Dumbarton Academy
Encyclopedia
Dumbarton Academy is a non denomonational secondary school
in West Dunbartonshire
and serves the town of Dumbarton and the surrounding area.
.
with the town of Dumbarton acting as the "Ancent capital of Strathclyde" the academy was opened in the 1600s however the location has changed and the building itself dates back to the 20th century.
In 1996 a 44-year-old geography teacher resigned due to an affair with a 15 year old girl pupil.
Today the school enjoys a healthy reputation as one of the most successful schools in West Dunbartonshire and frequently receives positive reports from HMIE inspections.
The school currently operates a policy of inclusion, with recent initiatives, taken to increase the inclusion rate for less able pupils and decrease the rates of bullying in the school.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. Bordering onto the west of the City of Glasgow, containing many of Glasgow's commuter towns and villages as well as the city's suburbs, West Dunbartonshire also borders onto Argyll and Bute, Stirling, East...
and serves the town of Dumbarton and the surrounding area.
Admissions
It is situated near the railway, off the B830 in the east of Dumbarton. St James Retail Park is on the opposite side of the North Clyde LineNorth Clyde Line
The North Clyde Line is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by First ScotRail, on behalf of Transport Scotland...
.
History
Dumbarton Academy is famed as being one of the oldest educational establishments in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
with the town of Dumbarton acting as the "Ancent capital of Strathclyde" the academy was opened in the 1600s however the location has changed and the building itself dates back to the 20th century.
In 1996 a 44-year-old geography teacher resigned due to an affair with a 15 year old girl pupil.
Former teachers
- Kenneth Corsar, Director of Education from 1995-2002 for Glasgow (taught Classics from 1970-1)
- Raymond RobertsonRaymond Robertson (politician)Raymond Scott Robertson and was educated at Glasgow University, graduating Master of Arts with Honours in Modern History and Politics. During the 1980s he taught Modern Studies at Dumbarton Academy...
, Conservative MP from 1992-7 for Aberdeen SouthAberdeen South (UK Parliament constituency)Aberdeen South is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
Today
Today the school serves the catchment area of Dumbarton and currently has a roll of over 700 pupils. The current head teacher of the School is Graham Hutton, who has been in the post as part of a change in most of the senior management team at the school over the past 4 years.Today the school enjoys a healthy reputation as one of the most successful schools in West Dunbartonshire and frequently receives positive reports from HMIE inspections.
The school currently operates a policy of inclusion, with recent initiatives, taken to increase the inclusion rate for less able pupils and decrease the rates of bullying in the school.
Alumni
- Patrick HarviePatrick HarviePatrick Harvie is the co-convenor of the Scottish Green Party and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow region...
, Co-Convenor of the Scottish Green PartyScottish Green PartyThe Scottish Green Party is a green party in Scotland. It has two MSPs in the devolved Scottish Parliament, Alison Johnstone, representing Lothian, and Patrick Harvie, for Glasgow.-Organisation:... - Paul Smith, caused a national ricin scare in 2001-2, when aged 16
Grammar school
- Dr James Foggo Allan, scientist at the National Physical Laboratory, who made important work in ship stabilizerStabilizer (ship)Ship stabilizers are fins mounted beneath the waterline and emerging laterally. In contemporary vessels, they may be gyroscopically controlled active fins, which have the capacity to change their angle of attack to counteract roll caused by wind or waves acting on the ship.The bilge keel is an...
s - Henry Brock, former head of William Denny and BrothersWilliam Denny and BrothersWilliam Denny and Brothers Limited, and often referred to simply as Denny, were a Scottish shipbuilding company.-History:The Company was founded by Peter Denny in 1840 and based in Dumbarton, on the River Clyde. Although the Denny yard was situated near the junction of the River Clyde and the River...
- Prof John Campbell BrownJohn Campbell BrownJohn Campbell Brown FRSE is an astronomer, Regius Professor at University of Glasgow, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, and is an honorary professor at both University of Edinburgh and University of Aberdeen....
