David North, said, "We are delighted that the new Lenzie Meadow Primary School is open for the start of the school year. It is a fantastic new building and will be a great educational resource for our children. We would like to thank all the East Dunbartonshire Council officers, teachers and the staff of Lend Lease who have worked so hard to get the building finished and ready for occupation."
Pupils started the new term yesterday and have been busy getting to know the layout of their new school and playground and meeting new classmates.
Lucy in Primary 5, who is a former pupil of Lenzie Primary, said, “The new school is really good, it’s really big and great fun. There is lots of space and I have enjoyed meeting all my new class mates.”
Ross, a former pupil of Lenzie Moss Primary, is also in Primary 5. He said, “The school has a lot of space – it is so big it’s still a bit confusing but I’m sure I’ll get used to it. The teachers are all really nice too.”
It’s not only the pupils who are excited at the prospect of what the future holds. Headteacher Greg Bremner is relishing the challenge of continuing the work of bringing two school communities together.
He said, “When the children arrived at school and nursery yesterday there was such a buzz – not only from pupils but also from parents and staff! We feel very privileged to work in this wonderful building full of amazing learning opportunities. I would like to thank the staff and parents involved in the planning for this new building. Staff have worked so well in preparation for this day and are delighted to be here and working with learners from both schools as we build Lenzie Meadow community.”
Councillor Geekie concluded, “I am delighted to see the new school up and running and hope that the teachers and pupils will settle in quickly to enjoy their new environment. It is worth remembering at this point that we were able to open the school ahead of its initial October target date. I’d like to thank everyone who worked hard to make it all possible.”
Notes
- Lenzie Meadow Primary has been delivered in partnership with hub West Scotland.
- It is receiving £5m funding through the Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme, managed by the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) on behalf of the Scottish Government.
- It was built by main contractor Lendlease.
- The building’s architects were Holmes Miller.
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