Kingsland is open - it's official
David O'Leary • Published 2 Jul 2010 09:30
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Executive Member for Education George Turnbull and Headteacher Jacqueline Wilson
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IT has been a long time coming but Kingsland Primary School finally enjoyed its official opening ceremony this week.
Staff, pupils and invited guests gathered outside the new building at Neidpath Grazings to celebrate the launch of the state of the art £10 million facility.
Taking place in front of the school, the sun beamed down as pupils were piped in by parent Mrs Smith and a group of current and former pupils.
Headteacher Jacqueline Wilson started proceedings by welcoming the crowd, which included many parents, and conveying her pride at the hard work which went into securing the new facility.
Eve MacDonald, a P3 pupil, then read a short poem entitled 'New Kingsland School Poem', where she described her excitement upon walking through the doors for the first time.
In his first official outing as Scottish Borders Council's (SBC) Executive Member for Education, Councillor George Turnbull praised the project, he said: "I am sure you will agree with me that the new building is outstanding.
"The spirit of the pupils, parents and community are reflected in what we are seeing and experiencing today. I would personally like to thank you all for everything you have done to achieve this."
Primary five pupil Matt Johnston read his reflections on the move, describing how him and his friend sang the national anthem on their way to the new building for the first time to mark the importance of the occasion.
Next up came the internment of the Kingsland time capsule, sealed until 2060, and containing everything from a school dinner menu to a whole school photo - with Mrs Wilson reminding pupils it was up to them to make sure no-one built on top of the spot where it is buried.
A news report, expertly written and presented by P3 pupil Finlay Durkin, described the process of the move and even featured an exclusive interview with Mrs Wilson herself.
Also present was Councillor Catriona Bhatia, who last week lost her role as Executive Member for Education after comments made to a local newspaper about budget cuts.
She told the Peeblesshire News she was glad the project had come to fruition: "This has been a great day for the whole community. It's not about any one individual but the whole team that worked so hard to make it happen. It's nice to be here and see the school being celebrated."
And Mrs Wilson said she couldn't be happier with Kingsland's new home: "Even though we have only been here since February it feels like we have always been here.
"The most important aspect is that the children love being here and have taken to the new building really well. Working in an environment that offers so much light and space is fantastic, and to finally have somewhere where the whole school can come together is just wonderful."
This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 02 Jul 10
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