One year on from the new £40.9m Boclair Academy opening its doors to pupils, all external building and landscaping works have been completed.
The Bearsden school, which opened in August 2022, was built on the existing school site with the old building now demolished. And now all external works are finished with attractive landscaping being the finishing touch. Pupils and staff can now benefit from:
- A new grass pitch to add to the already popular 3G football pitch.
- A 1km fitness track around the boundary of the school which is suitable for running, walking or cycling.
- Twelve bike shelters to encourage and support active travel options.
- Car parking and an improved bus pick-up & drop-off area.
- An amphitheatre for outdoor learning or socialising during breaks.
- Attractive hard and soft landscaping with new plants, shrubs and trees.
Council Leader, Gordan Low visited the school to see the external works and catch up with some pupils. He said,
It's great to see everything coming together around the school grounds and to witness the improvements to the development through this final phase of the work.
The grass pitch is an important addition to the school which I know will be well used as part of the curriculum. Likewise, the fitness track encourages physical activity and gives pupils and staff the chance to get active. The bike sheds too should make it easier for those who want to cycle to school and cut the number of school run journeys.
"These external works are in keeping with the high standards we see throughout the interior of the building and mark the end of a very successful project, delivered by the Council with our partners for the families of Bearsden."
The school, which boasts flexible learning spaces, a large gym hall, dance studio, performance areas and the latest technology inside has proved popular with staff and pupils alike.
Head Teacher Douglas Brown added, “We are delighted the completion of the landscaping has coincided with the start of the new term, it’s a been a welcome sight for returning pupils, school staff and our new first years. The plants, trees and flowers on the lead up to the school entrance have a calming effect on us all as we arrive to start our school day. The new grass pitch, the bike shelters and expansive grassy areas offer our young people plenty of opportunities to take part in healthy outdoor activities, complementing the fantastic sports equipment and facilities we already have indoors. It is great to see the completion of all the works and I am looking forward to the years ahead in our state-of-the-art new school.”
Note
Boclair Academy was delivered by the Council in partnership with the SCAPE Construction Framework and contractor Wates Construction Limited/McLaughlin & Harvey Construction Limited. Here is a list of the partners involved:
- The procurement framework used for the design and delivery of the new building through its Supply Chain, SCAPE is a public private joint venture organisation established to develop and deliver value for money property solutions for its public sector partners.
- Wates Construction Limited: The Main Contractor, appointed through SCAPE, to construct the new school.
- McLaughlin & Harvey Construction Limited: Sub-contractor appointed by Wates Construction Limited to complete the whole works.
- Ryder Architecture: The architecture firm, appointed through SCAPE, to design the new school.
- Doig & Smith: the Council’s Contract Administrator and independent cost consultant.
- Curtins: the civil and structural engineer for the project.
- Hawthorne Boyle: the mechanical and electrical engineer for the project.
