Members of the Education and Children’s Services committee approved the recommendations of the Victorian Schools Programme report which included the Outline Business Case. The preferred options for the 10 in-scope schools were detailed in a confidential report due to the commercially sensitive costs involved and heard in private.

Councillor Martin Greig, the convener of Education and Children’s Services Committee, said: “It is important to do all we can to ensure that every city schools is able to provide the best possible learning environment for the benefit of pupils. The ‘Outline Business Case’ for the ten Victorian Granite schools is the latest part of the council’s strategy to maintain and improve the school estate in the long term. Detailed and careful planning is needed to identify how we can manage to upgrade these older buildings. Funding will be a major challenge with the very finite resources available.”

Councillor Jessica Mennie, vice-convener of Education and Children’s Services Committee, said: “The Victorian Schools Programme report highlights the significant amount of work that we are committed to delivering over the next 15 years to ensure that we can provide the highest quality, sustainable and nurturing environments in our Victorian Schools. It’s important we invest in our heritage schools, whilst ensuring our learning environments are accessible and fit for purpose.”

The Victorian school buildings included within the scope of this project are:

• Aberdeen Grammar School
• Ashley Road School
• Broomhill School
• Culter School
• Gilcomstoun School
• Kittybrewster School
• Skene Square School
• St Joseph’s RC School
• Sunnybank School
• Woodside School

Some of the common suitability challenges affecting many of the schools include accessibility issues; lack of breakout spaces for small group work and pupil support; limited space for outdoor learning; lack of space for dining and PE provision; and inadequate toilet facilities. In addition, several schools are at or already exceed their available pupil capacity, and space within the school sites for extending the buildings is severely limited.

The cost of the preferred option, programming and cost implications for the Victorian Schools Programme will be added to the development of the School Estate Plan annual update report, which will be presented to the Education and Children’s Services committee in September 2025.

This will enable the costs to be considered within the budget setting process for 2026/27 along with the cost for any other new priorities which may be identified in the School Estate Plan update. 

Council gets keys to New Riverbank School

The report comes as the council took ownership of its £29 million New Riverbank School following completion of building work.

The keys to the new primary school located on Coningham Gardens, Tillydrone, which replaces the existing Riverbank School on nearby Dill Road, were handed over last week by contractor Robertson Construction Eastern, who delivered the project for the council.

The school is being temporarily called New Riverbank School to avoid confusion with the existing Riverbank School. Once the existing Riverbank School has been renamed the term “New” will be dropped from the name.

The new primary school will open on Friday 9 May 2025 to pupils and staff, which will allow the pupils of the existing Riverbank School to decant to the new school in advance of the summer recess.

Councillor Martin Greig, convener of Education and Children’s Services Committee, said: “It is a great experience to hold the keys for our New Riverbank School in Tillydrone. Council teams are now preparing the classrooms and other spaces to welcome pupils into the building later this month. It will be an amazing place to learn together.

“The new school has excellent facilities for the benefit of all pupils and for the community. The 3G sports pitch and other high quality external areas will support educational activities, play and pupil wellbeing in general. I am delighted we are at this stage of getting ready to open the doors.”

Councillor Jessica Mennie, vice-convener of Education and Children’s Services Committee, said: “It’s great that the construction work has been completed and we have the keys to the New Riverbank School. In the coming weeks, the final touches will be made to the facilities to enable pupils and staff to ‘settle in’ before the summer holidays.”

Elliot Robertson, CEO, Robertson Group, said: “At Robertson, we are committed to creating sustainable, innovative spaces that inspire and support the next generation. The new Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) school at New Riverbank School is a testament to this vision, and to the commitment shown by Aberdeen City Council to deliver a warm, natural environment that enhances wellbeing and has been proven to enhance attainment.

“Working with the council to deliver this facility, we’ve not only reduced the environmental impact but also provided pupils and staff with an educational setting where they can truly learn, play, and achieve together.”

The new three-stream school will provide a learning environment for up to 651 primary-age pupils with Early Learning and Nursery provision for up to 60 children. The facilities also include a 3G sports pitch and external outdoor play and learning facilities.

The new school has been built on the site of the former Tillydrone Infant School and on part of the former St Machar Primary School site.

A date for the official opening of the new Riverbank School will be arranged once the pupils and staff have ‘settled in’ to their new school.