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24 September 2019

Elgin Academy unveils its new outdoor classroom and garden

Elgin Academy unveils its new outdoor classroom and garden

Elgin Academy has unveiled its new outdoor classroom and garden designed by pupils at the school to help to improve student wellbeing and provide an alternative learning environment.

After successfully securing the support of Robertson Northern and a grant of £1,500 from Education Scotland's Food for Thought: Education Fund, Elgin Academy launched a design competition for pupils in its Eco Committee, Home Economics and Biology departments on how best to use the space.

Once the students had finalised their designs, Robertson worked closely with pupils to turn their ideas into reality.

Kyle Scott, Head Teacher at Elgin Academy said, "As well as providing a space which will enhance the wellbeing of our students, our new garden and outdoor classroom can be used by various departments to make lessons more engaging and interactive. Indeed, our Home Economics department is already planning on using the vegetable garden to teach students how to create their own healthy meals from food they've grown themselves."

Robertson Northern is currently delivering a new 44 home build project for Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association at a site close to the school. This is expected to be complete in autumn 2019 and has been designed to meet the needs of older people who require different levels of care and support, allowing them to receive this while living more independently in their own home. Through this project, Robertson was able to engage its supply chain to deliver the initiative for Elgin Academy by supplying the following materials:

  • Billy Miller - concrete base, materials and plant
  • McDonald and Munro - gutters and downpipes
  • Cairn Joinery - timber for wall panels and roof
  • Howdens Joinery - kitchen units

Frank Reid, Managing Director of Robertson Northern, said, "We have always had a strong partnership with Elgin Academy and this has been one of our most enjoyable projects to date. It's been a great experience for our team to work closely with the students to help bring their design ideas to life and support those who are interested in developing their skills. We'd also like to thank our supply chain who have helped us to ensure the Academy got the most value out of the funding they had secured."