It was a special day at Dunoon Primary this morning when the doors to the school’s newly-built east wing were opened to staff and pupils for the first time.

Extensive work has been carried out to the school as part of a £10.7 million investment by Argyll and Bute Council, including £5.08 million funding from the Scottish Government, to transform it into a school fit for the 21st Century, whilst maintaining its listed building status.

The opening comes just over a year after the school’s west wing was completely refurbished. The new-look primary now has capacity for up to 300 pupils and 30 early learning and childcare places, offering 1140 hours of quality Early Learning and Childcare.

It also houses a new family centre, gym hall, library, early learning and childcare centre, and staff accommodation. A link has been made to connect the refurbished west wing to the new east wing, with a feature staircase.

The project now moves on to a further phase to demolish the old gym/dining hall at the rear of the site to create more open space for the school.

Welcoming the news, the Council’s Policy Lead for Education, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly said: “This is an excellent piece of joint working and I would like to thank everyone involved. This is a state of the art building in which our children can thrive and enjoy great teaching and learning for many years to come.”