Hundreds of pupils from a fire-ravaged secondary school have returned to their classrooms in time for exams.
More than 700 S3 to S5 students arrived back at Woodmill High School in Dunfermline on Tuesday, five months after the building was devastated by a ferocious blaze.
Their return marks the first phase of a bid to move all 1,400 pupils to the Shields Road school this year and follows a huge effort to accommodate young people and teachers in seven different locations while demolition and clean-up work was carried out.
Around half of the Woodmill building was lost in the fire, with an entire three-storey section and the department of additional support (DAS) destroyed.
Woodmill headteacher Sandy McIntosh said no part of the original building was untouched.
“We’re very, very fortunate to have back part of the building,” he said.
“A massive amount of work has taken place over the last few months to make sure it’s ready and prepared for the young people coming back.
“If you’re doing your job correctly, it’s more than just a job.
“My own children come to this school, I live in the community. It’s my responsibility to sort these problems and get things back on track as quickly as possible.”
While some of the original building can now be used, six temporary classrooms have been created in modular buildings or huts.
A further 26 classrooms will be created in a second wing of modular buildings in the playground once demolition work is complete, meaning S1 and S2 pupils should be able to return by Easter.
The DAS until will continue with its current arrangements at Blairhall Primary School until the new school session in August.
Fifth year pupil Skye Jolly, 16, was one of several pupils to be given a preview of the site on Monday, ahead of their return on Tuesday.
She said she was pleased to be returning to Woodmill in time for the prelim exams beginning on Friday.
“I was based at Fife College, which was actually all right,” she said.
“The college has been really good with amazing staff and it feels like we’ve been part of the college but it’s nice to have a base here with other year groups.”
Fellow fifth years Melissa Allan and Tori Johnston said that while they had felt welcome at the college, they had sometimes found it difficult to track down teachers if they were based elsewhere.
“Being back at Woodmill makes it easier for us to revise and get prepared for exams,” said Tori.
Fife Council’s education spokesperson, SNP councillor Fay Sinclair, said reopening the school so quickly had been a huge undertaking.
“I think the efforts that went into, first of all finding alternative accommodation for 1,400 pupils and then getting Woodmill reopened were amazing and the way the pupils and staff handled it was fantastic,” she said.
