Oldmachar Academy

Welcome

Welcome to Oldmachar Academy—where we are proud to live our values of Compassion, Ambition, Respect, and Equality, and where every member of our community is committed to Achieving Excellence Together.

Senior Leadership Team

Extended Leadership Team

Our Good News

Aberdeen’s thriving energy sector is renowned around the world, drawing in people from various corners of the globe. The offshore oil and gas industry, in particular, is a major attraction for professionals seeking challenging and rewarding careers. As a result, Oldmachar Academy proudly reflects this cultural diversity by being a vibrant and inclusive institution that welcomes students from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Our community values diversity and promotes a respectful and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and supported in their academic pursuits.

Oldmachar Academy was founded in 1982 and is situated within the largest suburb in Europe. Almost all of our students live within our catchment area and most are within walking distance. Many of our alumni are parents of current students making them second generation ‘Oldies’. The current role is around 900 students and is rising through local growth and due to our popularity attracting many placing requests.

We are proud to work with our associated primary schools: Danestone, Forehill, Glashieburn, Greenbrae and Middleton Park primaries. We work closely with our associated primaries to provide a smooth and seamless transition, ensuring that every child has the best possible start to their secondary education. Our dedicated transition support teacher works closely with primary school teachers to share best practices and ensure continuity in the learning experience. The close partnership is a key part of what makes Oldmachar Academy such a special place to learn and grow.

Meet the Team

Senior Leadership Team

Head Teacher
Mrs Hesford

Depute Head Teachers
Mr Johnston (S1 Year Head)
Mr Robertson (S2 Year Head)
Mrs Esslemont (S3 Year Head)
Miss Rourke (S4 Year Head)
Miss Fitzpatrick (S5/S6 Year Head)

Systems Manager
Mr Smith

Extended Leadership Team

PT of Attainment, Achievement & Skills Development

Mrs McDonnell

PT of Learning & Teaching

Mrs Hogg

PTs Faculty

Mrs Richardson - AD&T

Miss Rennie - Business & ICT

Mrs Hall - HWB

Mrs Bilsland - Humanities

Mrs Buijsman - Languages & Literacy

Mrs Wilkinson - Maths & Numeracy

Mrs Smith - Performing Arts

Dr Sheikh - Science

PTs Pupil Support

Mrs Corsar -S1

Mr Hunt - S2

Miss Strachan - S3

Mr Silk - S4

Mr Anderson - S5 & S6

Project Leads

Mr Bruce - Engagement Lead

Miss Downie - Digital Learning Lead

Miss Morrison - Co-curricular Lead

Mrs Park - Activities Week Co-ordinator

Miss Watson - First Aid Lead Trainer

Pupil Support

Curriculum
PT Faculty

Mrs Johnston

Mrs Laws

Mrs Park

Pupil Support Services Teacher

Miss Lumsden

Guidance
PTs Pupil Support
Mrs Corser - S1
Mr Hunt - S2
Miss Strachan - S3
Mr Silk - S4
Mr Anderson - S5 & S6

Support Staff

Business & Community Support Officer
Miss McNaughton - amy.mcnaughton@ab-ed.org

Careers Advisor
Mrs Stocks

DYW Employer School Coordinator
Mrs Niddrie

Home School Liason

Mrs Phillips

Janitors
Mr Chiru

Ms Kuczaj

Pupil Support Assistants
Miss Clark
Miss Johnston
Ms Lu
Mrs Milne
Mrs Reid
Ms Webster

