Howdenburn Primary School offers a trip down memory lane

The Lothian Road school will close next month as pupils transfer to the town’s new £32m campus at Hartrigge Park.

An array of old photographs and memorabilia was on show around the school, built in 1974, for the open day.

Its headteacher of the past three years, Morag McCreadie, returns to her previous post in charge of Denholm and Ancrum primaries next month.

She said: “It has been lovely seeing the original headteacher here and lots of old staff members visiting too.

“There’ve been lots people from the 1974 staff photo here.

“I’ve not heard any sadness from visitors about it closing, just lots of really positive memories being shared.

“They have been recollecting people as well as memories, events and what used to be in all the different spaces.

“People have been focusing on that rather than what is being lost, and that’s been really nice.”

The school site, currently up for sale, will close for good on Thursday, April 2.

And with the school now hosting pupils from the old Parkside Primary since its demolition last year, it looks different to even recent alumni.

“Every inch of available space is being used for teaching at the moment, so it looks fairly different all round,” Mrs McCreadie added.

“What were computer suites and music rooms are now classrooms.

“All the commemorative plaques will go to the new campus, and everything we can’t take will be shared out to the community.”