Guests, Councillors, pupils, teachers and parents gathered recent at the official opening event to see the new school declared open. They were also treated to excellent hospitality and outstanding musical performances from the school vocal group and youth group throughout the evening.
As design consultants on the £34.9m project, BakerHicks provided multi-disciplinary design services, including civil & structural and mechanical & electrical engineering. They worked closely with the wider project team throughout, which included East Dunbartonshire Council, Scape, main contractor McLaughlin & Harvey, architects Norr, landscape architects LDA, and client consultants Pick Everard and Stantec.
Situated in Waterside, Kirkintilloch, the new state-of-the-art facility replaces Campsie View and Merkland Schools, accommodating children and young people from age two through to 18. It is designed to be both practical and stimulating for pupils with a broad range of additional support needs, featuring lots of open spaces and a sensory trail leading from the ground to the first floor.
Laura James, Head of Scotland at BakerHicks, said:
Woodland View School is the latest in our long history of education design across Scotland. It’s a project we’re enormously proud to have been involved in, with its vibrant and bespoke learning environments designed to support pupils with additional support needs, giving them the best opportunities to learn and grow. I know this facility will be of huge benefit to its local area, giving the young people within the community the best start in life and it’s fantastic to see them already thriving in their new learning environment.
Provost Renwick said:
It’s hard to believe Woodland View only opened its doors to pupils in August, already there’s a wonderful feeling of warmth and community within this new school. In just a couple of short months, the pupils, teachers and staff have been getting familiar with their new surroundings and enjoying all it has to offer whilst building a new school community. New friendships have been forged and there’s a tangible sense of identity and pride in Woodland View already.
It was an honour to officially open Woodland View School, and I wish pupils, teachers and staff every success in their new accommodation.
Head Teacher Kay Hunter added:
It’s just a short time since we welcomed over 200 children and young people and 120 members of staff to this new school. Since that first day, we’ve all worked together to find our way round this beautiful building, discovering new and innovative ways to use our spaces to best suit learning and teaching. Our learners have settled and are building new and extended friendships and our staff continue to develop in all the strengths, knowledge and skills they have always displayed.
As we begin our journey as a new school community, it was wonderful to welcome the Provost, local elected members, colleagues and partners to share in our official opening ceremony. We’re so excited to be on this journey and our community of staff, learners, families and friends are very much looking forward to writing the pages of the Woodland View story together.
