Today’s meeting was fascinating!  Along with officers from The Moray Council we met with representatives from Balfour Beatty and Hubco to review the project.  The aim was  to ensure that the project comes in within the budget.  We had to look at many aspects of the building to discuss different types of materials, the number of doors, the size of windows and other such subjects.  The main consideration was to ensure that any proposed changes did not have a negative impact on the experience for the EHS community.  In some cases changes will actually improve the building for the pupils.  Other decisions could make savings for the project with no substantial difference to anyone.  At the end of the day, as well as being fascinating, the decisions were also positive and the designing of the building remains on target.

However, the proposal to take a report on the financial arrangements for the project to next Tuesday’s Policies and Resources committee has had to be changed.  Instead it is now intended to present the report to the full council on Wednesday 4th March.  The dates are getting tight, but we can still make the anticipated start (and completion dates)!

Good news!  This afternoon planning permission for the new build was granted by The Moray Council Planning and Regulatory services committee.  This is one major step closer to the start of the construction work.

Over the next two weeks there will be a number of crucial meetings.  These will help to decide the starting and therefore the finishing date for the new build project.  On Tuesday afternoon the Moray Council planning committee will consider the proposals.  Yesterday (Friday) afternoon members of the committee visited Elgin High School.  They were shown detailed plans of everything from the building itself through to the arrangements for the road.  This will ensure that they will have first hand knowledge to inform their decisions.

On Thursday (the first day of the holiday weekend) there will be a “value engineering” meeting with representatives of a wide range of bodies.  We will be looking at details of the proposals to ensure both reasonable costings and that the proposals can deliver for the school community.

The third important meeting is on Tuesday 17th February.  The Moray Council Policies and Resources committee meets to agree financial arrangements.

Hopefully after these meetings, if all goes smoothly, we will be able to announce the start date and a turf cutting ceremony.

The final day for the submission of comments as part of the planning application process has now come and gone.  A date will now be set for the relevant Moray Council committee to meet and consider any submissions.  Once that has happened we can move towards financial closure.  Meanwhile in school there have been frequent sightings of one of the Depute Head Teachers wandering around with a laptop in his hand.  Over the last two weeks he has been into every room or cupboard (some of which he did not know existed) recording every piece of moveable equipment.  This has been a huge task, but will be vital in planning what will be taken to the new build.  The other activity that is becoming more frequent is the sight of large piles of paper heading for the recycling bins.  Staff have started to recognise the reality of the new build and the job of clearing has begun in earnest.

Meanwhile, I am pleased to report that there have been a few serious discussions about turf cutting ceremonies.  While there are still a number of important stages in the planning to take place, that these discussions are happening is a good sign that the start of the work is getting closer.

On Thursday evening it was great to be able to welcome to EHS the parents of P7 pupils who will be joining us in August.  If everything goes according to plan, they will be in the start of their second year when the new building is opened.  That means that they will experience most of their education in the new facilities.  Parents seemed to enjoy seeing the architects pictures of the new build.  If that is for the next generation, the current senior pupils have been across at Moray College for their Prelims.  The arrangements seem to have gone very well and it has been good practice for the actual exam diet in May.

Meanwhile a lot of preparation work is ongoing.  On Monday there was a meeting with the Roads Department and staff from Greenwards to consider safety and access issues during the construction period.  Further talks will need to be held, but parents can be reassured that everything possible will be done to support pupils in both schools over the next couple of years when construction work is underway.  A Value Engineering report has been received and this is now being examined so that final decisions can be made about the plans.  Within the school, there have been conversations with a number of members of staff about chucking out the accumulation of resources that have been gathering dust over the last 36 years.  For some there will be a lot of work!  A few folk have even started asking about the turf cutting ceremony!

There are still no new photographs to add to the blog, but this week has seen further meetings and discussions that show that the start of construction work is getting closer.  There have been conversations about clearing the site to allow work to begin, demolition of the garages, room layouts, the equipment that can be taken to the new build as well as planning permission.  Closing date for public comments on the plans is Monday and hopefully the planning processes can then move forward towards final approval.  On Monday there is a meeting with the Roads Department to look at what needs to be done during the construction period.  Meanwhile the prelim exams have been held at Moray College.  These have gone well and allowed pupils and staff to become familiar with the accommodation so that the exams in May can go smoothly without the disruption and noise of the construction work.

No pictures this week, but more encouraging news.  Arrangements are being made to divert the gas pipes to allow EHS and Greenwards Primary to keep functioning while construction work is taking place.  There was also a meeting with Balfour Beatty to look at start dates – still scheduled for site preparation in March and construction work proper in April.  We had sight of plans showing the construction areas for the different phases of the project between March 2015 and May 2017.  These will allow the school to manage the safety of the pupils while work is going on.  The other main discussion this week was what equipment and resources we will take from the old building to the new.  This is not an easy question when you think of all that a school building contains.  The latest parent newsletter was issued on Friday – the front cover included the architect’s pictures of what the building will be like.

These are the pictures that the pupils were looking at in the last posting.  It has been very encouraging to receive universal approval for the images from pupils, staff and visitors.  This has added both to the excitement and the sense of reality that the new building will happen.  This week’s decision by Moray Council to cover any shortfall in funding was also very reassuring.  As we start the holidays there is the sense of anticipation that we will see the start of the work in the spring.  However, there is still much preparatory work to be done, but we are moving forward!

The architect’s drawings of the new building have been on display at the front of the school.  The initial reactions have been very positive.  Comments have ranged from “It looks cool!” to “I am going to spend most of my time on the all weather pitch!”  Some seniors have even been heard suggesting that they might stay on after their leaving dates so that they can enjoy the new facilities.

This morning it was good to welcome someone from the team who is starting to look at the practical issues about how we will  keep the life of the school running smoothly and safely during the construction period.

Despite the silence of several weeks, the planning for the new build is moving forward quickly.  The contractors are busy getting quotes for various aspects of the project.  Detailed room designs are being developed.  Ground surveying work is taking place to identify the site of the current utilities.  All in all we are moving forward fast and there is a confidence that construction ork can start