MUSIC and celebration were very much the order of the day as a Three Towns school was 'officially' opened - almost a year-and-a-half after welcoming its first pupils.
Lockhart Campus in Stevenston opened its doors in August 2021 but Covid-19 robbed the community of the chance to properly celebrate the launch at the time.
However, the young people, supported by staff, made up for that today (Friday, January 27) with a music-filled afternoon for invited guests.
North Ayrshire Provost Anthea Dickson had the honour of unveiling the plaque, cutting the cake and more poignantly using a ‘key’ designed and made by the pupils to unlock the building and officially declare the school open.
Provost Dickson said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have the honour of officially opening this wonderful school.
"It’s been a marvellous day and so heart-warming to see the young people performing – they have been wonderful and so inspiring.
“It’s so clear that they are flourishing in their new school and there is a real bond between them and staff.
"I am sure they will continue to thrive on their journey through the school.”
The £20 million school – situated next to Auchenharvie Academy – replaced James McFarlane, Haysholm, Stanecastle and James Reid schools and offers a range of classroom settings and special rooms to cater for children with a diverse range of additional support needs.
Wendy Fenton, Lockhart head teacher, added: “I couldn’t be prouder of the young people and staff today as we celebrate the opening of Lockhart Campus.
“We have come a long way since we first opened our doors. There have been a few bumps along the way but we are now settled and enjoying our new surroundings and making the most of this wonderful learning environment.
“It was obviously a massive change for the young people but they have adapted so well. It was great for them to be such an integral and important part of today’s official opening.”
After a meet and greet at the entrance to the school, and the ‘unlocking’ of Lockhart, guests were taken to the gym hall to be treated to wonderful musical performances from the choir and solo performances from Chelsea Imrie and Natasha McKiernon.
Councillor Shaun Macaulay, cabinet member for education, said: “This is a wonderful facility, and it was great that the young people got to show it off today.
“You can tell that the young people feel safe, secure and loved in their new school and that’s a huge credit to all the staff.”
Contractors Morrison Construction first started work on the project in late 2019 and overcame the difficulties posed by the pandemic to ensure the facility was ready for August 2021.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here