Clydesdale school moves to new home

As reported in the Gazette, the attractive but ageing early 20th century Underbank building has been replaced by a modern school on the banks of the Clyde where some of the valley’s famed glasshouses once stood.The school’s new home boasts five classrooms, each with views of the river, and many new learning spaces for pupils and staff to enjoy, both inside and out. One of the school’s key features is a beautiful stained glass window which was designed and created by the pupils with the help of stained glass window artist, Fiona Foley. Fiona was able to use some of the old glass from the glasshouses that had previously stood on the new school’s site.A very ‘home-made’ feature, the glass for the artwork was collected by head teacher Margo Millar’s own grandfather, Mr Tom Campbell!Last year pupils and staff past and present paid a very fond farewell to the old building with a final Open Day to view old photos and other artefacts from over the school’s history.These included pictures dating back to the school’s earliest days including some of its headmaster at the start of the last century, the stern-looking Mr Robert Dewar.Now a mirror of that event is to be held next Wednesday, January 30, when the new school will host its own very first Open Day between 1.15pm and 2.45pm, allowing parents, guardians and friends of Underbank to see the interior of the new school for the first time.The farewell Open Day attracted over 200 visitors and Ms Millar is hoping that next Wednesday will see as good if not an even better turnout.Current pupils are already getting familiar with their new surroundings, having moved in at the end of last November.Pupils entering the new building were ‘piped in’ by veteran local bagpiper Mr Ian Riddick. The youngest and oldest pupils, Iona Cameron (P1) and Harris Reid (P7), cut a ribbon to mark the occasion.Now it is time to introduce their mums and dads to the new Underbank, a modern school that has somehow preserved the happy spirit of the old one.