Scottish Catholic Observer

The new £10 million Catholic primary is being developed on the original site of St Andrew’s Primary.

Pupils at both schools entered a special competition to design posters indicating ways to stay safe around building sites, ­following a safety presentation from main contractor Morgan Sindall.

The winning pieces will be displayed on the construction site, making a colourful addition as the building work remains ongoing.

The pupils were delighted to see their work being transformed into a large poster and showcased for all who pass the construction site to see.

“I never win anything so when I heard that my drawing had been picked I couldn’t believe it,” a winning pupil at St Joseph’s Primary said. “It was really exciting to come to see the new school today and I’m really happy that my poster will be going up.”

Meanwhile, a P3 boy also spoke of his excitement at having his design made into one of the posters, saying: “It was really good to see my poster and I can’t wait to be able to show everyone once it’s up on the big fence.

“I liked learning all about being safe around the new building and I’m glad my picture was picked.”

Competition winners were congratulated this week, as they met with deputy council leader Gillian Renwick, David Boyle of Morgan Sindall, and Ewan MacKenzie of Hub West Scotland.

Ms Renick praised the ‘eye-catching’ work by the youngsters and their excellent reminders on staying safe.

“[These] eye-catching posters will not only brighten up the building site, but will remind everyone of the dangers of playing near a construction area,” she said.

Mr Boyle said: “It’s really good to see the winning posters and I’m sure the pupils will enjoy seeing their work on display. Our team was impressed by the standard of the entries and there were a few tough decisions to be made selecting the winners from each group.”

Community benefits manager with Hub West Scotland, Lindsey McNaughtan, also praised the pupils’ efforts. “It is fantastic to see children getting involved and learning about the construction industry,” she said.

Work on the new school began in April of this year, and is due for completion in summer 2018. It will feature a number of modern amenities, including flexible indoor and outdoor learning areas and a multi-use games area.

“A competition like this is a great way of getting the pupils involved in the construction phase of their new school,” Ms Renwick added. “The children are understandably very excited and are looking forward to seeing it complete next year.”