A CONSTRUCTION firm has been ordered to return to work on a new £7.6 million primary school after it was built too small.
St Ignatius and Wishaw Academy, one of the first schools to have Catholic and non- denominational pupils on the same campus, was hailed as a state-of-the-art facility when it opened two months ago.
The school was built by Balfour Beatty, the cons
truction contractor of the PFI company Transform Schools. But the local council discovered the building was not constructed to their specification and has asked workmen to return.
The council has threatened to withhold payment from Transform Schools until the work has been completed.
Parents with pupils at the school received letters last week telling them of the mix-up over missing "teaching space".
Last night, Malcolm McIver, North Lanarkshire Council's head of education resources, confirmed workmen would be moving back into the school.
He added: "We identified that additional works were required to complete the school building to meet our full specification.
"This shortfall was discovered on full inspection of the building before pupils and staff moved in. To put it simply, this means that the building does not meet our full requirements.
"A shortfall in the general teaching area space within each school has been identified, which would reduce long-term flexibility in the use of these facilities.
"But as the shortfall did not affect the pupil intakes for either school, we were keen to get pupils into the schools so they could benefit from the great new facilities on offer.
"We have instructed Transform Schools Ltd and its building contractor, Balfour Beatty Construction, to put together detailed design proposals.
"As part of the agreement and, at the council's request, they will not only redress the shortfall, but will also enhance the original specification of the schools at no cost to the council.
"In addition, the payment to Transform Schools will be reduced until the work is carried out."
Yesterday one mother, with a seven-year-old son at the school, said: "We were told by letter that there would be workmen moving back into the school.
"It's seems ridiculous that a brand-new school needs work done to it just two months after it opened.
"You would have thought that the firm doing the work would have got everything spot-on, especially given how much it cost to build the school.
"But we've been told that the work won't affect the pupils' education and safety.
"The children were all settling in nicely to their new school but this has spoiled it all."
The construction of St Ignatius and Wishaw Academy was funded through the controversial private finance initiative (PFI).
Last night Helen Wills, the operations director at Transform Schools, said: "We regret there will be some disruption to the school.
"The health and safety of the school staff and pupils will continue to be the prime consideration.
"Once these works are completed - at no cost to the council - ourselves and the council can provide more pupils than ever before with a school fit for the 21st century."
The full article contains 530 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
