Calderwood Primary grows
More young people will be able to attend Calderwood Primary in East Calder after a planned extension to the school was completed.
The school was specifically designed to be expanded in the future when first built, and these plans were brought into place as the projected school roll was now sufficient to require the additional accommodation to be constructed.
The additional learning spaces will increase the school capacity from 462 to 693, making it one of the largest primary schools in West Lothian.
To mark the construction work being completed ahead of the new academic year starting in August 2024, Calderwood staff and pupils were joined by Council Leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick and some of those involved in the construction process.
Leader of West Lothian Council Lawrence Fitzpatrick said: "It's fantastic to see this excellent new extension to Calderwood Primary is ready for staff and pupils.
"The Calderwood development has proved very popular with young families, and this provides the expanded school they need to ensure high quality education continues to be delivered for local children."
Calderwood Headteacher Sarah Burton added: "We are delighted to have the chance to grow our Calderwood Primary family further with this new extension.
"The learning spaces are superb, and our staff and pupils are looking forward to using them to their full potential."
The project has been delivered on time and on budget by the same team who delivered the original school, led by development partner Hub South East and main contractor Morrison Construction. This allowed expertise from the original construction work to be carried forward into the extension.
Ian Bowd, Hub South East's Projects Director, said: "Calderwood Primary is an award winning, innovative learning space for the new Calderwood development and since its opening, pupils and staff have embraced the opportunities provided in their new school and it's clearly a real asset in the heart of the community.
"We are delighted to have successfully completed a new extension, meaning that even more young people can now attend the school and reach their full potential. This is one of a number of exciting learning estate projects we are working on in partnership with West Lothian Council and it was fantastic to see the positive feedback from pupils and staff as they explored their new classrooms."
David Ewing, Managing Director of Morrison Construction Building Central, commented: "This project is a fantastic example of our strong collaborative relationship with Hub South East and West Lothian Council.
"The new Calderwood Primary School extension was delivered four-weeks early and will serve as a great addition to our portfolio of projects in the region and will hopefully offer the local community a school that they will be proud of for years to come."
The £8 million cost of project was fully met through developer contributions from Stirling Developments from house building in the area.