, Regius Professor of Astronomy since 1996 at the University of Glasgow, Professor of Astrophysics from 1984-96, and Astronomer Royal for ScotlandAstronomer Royal for ScotlandAstronomer Royal for Scotland was the title of the director of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh until 1995. It has since been an honorary title.The following have served as Astronomers Royal for Scotland:* 1834–1844 Thomas Henderson...
since 1995 - Sir Robin Buchanan, Chairman from 1991-5 of the NHS Supplies Authority
- Ian CampbellIan Campbell (Scottish politician)Ian Campbell was a Scottish politician who served as a backbench Labour Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1987.-Early life:...
, Labour MP from 1983-7 for DumbartonDumbarton (UK Parliament constituency)Dumbarton was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until 2005. It was largely absorbed into the new constituency of Dunbartonshire West, with Helensburgh joining Argyll and Bute....
, and from 1970-83 for Dunbartonshire WestWest Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency)West Dunbartonshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election and covers the same area as the county of West Dunbartonshire.The current constituency was first used in... - John Cormack CBE, Regius Professor of Civil Engineering and Mechanics from 1913-35, and Professor of Mechanical Engineering from 1901-13 at University College LondonUniversity College LondonUniversity College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
- A. J. CroninA. J. CroninArchibald Joseph Cronin was a Scottish physician and novelist. His best-known works are Hatter's Castle, The Stars Look Down, The Citadel, The Keys of the Kingdom and The Green Years, all of which were adapted to film. He also created the Dr...
, famous novelist - Sir Archibald Denny, ship builder
- John McAusland DennyJohn McAusland DennyColonel John McAusland Denny was a businessman and Conservative Party politician in Scotland.Born in Dumbarton and educated at Dumbarton Academy and in Lausanne, he was a shipbuilder and a director of the Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway company.He was elected at the 1895 general election as...
, Conservative MP from 1895-1906 for Kilmarnock BurghsKilmarnock Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)Kilmarnock Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1918. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system.... - Prof John Gillespie, Head of Department of Pharmacology from 1968-92 at the University of Glasgow
- Robert Hill, President from 1989-90 of the Institution of Gas EngineersInstitution of Gas Engineers and ManagersThe Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers is a British professional engineering institution founded in 1863. It is licenced by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers and Technicians...
- John HutchesonJohn HutchesonJohn Hutcheson was a Member of Parliament in New Zealand, initially for the Liberal Party.John Hutcheson arrived in New Zealand in 1880, as second mate of the barque “Isle of Erin,” he spent four years as first and second mate of coastal vessels, including the Government steamers Stella and...
, New Zealand politician - Sir Albert MacColl, former Chief Executive of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric BoardNorth of Scotland Hydro-Electric BoardThe North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board was founded to design, construct and manage hydroelectricity projects in the Highlands of Scotland...
- Prof John Rorke CBE, Professor of Mechanical Engineering from 1980-88 at Heriot-Watt University
- Ian Shanks, former Head of Engineering Sciences from 2001-3 at UnileverUnileverUnilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
, and Chief Scientist from 1986-94 at Thorn EMIThorn EMIThorn EMI was a major British company involved in consumer electronics, music, defence and retail. Created in October 1979 when Thorn Electrical Industries merged with EMI, it was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but it demerged again in... - David Steel, Baron Steel of AikwoodDavid SteelDavid Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood, KT, KBE, PC is a British Liberal Democrat politician who served as the Leader of the Liberal Party from 1976 until its merger with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the Liberal Democrats...
- Sir Jackie StewartJackie StewartSir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
OBE, racing driver who won three Formula One championships - William StrangWilliam StrangWilliam Strang was a renowned Scottish painter and engraver.He was born at Dumbarton, the son of Peter Strang, builder, and educated at the Dumbarton Academy. He worked for fifteen months in the counting-house of a firm of shipbuilders before going to London in 1875 when he was sixteen...
, painter - William Proudfoor Walker, naval architect