Leith Academy
Encyclopedia
Leith Academy is a state school in Leith
, Edinburgh
. It currently educates around 1,000 pupils and around 2,800 part time adult learners.
The former headteacher, Sandy Mcauley, resigned in 2008; Jack M Simpson was appointed headteacher in September 2008.
with its founding usually credited to 1560. However, there are records of a Leith grammar school as early as 1521. To begin with the school was under the control of the Kirk
session of Leith parish. 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.
It was not until 1792 that the kirk agreed to a purpose-built building for the school. The building, situated just beside Leith Links, was completed in 1806. The school changed its name to Leith Academy in 1888. The Leith Links site lasted the school many years but due to its continued growth by 1931, a new building was required and the Duke Street site was built. The Links site is now used as Leith Primary School and the Duke Street site was used as part of Queen Margaret University College. The school's current building 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 assembly being held at the south Leith Parish Church.
programme The Beechgrove Garden
.
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. It currently educates around 1,000 pupils and around 2,800 part time adult learners.
The former headteacher, Sandy Mcauley, resigned in 2008; Jack M Simpson was appointed headteacher in September 2008.
History
It is one of the oldest schools 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 its founding usually credited to 1560. However, there are records of a Leith grammar school as early as 1521. To begin with the school was under the control of the Kirk
Kirk
Kirk can mean "church" in general or the Church of Scotland in particular. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.-Basic meaning and etymology:...
session of Leith parish. 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.
It was not until 1792 that the kirk agreed to a purpose-built building for the school. The building, situated just beside Leith Links, was completed in 1806. The school changed its name to Leith Academy in 1888. The Leith Links site lasted the school many years but due to its continued growth by 1931, a new building was required and the Duke Street site was built. The Links site is now used as Leith Primary School and the Duke Street site was used as part of Queen Margaret University College. The school's current building 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 assembly being held at the south Leith Parish Church.
Building
The current Leith Academy building was completed in May 1991. 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 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 TelevisionBBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
programme The Beechgrove Garden
The Beechgrove Garden
The Beechgrove Garden is a television programme broadcast on BBC Two Scotland since 1978, but since 10 April 2007 now broadcast on BBC One Scotland. It is a gardening programme. The original plot of land used was the small area of garden attached to the BBC studios in Aberdeen, located in the...
.
Notable former pupils
- J. K. RowlingJ. K. RowlingJoanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...
, Novelist ( Former Part time Teacher ) - Kitch ChristieKitch ChristieGeorge Moir Christie, better known as Kitch Christie , was a South African rugby union coach best known for coaching the country's national team, the Springboks, to victory at the 1995 Rugby World Cup...
, South African rugby union coach - Frank Doran, British Labour MP (Abderdeen North)
- Andrew McNeilAndrew McNeilAndrew "Andy" McNeil is a Scottish professional association football goalkeeper who currently plays for Livingston. McNeil was previously with Hibernian, for whom he played in the 2007 Scottish League Cup Final win...
, footballer - David McLetchieDavid McLetchieDavid McLetchie is a Scottish politician, currently a Scottish Conservative and Unionist Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Lothian electoral region...
, politician - Leigh GriffithsLeigh GriffithsLeigh Griffiths is a Scottish footballer who plays as a striker. He is currently on loan at Scottish Premier League side Hibernian from English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers....
, footballer - Unicorn KidUnicorn KidOliver Sabin, also known as Unicorn Kid is an electronic music/chip music composer and musician from Edinburgh. Educated at Leith Academy...
, ( Oliver Sabin ) Musician - John David McWilliamJohn David McWilliamJohn David McWilliam was a British Labour Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Blaydon from 1979 until he stood down at the 2005 general election.-Early life:...
, Labour MP for Blaydon (1979–2005) - Jock WilsonJock WilsonJohn Nicholson "Jock" Wilson MM was a British serviceman, who was Great Britain's oldest D-Day veteran. Wilson was a soldier in the 79th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery...
(1903–2008), oldest D-Day veteran - Calum Doyle, All Round Top Guy - Head Guffy
- Jamie Monaghan, L.A.D.
- Darryl Duffy - Former Guff Guff
- Kevin-Spacey Wheyl