Goodbye Walker Road, Hello Greyhope.
Pencils down for the final time at Walker Road School after 126 years of teaching.
Torry’s pillar of Education, Walker Road School, saw its last day of teaching on Thursday the 11th of October 2023. Pupils now look forward to a new beginning in the brand-new Primary school and Community Hub, Greyhope School.
Pupils, staff and parents honoured the school with a final celebration outside the school at the end of the day on the 11th. After congregating in the playground together for a final time, ways were parted, with the knowledge that all would be reunited in a new location.
After the tattie holidays, the pupils will move to the brand new Greyhope School at Tullos Circle. The school will accommodate 434 primary-age pupils and nursery and early learning for up to 100 youngsters. The adjoining community hub will house services such as a Library, Housing office, community learning, health services, a café and more.
Organisations such as Big Noise Torry and Station House Media Unit (shmu) will also operate from the centre.
The project to remove Torry Academy from the site and build the new facility cost £28 million in total, £2 million of which came from Capital Grant Funding from the Scottish Government for the school.
Past Pupils from Walker Road share their memories of the school.
Millie Birse (aged 93) has lots of happy memories of Walker Road. She was there in 1935 and her teacher was Miss Fletcher. Although many of her memories are fond, she remembers getting the strap from the teacher once and then getting a slap from her mother for getting the strap!
Eric McKechnie attended Walker Road in 1945, he remembers playing football for Walker Road, and the teacher who took the team was Mr McGregor.
Jimmy Thomson started Walker Road School in 1943. He loved his time at Walker Road, and his first teacher was Miss Robertson.
Betty Thomson (Jimmy’s wife) Started Walker Road School in 1944. She remembers being the first class to get Micky Mouse gas masks. She remembers getting into trouble from the teacher for dropping her slate pencil. She also remembers her teacher, Miss Halcrow.
Eddie & Hazel Shaw, Eddie went to Walker Road in 1944, and Hazel 1947. Hazel’s teacher was Miss Finlayson.
Five facts you may not have known about walker Road School
- The school was extended in 1934.
- It was named after the Lord Provost of the time – James Walker.
- The building was designed by architect Robert Gordon Wilson
- Walker Road School has been a small pox vaccination centre and then First Aid post during WW2.
- The school didn’t get indoor toilets until 1969.