Cawdor Primary School completes on schedule
After more than 150 years of history the bell finally tolled on Cawdor Primary School with news today that the new multimillion pound replacement school and community facility passed an independent building inspection.
The new £4.7 million school - one of the 11 new rural and urban community schools being built by Morrison Construction under the Highland Council’s second education PPP scheme - is now ready for the Council to fully prepare to welcome pupils and the community at the start of the new academic year in August.
Inside the facility boasts six primary classrooms; a resource/library area; high ICT network specification throughout, with broadband connection; a pupil support room; nursery room including quiet room; protected nursery play area; multi purpose hall; general purpose/dining room (separate from the Hall); cloakrooms, toilets and showers; hard play area and grass pitch; cycle compound, car parking and drop off.
In addition, there are dedicated community spaces – a community room plus kitchen, playgroup room and meeting room. The hall, with extra storage, is also larger than normal for community use in evenings and weekends, and non school days.
While outside the schools proximity to the village’s conservation area has been sensitively reflected in its surroundings and exterior. This includes the installation of a stone gateway feature, using artificial slate roof tiles and decorating the façade in Cawdor red paint.
Commenting on the successful completion, Derek Chambers, Morrison Construction’s Project Director for the Highland Schools project, said: “The building is modern, spacious, well planned and fully equipped to deliver the whole curriculum, as well as providing a very high standard of care and welfare for the pupils.
“I am sure that it will play an active and central role in the lives of everyone living in the surrounding area.”
Talking about the enormous progress that continues to be made on the Highland Schools project Mr Chambers continued: “This is the fifth project in as many months to be completed and handed over to the client on time and to budget. The remaining six projects are all on site, progressing at pace and on programme to complete between May and September next year.
“Dingwall Academy and Portree High School are both wind and watertight, the steel frame is complete at Millburn Academy and Kinlochleven Academy and Primary School with ground preparation well-advanced at Drummond School.”
Under the PPP process, Morrison Facilities Services now provides the school with a range of facilities management services which runs for 30 years and includes building maintenance and security, cleaning and grounds maintenance and helpdesk support.
The 11 PPP2 Initiative schools are being developed by Alpha Schools (Highland) Ltd, a consortium of Morrison PLC and Noble Fund Manager.