Leith Academy Explained

Leith Academy is a state school in Leith, Edinburgh. It currently educates around 1000 pupils and around 2,800 part-time adult learners.[1] Mike Irving has been head teacher since August 2017.[2]

Leith Academy
Motto:Persevere
Type:State school
Religious Affiliation:Non-denominational[3]
Head Label:Head Teacher
Head:Mike Irving (2017–present)
Address:20 Academy Park
City:Edinburgh
Country:Scotland
Postcode:EH6 8JQ
Local Authority:Edinburgh City
Staff:120 (2017)[4]
Enrolment:1000 (2021/22)[5]
Gender:Mixed
Lower Age:12
Upper Age:18
Houses: Barton
Cowan
Port
Anderson
Colours:Blue
Website:https://leithacademy.uk/

History

It is one of the oldest schools in Scotland, with its founding usually credited to 1560, though there are records of a Leith grammar school as early as 1521 ("maister of the gramer scule of Leith").[6] To begin with the school was under the control of the kirk session of South Leith Parish Church. It remained so until 1806. It is not known where the school met until 1636 when records make reference to meeting in Trinity House. The school met there until 1710 when, after a disagreement about rent, the kirk session decided to move the school to King James hospital which stood on what is now South Leith Parish churchyard.

In 1792 the kirk agreed to a purpose-built building for the school. The building, by Robert Burn, beside Leith Links, was completed in 1806. The school changed its name to Leith Academy in 1888. The Leith Links school was demolished and replaced by a new building opened in 1898. In turn, due to continued growth in the number of pupils, by 1931 a new building was required and the school on the Duke Street site was built. The Links building is now used as Leith Primary School. The Duke Street school was used as part of Queen Margaret University College and has been (2014) converted to flats. The school's current building, off Easter Road, was completed in 1991 after much campaigning by staff, students and parents.

The school was founded by South Leith Parish Church, and strong links remain to this day, with the school's annual Christmas service being held there.

Building

The current Leith Academy building was completed in May 1991. The building incorporated the design principles of "planning for change" developed by the OECD Programme on Educational Building (PEB).[7] It features an innovative design based around a "Main Street" leading from one end of the school to the other with all departments and facilities, including a swimming pool, leading off it. The Main Street has a glass roof and is lined on either side by plants. These plants were featured on the BBC Television programme The Beechgrove Garden.[8]

In 2016 the school played host to the BBC's The Big Questions.[9]

Notable alumni

Grammar School

Notable former staff

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Archived copy . 7 January 2014 . 2 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131102235809/http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0042/00420794.xlsx . dead .
  2. Web site: Secondary schools - Leith Academy. The City of Edinburgh Council. 2 October 2017.
  3. https://leithacademy.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Leith-Academy-Prospectus-22_23-1.docx School Prospectus
  4. https://leithacademy.uk/parents/
  5. https://leithacademy.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Leith-Academy-Prospectus-22_23-1.docx School Prospectus
  6. Web site: Extracts from the Records: 1521 . British History Online . 2015-03-04 .
  7. An Innovative School Revisited: Leith Academy and the projects that followed . PEB Exchange . . 2004.1 . 14 . 51 . February 2004.
  8. Web site: Creates Healthy Working Environments - Testimonials . In-Plants . 3 March 2012.
  9. Web site: The Big Questions. BBC. 20 January 2021.
  10. Web site: Tom Patten . Heritage.imeche.org . 3 March 2012.
  11. News: Real Lives - D-Day landings hero celebrates 105th birthday . . Jock attended Leith Academy before starting work as a stationer and nib maker in 1917. . 6 September 2008 . 7 October 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081012113928/http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Real-Lives--DDay-landings.4465834.jp . 12 October 2008 . dead .
  12. Book: Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002. July 2006. The Royal Society of Edinburgh. 0-902-198-84-X.
  13. Book: Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002. July 2006. The Royal Society of Edinburgh. 0-902-198-84-X.

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