PUPILS at Kelty Primary School will start the new term at the Moray Institute after structural faults were found in the building.

Two classes will have to move after routine maintenance checks uncovered problems with the water lintels at the Main Street school.

And children affected have been told by Fife Council that they might not be able to move back to the school until Christmas.

Louise Playford, the council’s service manager for the school estate, said: “Pupils will return school at Kelty Primary School after the summer holidays on August 17, as usual.

“However, two classes will be temporarily held at Moray Institute whilst essential building repair work is undertaken.

“This is to ensure that their classes run smoothly, and that the pupils’ education is not impacted in any way.”

She continued: “The children will be following their normal timetable and experiencing a full curriculum – as if being educated within the main school building.

“During routine maintenance to the school over the summer holidays the need for essential repair work to the stonework was identified.

“In turn, two classes (P2 and P2/3) will be temporarily housed within the Moray Institute, which is close to the school.

“Repair work has already started, and will continue over the next few months.

“Additional staffing will be available to the school to support this period, and we have communicated with all affected families and school staff to reassure them about the temporary change.

“We will ensure that all parents and pupils are regularly updated with the progress of these works.

“At this point it is anticipated that this work will be completed in November 2016.”

It’s understood that the faults were found while plastering work was being carried out at the school.

It means two of the upper classrooms will be out of action when the new school session begins on Wednesday August 17.

Lochs councillor Alex Campbell said that when dealing with education safety was of “paramount importance”.

He added: “This was a routine maintenance project that unearthed this problem with the water lintels.

“It has allowed time for the Moray Institute to be brought into use to provide accommodation for two classes for next term.

“Communication with parents will go on this week and everything should be in place for next Wednesday’s opening of the new session.”

Mr Campbell added that the community project-managed institute was “suitable and safe” to be used by the pupils.

The institute is around 100 yards down the street from the school and will enable children to be able to go back up the road for school lunches in the middle of the day.

The affected classrooms were not part of the new £8 million development in Kelty which saw the primary school extended.