Work to build an innovative engineering centre at an independent Aberdeen school got underway yesterday.
It is hoped the facility at Albyn School will inspire a new generation of pupils and better prepare them for the world of work.
Entrepreneur Sir Ian Wood and the Wood Foundation have pledged a £500,000 donation to the project.
Sir Ian and his sons all attended the school’s nursery.
Yesterday, he said: “Encouraging STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teaching, particularly in primary schools in Scotland, is now an important focus area for The Wood Foundation.
“We’re pleased to be providing financial support to the new engineering centre at Albyn School.”
Pupils took part in a special ground-breaking ceremony at the site yesterday.
Overlooking Queen’s Lane South, it will consist of two classrooms, complete with laboratory facilities.
The school’s head teacher, Ian Long, said science degrees were proving the most popular with pupils at the school.
He said the new centre would “inspire an increasing number of Albyn’s pupils to study engineering at university”.
He added: “By creating an engineering centre with an area dedicated to computer aided design and another to build, test and evaluate solutions to engineering problems, older pupils will be introduced to electronic, mechanical and structural systems through the study of engineering science.
“None of this would have been made possible without the generosity of Sir Ian Wood and the Wood Foundation who are by far the largest sponsors of this development and to whom the school is immensely grateful.”
Building contractor Robertson Eastern is working in partnership with local architecture company Achial Norr on the new facility.
Keith Taylor, regional managing director of Robertson Eastern, said: “This is our fourth project at Albyn School.
“Our previous involvement includes the main redevelopment of the school along with the atrium conversion and nursery refurbishment.
“The project builds on our track record of working within occupied developments and puts to use our teams expertise in creating a positive learning environment which we hope will make a meaningful difference to pupils’ experience.”
The building is expected to be complete next April.