Pupils at fire hit school face more than a year's disruption due to Covid-19

Pupils and parents have spoken of the devastating impact of being left without a school for the past nine months after the building was ravaged by fire.

Woodmill High was badly damaged following last August's fire.

Nearly 1,400 pupils at Woodmill High in Dunfermline were forced to decamp the school last August after the blaze caused extensive damage, destroying its department of additional support.

While construction work has been underway to rebuild the school estate, the Covid-19 outbreak has hampered plans, meaning that some pupils may not be able to return until after the October holidays, subject to an easing in the lockdown restrictions.

Around 1,000 pupils from S3 to S5 returned to classes in January, using parts of the original building that were salvageable, along with new modular accommodation.

It has been hoped that children in S1 and S2 would be able to join them after the Easter break, but they now face a further delay of several months.

One pupil, Josh, 13, only attended three days at school before the fire led to its closure. He has spent the rest of his first year at a nearby community centre without full educational facilities.

He told BBC Scotland: ''Since the fire I've not really had much practical work at school so I've just like been doing the theory side of stuff."

His mother, Kelly, said: ''Over the last 12 months it's just been a rollercoaster really for them and they have been really impacted.

Another parent, Suzanne, who has two children with additional support needs, said the prolonged period of caring for them at home had taken its toll.

She said her daughter, Emma, 11, was worried about making the transition from P7 to S1 during the lockdown.

She explained: "Academically she's doing all right but socially it's destroying her. She's becoming quite withdrawn."

Woodmill's head teacher, Sandy McIntosh, confirmed parents have been updated on how the pandemic has impacted on the rebuilding schedule.

He said: "Construction work had to stop at the school in March due to the restrictions caused by the coronavirus crisis, and this has inevitably led to a delay in our plans to have the new accommodation ready for pupils by August.

"The good news is that we are re-starting this business critical work in the next few weeks, taking into consideration all the new safe distancing requirements, and we should be on track for pupils to return to Woodmill’s department of additional support after the October holidays."

Fife Council has said there is support available for vulnerable families.

Sheilagh McLean, its head of education and children's services, said: "Schools and head teachers are working closely with colleagues across our social work teams to make sure our most vulnerable children are being supported through this crisis and, and collectively we are contacting and meeting with families at least once a week to understand and respond to any changing needs.''

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