When Storm Otto ripped part of its roof off parents feared Burnside Primary School could be shut for weeks or even months.
But after only one week closed children were back at lessons in the Carnoustie school, thanks to the remarkable efforts of staff and contractors.
While it may take many months more for the school to be fully repaired, makeshift classrooms in the gym hall, storage and meeting rooms and the nursery have allowed pupils to return much quicker than anticipated.
We visited Burnside Primary School to find out how staff pulled out the stops to get pupils back lightning quick and how children are settling into their new learning environments.
Burnside Primary building safe for occupation
Contractors have made the school building safe for occupation.
But a large section of the upper floor remains out-of-bounds meaning both P7 classes have moved into the gym hall.
Pupil Emily Simpson told us: “They did a lot of work just to get us back into school so we can still do learning.”
Desks and chairs, a library and even their break-out area have been shifted into the hall, and pupils have had a say in how their super classroom is set out.
Lara Findlay said: “I love how it is because it’s way more spacious and we get to see our friends from other classes.
“They [the teachers] did a lot; we do realise how much they did to get us back in.”
Both P1 classes are enjoying lessons in the large nursery, with nursery children having temporarily relocated to Carnoustie Early Learning and Childcare Centre.
But William Leslie told us he was “sad” to see pictures of the damage to Burnside Primary School from Storm Otto.
Creating makeshift classrooms at Burnside
Along the corridor in a classroom fashioned from two general purpose rooms, are P4 pupils.
Lucy Jones told us she was surprised by how quickly the school reopened.
She said: “It was way quicker than I expected.”
Once head teacher Jackie Goodwin came up with a plan to rejig the school and get everyone back in, staff, including teachers, office staff and janitors, rolled up their sleeves to put it into action.
Teacher Cullean Kennedy said: “Regardless of what you taught or what area of the school you worked in, we all worked together as we always do.”
Mrs Goodwin described her initial “shock” at the storm damage but said: “I have an amazing staff. They just got stuck in.”
The children, she said, were brilliant when they returned.
“It was lovely to see them back.
“I went round all the classes and talked to the children about our expectations, because we are a school partially in a building site now.
“The P7s were able to help set up the classroom, not initially, but tweak it as they have gone along so they have felt fully involved.”
Although the timescale for getting back to normal is out of her hands, Mrs Goodwin said: “We’ll make the best of it, which is what we do in Burnside.”
Investigations are continuing
Investigations are continuing into the failure of the roof to withstand the storm.
A temporary fix is being designed to protect the fabric of the building and allow full use to be restored until permanent repair can be made.
The PPP school was built by Robertson Construction for Angus Council and opened in 2008.
Conversation