Consultation begins on proposed new school campus for Tillydrone

24 October 2016

A public consultation on options for a proposed new school campus in Tillydrone – incorporating a nursery, a replacement building for St Peter’s RC School and a non-denominational school – gets under way today (Monday 24 October) by Aberdeen City Council.

Existing primary schools in the area are operating at near full capacity, or in the case of St Peter’s, at 150% capacity. With new housing being built in the area, the school age population is expected to grow still further.

Members of the public are being asked to make their views known on two options being put forward by the local authority. These are:

Option A

To create a new shared campus school, incorporating St Peter’s RC School, a new one-stream non-denominational school, and early education and childcare facilities on the site of the former St Machar School and former Tillydrone School; To create a new primary school zone to be served by the new non-denominational school, with effect from August 2019; To amend the existing Riverbank School zone to allow for the creation of the new school zone, with effect from August 2019, The new school building to be operational with effect from 01 January 2020 or as soon as possible thereafter;

Or

Option B

To construct a new three stream non-denominational school building with early education and childcare facilities on the site of the former St Machar School and former Tillydrone School, and to relocate Riverbank School to this new building; To relocate St Peter’s RC School into the current Riverbank School building; The new school building and relocated schools to be operational with effect from January 2020, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Angela Taylor, Convener of the Education and Children’s Services Committee at Aberdeen City Council said: “The public consultation is an opportunity for the council to hear the views of parents, future parents, schools and other interested parties on the options being put forward for new and sustainable primary and nursery school provision in Tillydrone.

“I would encourage parents and other interested parties to get involved in the consultation process as their contribution is vital to ensuring we do the best for this generation and future generations in the area.”

A series of public meetings have been organised on the consultation and these will be held at:

7pm-8pm on Tuesday 29 November at St Peter’s RC School 7pm-8pm on Wednesday 30 November at St Peter’s RC School 7pm-8pm on Thursday 01 December at Riverbank School 3.30pm-4.30pm on Wednesday 07 December at St Peter’s RC School 3.30pm-4.30pm on Thursday 08 December at Riverbank School

Any written comments should be sent to:

Tillydrone/Old Aberdeen Consultation

Education and Children’s Services

Aberdeen City Council

Business Hub 13

Second Floor North

Marischal College

Broad Street

Aberdeen AB10 1AB

Emails should be sent to: schoolestate@aberdeencity.gov.uk

All responses should be submitted before the consultation period ends at 5pm on Friday 09 December 2016.

A copy of this statutory consultation document will be available throughout the consultation period at:

Marischal College Aberdeen Central Library Tillydrone Library Riverbank School St Peter’s RC School St Machar Academy Riverbank Nursery

The proposal document is also available on Aberdeen City Council website: www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/Tillydrone-OldAberdeen