Back to School in Portlaoise: A video preview of the new Holy Family Junior School

New Junior Infant Elsie O'Sullivan brought the Leinster Express on a tour of her new school at the Holy Family campus in Portlaoise today.

Elsie's mother Claire is a teacher at the parish school, where everything is in place for welcoming 700 pupils and 50 staff back this Thursday, August 31.

"It is not as sad for me as a parent to see her start school because I'll have her here with me, she is well ready for it," said Claire.

Parish Priest Monsignor John Byrne is one of many hands on campus this week putting the final touches, with builders now working around the clock.

"In the next two days we are looking forward to 1400 children being on this campus, between the Holy Family Junior and Senior Schools. We really are moving from one star accommodation to five star accommodation," he said.

Jackie Carroll is from McCarthy O'Hora Architects from Portlaoise who were over the project.

"We do a lot of school buildings around the country but to be able to work on one in Portlaoise has been fantastic. It's probably one of the bigger primary education campuses of its kind in the country," she said.

The two 24 classroom schools each have GP halls, as well as another shared sports hall, an astro turf pitch and two playgrounds.