Stromness Primary School

Stromness Primary School is a primary school in Stromness, Orkney. The school has around 125 students.

Stromness Primary School
Address
Cairston Road Stromness , Orkney , KW16 3JS Scotland
Coordinates	58°58′6.91″N 3°17′32.3″W
Information
Established	1969[1]
Local authority	Orkney Islands Council
Age	5 to 12
Enrolment	around 125
Website	www.stromnessps.uk

History

On June 21, 1919, students from both the primary and higher schools were taken to witness the scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow.^[2]

In 1996, a pupil had to commute to Stromness School by ferry after the school on Graemsay, of which he was the only pupil, closed. The cost of keeping the school open had been £54,000 per year.^[3]

In 2010, Big Brother winner Cameron Stout eschewed a media career to become a teacher at the school.^[4]

On January 15, 2013, the school relocated to a new building.^[5] The new school was officially opened by Anne, Princess Royal on July 4, 2013.^[6] A copper sculpture by Anne Bevan and funded by the Orkney Islands Council was installed on the school grounds.^[7] The newly developed school won the 2014 Society for Construction and Architecture in Local Authorities "Civil Building of the Year" Award.^[8]

The previous school building was subsequently taken over by Heriot-Watt University, refurbished, and renamed the Robert Rendall Building.^[9] On September 24, 2015, a report by the BBC highlighted that the roof of the new school building required re-slating after approximately 300 roof slates were blown off. However, Orkney Islands Council stated that the building had met UK building standards.^[10]

In 2021, a Stromness Primary staff member, Karen Bevan, was named Scotland's top school chef, and also competed in the Lead Association for Caterers in Education School Chef of the Year finals.^[11]