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Schools

How full is your Aberdeen school? Harlaw Academy one of four over capacity

Search our table to find out how full your primary or secondary school is.
Calum Petrie
Harlaw Academy is the most over capacity school in Aberdeen. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson
Harlaw Academy is the most over capacity school in Aberdeen. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

Four Aberdeen schools are currently over capacity, with more pupils than the buildings are deemed suitable for.

And a further 17 are near their maximum roll.

Harlaw Academy has 1,075 pupils, despite capacity sitting at 1,008.

St Machar Academy, Aberdeen Grammar School and Braehead School are also over capacity.

City education chiefs warned last year that overpacked Aberdeen schools could soon have to split siblings up due to a lack of space.

Councillors backed plans for £8.6million worth of upgrades to Harlaw Academy in May. Council bosses said the improvements were needed to address “critical” issues at the school that need “immediate” action.

You can find out how full your Aberdeen school is by searching for it in our table below.

St Machar Academy is at 102% of capacity. Image: Jim Irvine/DC Thomson

Other schools above 90% capacity in the latest statistics released by the Scottish Government are:

  • Ashley Road School
  • Bridge of Don Academy
  • Brimmond School
  • Broomhill School
  • Bucksburn Academy
  • Cults Academy
  • Cults Primary School
  • Danestone Primary School
  • Dyce Academy
  • Ferryhill School
  • Forehill School
  • Hanover Street School
  • Hazlehead Academy
  • Kaimhill Primary School
  • Mile End School
  • Skene Square School
  • St Joseph’s RC School

The capacity of a school is based on the size of available teaching space, rather than the entire building.

Statistics released by the Scottish Government are based on a pupil census conducted in September 2023.

Countesswells School has the lowest occupancy rate. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

The Aberdeen schools with the lowest school roll to capacity ratio are Countesswells School (60.7%), Culter School (70.9%), Seaton School (71.1%), and Northfield Academy (71.8%).

Countesswells School opened to great fanfare in April 2023. And Northfield Academy has made huge strides in the last year or so, as Education Scotland recognised signs of progress at the previously troubled school.

Low school rolls are less of a problem in Aberdeen than in Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highland.

See the fullest schools where you are in the chart below

Find out how full your school is in:

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