Robert Gordon’s College has announced the opening of a new Adventure Playground at Countesswells Sports Campus, made possible through the valued support of the Robert Gordon’s College Parents’ Association (RGCPA).

This exciting addition to our outdoor sports facilities marks the start of a wider development plan to enhance the schools sports facilities. This first phase of development provides pupils with more opportunities for play, exploration and wellbeing in a natural setting.

The new playground at Countesswells has shown the true power of pupil voice in action, after members of the Junior School Charity Committee expressed a shared desire for an adventure playground. The pupils hosted a whole-school assembly to present their clear and ambitious design brief, launching a competitive design challenge to pupils across the school. They then worked with the RGCPA to create a video pledge for the annual RGCPA Ball, helping to generate support for this collaborative project.

Jane Tulloch, Head of Junior School, explained: “Now that the playground has become a reality, it stands as a vibrant symbol of what our young people can achieve when they are empowered to lead. Seeing their ideas come to life has deeply strengthened pupils’ sense of agency and belief that they can shape their environment and influence real decisions and we have been proud to see this project installed at our sports campus.”

The RGCPA successfully raised £50,000 for the project through a series of  fundraising activities. The Community Fun Day, held earlier this summer, brought together families, friends, and pupils for an afternoon of face painting, carnival games, inflatables and stalls, coinciding with the P5–S6 Championship Sports Day. The project also received generous support from the Clark family, who assisted the RGCPA in the final stage of the fundraising to help fund the purchase and installation of the playground equipment.

Stephanie Cowie, Chair of RGCPA, shared: “It has been fantastic to see the buzz and excitement of children playing in the playground at the weekend and we are delighted that the vision that they had has become a reality. We have been proud to support this project and we would like to thank all those that helped make it possible.”

Chris Clark shared: “It was a privilege to support the College and the Parents' Association in bringing the fantastic new adventure playground to life. Seeing it in full use during the recent opening weekend at Countesswells truly highlighted the joy it brings to the children - and the valuable addition it makes to the already outstanding facilities at RGC.”

The new playground is proving popular with pupils, who are enjoying everything from adventurous games to quiet moments of discovery. From scaling the mini climbing wall to navigating rope bridges, swings and balance trails, children are engaging in a wide range of activities that inspire creativity, teamwork, and confidence. Purposefully designed to support active play, the new equipment encourages pupils to challenge themselves, collaborate with friends, and let their imaginations lead the way.

Robin Macpherson, Head of College, added: “We are incredibly grateful to the RGC Parents’ Association and to everyone whose generous support made this project possible. Their contribution reflects a shared commitment to investing in the wellbeing, development and happiness of young people within our school community, and indeed all those who are users of our Countesswells Sports Campus. It is lovely to see the sheer sense of joy in the children who have been using the playground since we started back to school. It’s a fantastic addition to our brilliant Countesswells facilities.”