New state-of-the-art £16m school opens at Milltimber

By Calum Petrie

May 24 2022, 5:00 pm

Aberdeen City Council co-leader Ian Yuill and head teacher Lynsey Cradock are surrounded by pupils as they open the new Milltimber School in May 2022. Image: Aberdeen City Council

Amid much fanfare, the state-of-the-art new Milltimber School opened its doors in the growing Aberdeen suburb.

The replacement Milltimber Primary is one of four new schools being built in the city as part of a £100 million investment by Aberdeen City Council.

It will replace the existing building at Monearn Gardens.

Contractor Robertson Construction, broke ground on the £16m development in August 2020.

The new Milltimber Primary School has capacity for 434 pupils – up from 267 at the old school – plus an additional 60 Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) places, ensuring that pupils in the growing catchment area can continue to attend their local primary school with other children from their community.

The modern facilities include enhanced outdoor play spaces and PE facilities to promote health, fitness and wellbeing, as well as improved opportunities for outdoor learning and social interaction.

The new school at Milltimber forms part of the Education New Build Programme which will contribute to the City Council’s Learning and Childcare expansion programme.

Three other new and replacement schools, at Countesswells, Riverbank and Torry, are set to open next year.

Education Scotland previously highlighted that the existing Milltimber School did not have the “capacity required to accommodate the expected increase in pupil numbers” and branded the location unsuitable.

‘A school designed for the 21st Century’

At a ceremony with pupils, staff, parents and council figures, head teacher Lynsey Cradock and council co-leader Ian Yuill cut the ribbon amid the strains of bagpipes.

Mr Yuill said: “This is an exciting time for everyone involved and we are delighted to welcome the pupils on their first day in Milltimber Primary School.

“I can remember when the old Milltimber School was built back in 1970. It served the community well, but it’s certainly past its sell-by date now.

“And so it’s great to see this new school built. A new school looking to the future, which will provide a great environment for the young folks to learn in.

“It’s a space designed for 21st Century education, it’s a space where the roof doesn’t leak. It’s a space where teachers can teach and the young people can learn.

“The new partnership that’s taken control of the council is committed to investing more in education and in education buildings, so that young people across Aberdeen have the schools and the school spaces they need to get the best education.”

And Mrs Cradock expressed pride at leading the school into a new era.

‘A space designed for 21st century education’: The state-of-the-art new Milltimber Primary School.

“It’s a huge privilege to be the first head teacher at the new school,” she said.

“It only dawned on me when I started to look back at all the archive stuff from the opening of the first building in 1970. I realized that one day someone’s going to come across my archive pieces and the speech I wrote for today.

“It’s a huge honour. As my husband said this morning: ‘Go and make history!’”

‘It will completely change the way we can teach’

She added: “This facility will provide a wonderful learning environment for our pupils which will enable them to grow, achieve and succeed not only now but also in the future.

“With all our wonderful facilities, we can truly become the heart of the community. It’s got so many facilities that our parents can access.

“It will completely change the way that we’re able to deliver the curriculum.

“There’s so much flexibility in the space we can use. We’re developing things like creativity corridors, and lots of nice little cubby holes that the children can curl up in and chill out.

“It’s definitely very different from the building we’ve come from.”

‘Our names might go down in history’

The school has already impressed school captains, P7 pupils Calum Wood and Beth McIntosh.

Calum said: “The old classrooms didn’t have the same facilities and learning devices. It’s such a big change. It’s amazing, hi-tech and fit for the future.

“As the first pupils it almost feels like our names might go down in history. This school might be around for a very long time. So it’s a privilege to be the very first people in it.”

Beth said: “It’s breathtaking and even better once you’re inside. There’s more space in the hallways, and there’s a library which we didn’t have in the old school.”