Scores of pupils will soon return to the city’s newest £47million academy after a two-week October break decked out in newly-polished shoes and crisp white shirts.
But some will find themselves having to trudge through ankle-deep water or navigate slippery, mud-filled embankments to get to class.
Concerns have been raised about rain leaving parts of a council-approved walking route to Lochside Academy in Cove “virtually inaccessible”.
Wide puddles regularly appear on South Loirston Road, which cuts through a large portion of the suburb, with the water covering the entire span of the path.
Complaints about the state of the road were lodged by parents in the summer, who also had concerns about a lack of street lighting.
But while lampposts have since been installed, drainage works are yet to begin.
Ward councillor Alex Nicoll has demanded urgent action – and claims it is many years overdue.
He said: “Flooding on this corner is not new, it’s been happening for years – but you can’t tell parents that a road forms part of a ‘safe route’ to school when it is virtually impassable after a bit of rain.
“At present, pupils will be forced to either clamber on a sodden, muddy, slippery, overgrown verge or trundle through ankle high water – neither option is good enough.
“I know local residents, and my colleague Stephen Flynn, called for action when the new Charleston development was growing and the lack of action to solve this problem has been a farce.”
Michele McPartlin, chairwoman of Cove and Altens community council, said: “The sooner they are able to fix the drainage problems on South Loirston Road, the better – especially if children are going to be using it regularly.
“Perhaps it should be taken off the list of safe routes to school until it is completely safe to use.”
An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: “We are in discussions with Stewart Milne Homes, which has been working on a nearby development, to carry out remedial work to restore the area to its pre-existing condition.”
An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: “We are in discussions with Stewart Milne Homes, which has been working on a nearby development, to carry out remedial work to restore the area to its pre-existing condition.”