Name of new south of the city academy approved

17 November 2016

Lochside Academy has been approved as the name of the new £46.9million south of the city school by Aberdeen City Council’s Education and Children’s Services Committee today (Thursday 17 November).

Members of the committee heard that Lochside Academy was the clear favourite following a public consultation with pupils, staff and the wider community of Kincorth and Torry.

From a shortlist of five proposed names Lochside Academy received almost twice as many votes as the name in second place.

The number of votes for each of the five names was:

Proposed Name Number of votes

Wellington Academy 322

Calder Academy 249

Redmoss Academy 346

Lochside Academy 923

Altens Academy 419

Aberdeen City Council’s Convener of Education and Children’s Services Committee Councillor Angela Taylor said: “Right from the start when we proposed the new secondary school for the south of the city we have continued to engage with the pupils, school staff and the wider communities of Kincorth and Torry.

“It is fitting that the name of the new multi-million pound school will be Lochside Academy, which is the clearly the people’s choice especially as outside of the school day it will become a leisure hub, which will offer the local community access to a range of sporting and leisure facilities on their own doorstep.”

All schools in the Kincorth Academy and Torry Academy Associated School Groups (ASG) were asked to provide a list of potential names for the new academy before the end of August 2016.

Kincorth Academy’s Associated School Group consists of Abbotswell School, Charleston School, Kirkhill School and Loirston School. Torry Academy’s Associated School Group consists of Tullos School and Walker Road School.

Following their return from the October break pupils, school staff and the wider community had two weeks to vote for their favourite from a shortlist of five names. Letters were sent to all parents, the Parent Councils of the two ASGs and the four local community councils. Schools ran referenda and the public were also able to vote online.

The new academy will accommodate pupils from Kincorth Academy and Torry Academy, when it opens at the start of the school academic year in August 2018.

The state-of-the-art school will provide pupils and staff with the opportunity to enjoy learning and teaching in a modern, flexible environment, built to deliver the Curriculum for Excellence.

By using modern technology the new academy will be energy efficient which will help reduce the Council’s carbon footprint.