Woodmill High: Fire-hit school to partially open in time for prelims

Woodmill High School was gutted by the fire

A Fife high school devastated by fire will partially reopen in time for prelim exams in January.

Three temporary buildings will house S3, S4 and S5 pupils on the site of the Woodmill High School in Dunfermline after the Christmas holidays.

All pupils would be back together by August 2020, officials said.

Some classrooms, eight science labs, three gym halls, three computing rooms, four CDT rooms and four home economic rooms have been salvaged at the school.

The blaze engulfed the school on 26 August and saw 80 firefighters work through the night to tackle the flames.

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with wilful fire-raising to danger of life following the incident.

A demolition team has pulled down sections of the burned-out school and pupils have been found places to study in other schools and buildings in the surrounding area.

Social experiences

Shelagh McLean, Fife Council's head of Education and children's services, said: "S1, S2 and department of additional support pupils will continue with their interim arrangements until the larger modular village is installed.

"However, from January, we'll be looking for opportunities for these young people to have learning and social experiences at the re-opened Woodmill site.

"S6 pupils will stay at St Columba's as they've been timetabled into classes with the St Columba's S6 pupils. But they too will be able to use facilities at their own school once it's re-opened across the road."

A new education campus is to eventually replace the school by 2024.

The move will see Woodmill High, St Columba's High and Fife College move to a new purpose-built facility.

The Scottish government estimates the new facility will cost between £150m and £180m.

Scottish ministers said they will invest up to £90m to fund the college portion of the campus and up to half of the cost of the new schools.

The rest of the costs will fall to Fife Council.