Dozens of young pupils will be unable to start school as planned on Wednesday following a blaze at one of Fife’s biggest primaries.
The new intake of primary one children at Torbain Primary School in Kirkcaldy, will have to wait until Monday for their first day after Fife Council ruled the damage caused by Saturday’s fire was too serious to allow them to start.
Nursery pupils will also have to be kept at home, but pupils in primaries two to seven will start as planned and will all be housed in the school’s main building.
Concerned parents, who now face having to make alternative childcare arrangements at short notice, said the impact could be huge.
Two local youths have been charged with wilful fire-raising in connection with the incident and a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.
The school’s infant building, which accommodates the nursery and primaries one and two, was badly damaged by the fire which ripped through it at around 1.45pm.
The boys’ toilets and the staff room were gutted and other areas suffered severe smoke and water damage.
It is believed the fire spread from a bench through a window.
Neil Finnie, senior compliance officer with Fife Council, said that despite the best efforts of staff, the classrooms  were not in a suitable condition for infants and new pupils.
“We want them to start school in a safe and pleasant environment and will welcome them back on Monday August 21 when redecoration and cleaning work will have been concluded,” he said.
“We apologise for the inconvenience and upset for both parents and pupils but obviously these circumstances are beyond our control.”
Mr Finnie added: “Vandalism not only costs the council large sums of money – which could be used for other vital local services – it also has a direct impact on young children, families and the wider communites.
“Some families may now be struggling to alter working and childcare arrangements.”
