The new £9.2m Alloway Primary School designed by Glasgow based architect Ryder Architecture has been officially opened by Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning.

Procured under an ambitious £76m public private partnership (PPP) scheme for South Ayrshire Council with the E4AConsortium, the new 4,530 sq m (48,760 sq ft) school is a single-storey building including increased learning and leisure facilities and the added benefit of multi purpose outdoor space.

Gareth Yule, Ryder associate architect said: "When we looked at how the site related to the surrounding area we strongly believed that the new school - with the new community library, lifelong learning facilities, day nursery and community use of the school hall and drama facilities - needed to positively address the main road."

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The new teaching and learning facilities are grouped in two wings that lead from a light and airy central learning and resource area.

Learning suites are arranged with classbases that are open to shared breakout areas. These provide generous and flexible spaces for a variety of group activities. Careful consideration of orientation and building form means all classbases and breakout areas enjoy excellent levels of natural daylight and ventilation.

The infant school classbases each open into their own class garden to allow the learning environment to extend outdoors.

There is a wildlife garden, storytime circle, outdoor performance space and sheltered dining terrace.

"Relating the new building so positively to the main road required a detailed phasing and construction strategy to ensure that teaching and learning could continue on the site at all times," Mr Yule added.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, who was a former pupil of Alloway Primary School, said it was a great honour to have been asked to return to open the new school building.

"There can be no better environment for the pupils here than this wonderful new building. This Government is committed to lifting 100,000 school pupils out of tired and crumbling school buildings and classrooms, by 2011."

Richard Hunter, headteacher described the new school as "magnificent".

"Ryder Architecture has responded with great imagination to their design brief and the builders have risen to the challenge of creating a dynamic building to serve the changing needs of the community for many years to come."

(GK/JM)