Funding confirmed for Woodmill High replacement
The school was badly damaged by fire last month
Last updated 4th Sep 2019
The Scottish Government has confirmed it is backing a new school campus in Dumfermline to replace the fire-ravaged Woodmill High.
Pupils at the school have been displaced following a blaze there in August, which left much of the building damaged.
A 14-year-old boy has since been charged with wilful fireraising to danger of life.
Now the Education Secretary has announced funding for a facility which would bring together pupils, students and staff at Woodmill High, St Columba’s High School and Fife College.
The estimated cost is between £150 million and £180 million, with the Scottish Government has offering up to £90 million to fund the College portion of the campus, and up to half of the overall cost for the schools element.
It is hoped it would be ready by the end of 2024.
Education Secretary John Swinney said: "Woodmill High School was devastated by the fire and it is clear that Fife Council, Fife College and surrounding schools have made a tremendous effort to find alternative accommodation and minimise disruption to pupils’ learning.
“Since the fire ten days ago, I accelerated discussions with Fife Council and Fife College and I am now very pleased to confirm we support the development of a brand new joint learning campus.
“Locating the two schools and Fife College on the same site would give pupils easy access to a greater variety of subjects and qualifications.
"Schools, colleges and universities are the cornerstones of our communities and a joint campus model will give Dunfermline a hub of high quality, low carbon and digitally enabled facilities.”
Convener of Fife Council's Education and Children's Services Committee Fay Sinclair said: “This is a really exciting opportunity. We have been looking at ways to expand, replace and improve our school buildings for some time and a shared campus will open up so many different learning options and routes for our young people to access the careers they want.
“We have already held community engagement sessions on the future of education provision.
"This will inform our work with Fife College to bring forward firm proposals for a new development, which the community will be consulted on before plans are finalised.
“Today’s announcement gives the Woodmill community reassurance about the long term plans for their school, as we work through short and medium-term arrangements at this difficult time."