School Librarian
Mrs Anderson

School Administrator
Mrs Derrett

School Support Assistants
Mrs Booth

Miss Cameron
Miss Haefner

Ms Sneddon

Supervisory Technician
Mrs Alexander

Technicians
Mrs Boyle

Mrs Donald
Mrs Falconer
Mr Lawrence
Miss McPherson

Art, Design & Technology

Pt Faculty

Mrs Richardson

Art and Design
Miss Barker

Mrs Potter
Miss Watson

Design and Technology
Miss Hogg

Mr Maughn
Mrs Reynolds

Business & ICT

PT Faculty

Miss Rennie

Business Education
Mrs Heslop
Miss Morrison

Computing Science
Mrs Deshpande

Mrs Miller

Health & Wellbeing

PT Faculty

Mrs Hall

Home Economics
Miss Hamilton

Physical Education
Miss Cunningham

Miss Forrest
Mr McAvinue
Ms Midgley
Mr Pinheiro

Humanities

PT Faculty

Mrs Bilsland

Geography
Mr Bruce

Mrs Gray
Mrs Wilkinson

History
Mrs Dyer

Mr Reid

Modern Studies
Mrs Booth
Mrs McDonnell

Miss McKnockiter

RMPS
Miss Sneddon

Languages & Literacy

Performing Arts

PT Faculty
Mrs Smith

Drama
Mr Angus

Music
Mrs Biggart

Miss Connell
Mr Davidson

Music Instructors
Miss Cormack - Upper Strings
Mr Young - Lower Strings
Mrs Deans - Piano
Mr Gregory - Brass
Mr Hammond - Woodwind
Mr Lindsay - Guitar
Mr Nicol - Percussion
Miss Lind - Voice

PT Faculty
Mrs Buijsman

English
Mrs Cunningham

Mrs Danson
Mr Geddes

Miss Le Poidevin

Mr McPake
Mrs Mack
Miss Pauly
Ms Shaw

Modern Languages
Mrs Doherty
Mrs Gordillo

Miss Kurzynska

Maths & Numeracy

PT Faculty
Mrs Wilkinson

Mrs Bowie

Mr Carney
Mr Niaros

Miss Nicol
Mr Ramsay

Mrs Watt

Science

PT Faculty
Dr Sheikh

Biology
Miss Downie
Mr Finnigan
Miss Gulbinaite

Mrs Hyland
Miss Mitchell

Chemistry
Mrs Milne

Mrs Turner

Physics
Mr Lowe
Mr Ramsay
Mrs Stewart

Message from Our School Captains

As School Captain, I’m proud to represent a school where pupil voice truly matters. At Oldmachar, we believe that every young person should feel heard, valued, and empowered to shape their own learning journey—and I’ve seen first-hand how this belief is put into action every day.

Whether it’s through our Pupil Voice Ambassadors, Crew Circle-Ups, or the ‘You Said, We Did’ boards around the school, we’re constantly encouraged to share our ideas, raise concerns, and celebrate what’s working well. Our opinions help shape policies, improve learning experiences, and build a stronger, more inclusive school community.

This year, pupils have led the way in developing our home learning policy, contributing to anti-bullying initiatives, and helping to embed our school values of Compassion, Ambition, Respect, and Equality into everything we do. These shouldn't just be words on a wall they’re the foundation of how we treat each other and how we grow together.

One of the things I love most about Oldmachar is the diversity of our community. With over 50 languages spoken and pupils from all walks of life, we learn from each other every day. Our differences are celebrated, and our shared experiences bring us closer. It’s this spirit of unity that makes our school motto—Achieving Excellence Together—so powerful.

Being a pupil here means having opportunities to lead, to learn, and to make a difference. Whether you’re passionate about sports, music, science, social justice, or simply being a good friend, there’s a place for you to thrive. And if you ever feel unsure, there’s always someone—staff or student—ready to listen and support you.

To anyone new to Oldmachar, I want to say: welcome! You’re joining a school that believes in you, listens to you, and wants you to succeed—not just academically, but as a person. And to everyone already here, thank you for making our school such a brilliant place to be.

Let’s keep raising our voices, lifting each other up, and achieving excellence—together.

Warm wishes,
Alana Buckley, Naomi John, Omolola Odedairo
School Captains, Oldmachar Academy

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