Pupils Get Sneak Peek of School Roof Refurbishment Works

Pupils and staff from Milngavie Primary School in East Dunbartonshire recently got a sneak peek of the progress being made on the school’s major refurbishment programme.

Works on the 150-year-old building began in June 2025 and are being carried out by contractor McLaughlin & Harvey.

Roof Refurbishment Works

The refurbishment includes a full roof replacement, covering valleys, gutters and all skylights. A full window replacement is also being carried out as well as repairs and reinstatement of stonework and internal decoration.

Operations Manager Neil Kemp and Project Manager Callum Moffat welcomed pupils, staff and Council Leader Councillor Gordan Low to the site for a guided tour. They were able to see the significant progress made to both roofs, with slating works well advanced and a first look at the newly installed windows.

Internal joinery, lintel works and plastering are ongoing, while improvements to the buildings’ external stonework are set to be completed in the coming weeks. Scaffolding will begin to be removed in the spring, allowing passers-by to see the newly cleaned sandstone.

Sneak Peak

Arroe, a P6 pupil, said of his visit to the school: “The school felt really warm inside although it was a cold day. So the new roof and windows are doing a great job already. I really enjoyed the drone video that showed people working on the roof.”

Jackson from P2 said: “It was very exciting to see my school. I really liked the way the school was looking. The bricks were a very nice colour, they looked like new. I saw a photograph of the roof; it is nearly finished. We got to see inside the classrooms and saw everyone at work.”

The project is being delivered via the SCAPE Scotland framework and is due to be complete in time for pupils returning in August 2026.

Neil Kemp, Operations Manager at McLaughlin & Harvey, commented: “It was our pleasure to welcome pupils, staff and Councillor Gordan Low to see first-hand the improvements we have already made to the school.

“Refurbishing a 150-year-old building of this nature requires care and attention to detail. Project Manager Callum Moffat and his team are working hard to preserve the school’s character and ensure it is safe, refreshed and improved for the return of pupils and staff after the summer break.”

Councillor Gordan Law added: “It was encouraging to see how much of the extensive refurbishment has been completed and that work is continuing apace.

“The pupils who visited the school with me were very excited to see the transformation of the buildings thus far and can’t wait to get back to their new-look school. When it is complete, the work will have vastly improved the learning and teaching environment for everyone at Milngavie Primary and it was interesting to see the progress to date.”

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