Dumfries' North West Campus could be shut until spring

The school site has been shut on safety grounds since September

Repair work at a £28m school campus closed on safety grounds will take weeks longer than previously forecast.

Dumfries and Galloway Council had been told it was "on track" to be finished this month.

However, contractors have now informed them the North West Community Campus in Dumfries will not be ready to hand over until February.

A report to councillors said pupils would move in on a phased basis some time after that.

It stressed that it would not be "competent" to give an "absolute timeline" for the return of pupils to the site.

However, it is now expected that primary and nursery children will move in "towards the spring", with secondary pupils transferring in late May or June following their exams.

Timeline: The North West Community Campus

8 November 2016 - Work officially begins on the multi-million pound project to replace Lochside and St Ninian's primary schools, Langlands special secondary school and Maxwelltown High School.

25 July 2018 - An investigation is carried out into the cause of a leak in the building just weeks before it opens.

21 August 2018 - The campus opens to pupils.

24 August 2018 - The school is shut just days later after a child was hit by a door.

28 August 2018 - The facility reopens after safety checks.

7 September 2018 - The campus is closed indefinitely after a pupil is struck by a smart board.

3 October 2018 - The opening of a nearby learning hub is also put on hold.

12 October 2018 - A closed school is pressed back into use to accommodate secondary pupils.

21 November 2018 - Councillors are told repair work is "on track" to be completed by the end of the year.

Jeff Leaver, who chairs the council's children, young people and lifelong learning committee, said the December completion target for the repairs had always seemed "ambitious".

"What we need to do is make sure that the work is being done absolutely perfectly," he said.

"That is why we have decided rather than rush into taking over ownership of the school we make sure everything has been done properly."

Andrew O'Halloran, EIS secretary for Dumfries and Galloway, said the delay was not unexpected given the complexity of the project.

"The school has to be perfect before pupils and staff can return," he said.

"We would like to ensure the least possible disruption to the education of pupils sitting SQA exams next year."

'Commercially sensitive'

He added that the union was also concerned about the level of work-related stress absence among campus staff.

The site - which opened in August - was shut the following month after incidents in which staff and pupils were injured.

Students affected by the closure are being accommodated in a number of schools in the town.

A report on the associated costs - and their recovery - will also be presented to the council next week, however, its details have not been disclosed and the paper will be considered in private.

The council said it contained "commercially sensitive information".