Construction of a replacement primary school at Milltimber is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2022 and will see an increased capacity for 434 pupils plus an additional 60 ELC places, from the current capacity of 267, as well as a new 3G, 7-a-side pitch, external outdoor play and learning spaces and a new management suite for staff.

Milltimber School, alongside three other new and replacement schools at Countesswells, Riverbank and Torry which are set to open in 2023, forms part of the Education New Build Programme which will contribute to the council’s Learning and Childcare Expansion Programme.

Convenor for the Capital Programme Committee, Councillor Marie Boulton, said: “Delivery of new primary schools with modern facilities and additional capacity will allow us to provide the highest standard of education to young people across Aberdeen.

“We look forward to welcoming pupils to the first of these new schools when Milltimber Primary opens its doors this year.

“There have been significant challenges, not least due to the pandemic, to the construction of these schools and it is heartening to see works progressing well at each of them.”

Meanwhile, the final two new nurseries, located at Duthie Park and Hazlehead, are due to open next week, subject to sign off from the Care Inspectorate. Aberdeen City Council will run and manage its first two outdoor nurseries which will provide a new option for children to learn and play outdoors.

The programme for improvements to the Early Learning and Childcare settings offers all eligible children 1140 hours at a variety of setting including 27 city locations which have been reviewed by the council’s internal design team and appointed consultants to recommend a consistent overall approach at existing facilities as well as new builds and this includes:

• 8 new standalone facilities
• 2 extensions and refurbishments to standalone nurseries
• 1 extension to a school to form a new nursery
• 2 refurbishments within existing school nurseries
• 1 refurbishment of a non-operational building to convert it into a nursery
• 1 refurbishment and extension to a non-operational building to convert it into a nursery
• 12 minor work refurbishments of existing nursery settings

Councillor Boulton added: “The opening of the two new outdoor nurseries will represent a further increase in our capacity and ensure that there is a choice of learning settings allowing us to meet more children’s needs.

“The pandemic created real challenges in delivering this ambitious ELC programme but the positive feedback from both staff and families has endorsed that it has all been worth it.”