PRIMARY 4-7 pupils returning to school in Dunbar this week now have a newly extended school.

Youngsters across the county returned to school yesterday (Wednesday) after the summer break.

However, there was a little bit of a change at Dunbar Primary School’s Lochend Campus, with five new classrooms as part of the extension.

Helen Gillanders, the school’s headteacher, said: “We are delighted with our new extension.

“The space will offer so many opportunities for the children, for example group work and practical lessons in our new music room, as well as a number of new classrooms and resource rooms for our teachers.

“The entire school will benefit from the extension and it will undoubtedly enhance our campus as the school grows.”

A cheque for almost £1.3 million was handed over by Hallhill Developments Ltd to East Lothian Council in November 2015, with work on the extension getting under way in July last year.

It was originally expected to be complete by Easter; however, the completion date was first pushed back to May 19, with “exceptionally adverse weather conditions” among the reasons for the delay, and then a second delay seeing it pushed back to the summer holidays.

Councillor Shamin Akhtar, council spokeswoman for education, said: “It’s great news that the new extension will be open and ready for the school session.

“Everyone will hugely benefit from the space and the school will be able to provide even more excellent learning and teaching opportunities for our pupils. It’s yet another example of how hard East Lothian Council is working to ensure we provide the best start for our children.”

The £8.5 million campus, to the south of the railway line, opened five years ago and is used by the school’s P4-7 pupils.

The original John Muir Campus, which is on the opposite side of the railway line, is now used exclusively by nursery and P1-3 children.

The decision to maintain one primary school in Dunbar over two sites – instead of building a second, separate primary school to cope with the town’s housing boom, which is set to continue with more than 200 houses planned to the east of the town – was taken in 2007 following consultation with parents, the wider community and councillors.

Last term, the school was home to 1,180 pupils, with 538 pupils at the Lochend Campus and the remaining 642 at the John Muir Campus.

Then education secretary Mike Russell MSP officially opened the Lochend Campus, on Kellie Road, in September 2011.