PUPILS from two Portland schools learned important safety lessons from the company building their new state-of-the-art school.

Thirty children, who will be part of the first intake of pupils at the new Chesil Cove Federation Primary School, visited the Osprey Quay site to see work in progress on the new building.

The youngsters from Brackenbury Infant and Underhill Junior schools were supervised by representatives of construction company Stepnell and the mascot for the Considerate Constructors Scheme, Ivor Goodsite.

The site visit followed three assemblies led by the construction company at the two schools about the potential risks associated with construction activity, helping pupils to understand that construction sites should never be seen as playgrounds.

Brackenbury Infant and Underhill Junior schools will become one and move into the new school in spring 2013.

Next summer, the building, close to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, will form part of the Sailing Village for the 2012 Olympics and will be used as a facility for athletes competing in the Games.

Headteacher Neil McDermott said: “The children really enjoyed their visit to the site, they were getting quite excited about the new environment they will be moving into in 18 months time.

“Stepnells donated money to the two schools to fund health and safety education programmes and they also paid for the mascot Ivor Goodsite to come to the school to help teach the children about site safety. The new school looks fantastic.”

The roof of the new school building is now in place and the brick and blockwork of some walls is now complete.

In addition to state-of-the-art learning facilities for primary school students, the school will house a 26-place nursery, an external multi-use games area and a 400metre-square outdoor play area.

The school will incorporate sustainable features including a brown roof, rainwater harvesting and biomass boilers.

The main construction project is due to be completed in April 2012, with the construction team then set to return in October to carry out further work to prepare the school for its first intake of pupils.

Stepnell contracts manager Ian Chorlton said: “It was great to meet the pupils.”