Project Description

Reimagining Inverkeithing

12 of Inverkeithing High School’s S3 pupils recently took part in the Reimagining Inverkeithing Project in partnership with Emma Griffiths from Fife Historic Buildings Trust.

The project also involved working in partnership with John McKinney at Build Your Future who has run similar repurposing buildings challenges with young people. The Friary building and garden space in Inverkeithing is currently bidding for money to help transform the space to benefit the local community. Those involved in the bid are keen to seek the views of young people in this undertaking as they will be the ones to use the space for years to come.

Our pupils split into groups of four and teamed up with archeologists and architects to explore the outdoor space. They learned the history of the site including the building and garden space, exploring the fixtures and features and what is original and what has been changed over time. Pupils learnt how to do scale drawings, to measure the area and to then complete their own sketches of their own ideas. Pupils were involved with discussions around bidding for grants to transform the space and were supported with developing their ideas. At the end of the afternoon each group presented their ideas to the room. The pupils ideas will be taken forward to the board to consider.

The team of adults were all so impressed with how well the pupils came up with ideas and developed their designs but were most impressed by their presenting skills and the way they really took the project seriously.

All the pupils fed back how they had learnt so much more about the history of Inverkeithing and why this was important for them to know and how much they all want a social space they can share with friends and family.

Pupils also worked with professionals in careers that they knew little of at the beginning of the project.

One pupil commented,

“I found it really interesting to work with people in different jobs like archeologists and learn more about this job”

Another pupil commented,

“I now feel I know more about the Friary Building and garden and the importance of this space”

One of the excellent ideas from one group was to develop a historical tour of information at the Friary using QR codes to scan in various parts of the garden to learn information. They wanted a bar and café where adults and children could sit outside in the space and learn about it.

The confidence in pupils increased massively over the course of the day as they asked more and more questions, were keen to hear when they would know or how they could be involved with further developing the plans and also expressed an interest in further projects with the Friary.