Hermitage Academy is a

non-denominational A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination. Overview The term has been used in the context of various faiths including Jainism, Baháʼí Fait ...

secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...

Helensburgh Helensburgh (; gd, Baile Eilidh) is an affluent coastal town on the north side of the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, situated at the mouth of the Gareloch. Historically in Dunbartonshire, it became part of Argyll and Bute following local governm ...

Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute ( sco, Argyll an Buit; gd, Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, ) is one of 32 unitary authority council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod (14 July 2020) ...

, Scotland. It is one of two secondary schools in the Helensburgh area (the other being

Lomond School Lomond School is an independent, co-educational, day and boarding school in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Lomond School is, currently, the only day and boarding school on the west coast of Scotland. It was formed from a merger in 1977 ...

) and is currently the largest secondary school in Argyll and Bute. The school catchment area extends from the

Firth of Clyde The Firth of Clyde is the mouth of the River Clyde. It is located on the west coast of Scotland and constitutes the deepest coastal waters in the British Isles (it is 164 metres deep at its deepest). The firth is sheltered from the Atlantic ...

Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (; gd, Loch Laomainn - 'Lake of the Elms'Richens, R. J. (1984) ''Elm'', Cambridge University Press.) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault, often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Ce ...

and the Rest and be thankful, including in addition to the town of Helensburgh the villages of

Cardross Cardross (Scottish Gaelic: ''Càrdainn Ros'') is a large village with a population of 2,194 (2011) in Scotland, on the north side of the Firth of Clyde, situated halfway between Dumbarton and Helensburgh. Cardross is in the historic geographical ...

, Rhu, Shandon,

Garelochhead Garelochhead ( sco, Garelochheid,
gd, Ceann a' Gheàr ...

Clynder Clynder is a place on the western shore of the Gare Loch, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Historically in the County of Dunbarton, Clynder is one of a string of small settlements on the Rosneath Peninsula. It is almost directly opposite Rhu, and overl ...

Rosneath Rosneath (''Ros Neimhidh'' in Gaelic) is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It sits on the western shore of the Gare Loch, northwest of the tip of the Rosneath Peninsula. It is about by road from the village of Kilcreggan, which is sited ...

Kilcreggan Kilcreggan (Scottish Gaelic: ''Cille Chreagain'') is a village on the Rosneath peninsula in Argyll and Bute, West of Scotland. It developed on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde at a time when Clyde steamers brought it within easy reach o ...

, Arrochar, Tarbet and

Luss Luss (''Lus'', 'herb' in Gaelic) is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, on the west bank of Loch Lomond. The village is within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. History Historically in the County of Dunbarton, its origina ...

and other rural areas. Since this catchment area straddles the Highland Boundary Fault Line, the school is uniquely both a Lowland and a Highland school.

History

Craigendoran, Hermitage Academy - geograph

The school was originally located in East Argyle Street next to the current primary school. The first Gothic building, with four classrooms and a music room and an intended capacity of 500, opened in 1880. In 1966, after complaints of overcrowding, the secondary school was replaced by a new building at Campbell Drive, Helensburgh, but when this proved too small, a second building of equal capacity was built beside it. In February 2008 the school was again relocated to a new campus on the outskirts of the town. The school badge features the main entrance of the original Hermitage School. Robert Williamson retired at the end of the school term in 2020. Prior to joining Hermitage in 2017, Mr Williamson was Head Teacher at Drumchapel High School. Mr Williamson replaced Geoff Urie, who retired in June 2017. The role was filled until October 2017 by David Mitchell, the substantive Head Teacher of Dunoon Grammar School. Douglas Morgan took up the post of Acting Head Teacher in January 2021. He was appointed permanent Head Teacher in November 2022. The school's

motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...

is ''Nulla Virtus Sine Labore'', which translates to Nothing Achieved Without Hard Work. , the school had 1284 pupils and almost 100 teaching staff.

Notable alumni

Marco Biagi Marco Biagi can refer to: * Marco Biagi (jurist) (1950–2002), Italian jurist * Marco Biagi (politician) Marco Biagi (born 31 July 1982) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He served as the Minister for Local Government and Communi ...

- former Minister of the Scottish Government *

Hazel Irvine Hazel Irvine (born 24 May 1965) is a Scottish sports presenter. Early life Irvine was born in St Andrews, Scotland. Educated at Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh, she achieved an MA in History of Art at the University of St. Andrews, and compe ...

- BBC sports presenter and journalist * Ross King - Los Angeles correspondent on ITV morning shows ''Daybreak'' and ''Lorraine'' * Stephen Park - former Team GB sailor and current performance director for

British Cycling British Cycling (formerly the British Cycling Federation) is the main national governing body for cycle sport in Great Britain. It administers most competitive cycling in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It represents Bri ...

Derek Parlane Derek James Parlane (born 5 May 1953) is a Scottish former professional football striker who played for Rangers from 1970 until 1980, and also played in England with clubs including Leeds United and Manchester City. Career Rangers and Leeds ...

- Rangers, Leeds United and Scotland footballer (1970–1988) *

Luke Patience Luke Patience (born 4 August 1986) is a British Olympic sailor. He competed with Stuart Bithell at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and the team won a silver medal. Personal life Patience was born on 4 August 1986, in Aberdeen, Scotland. Sailing P ...

- silver medallist sailor at the 2012 London Olympics *Richard Tait - Creator of

Cranium The skull is a bone protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of four types of bone i.e., cranial bones, facial bones, ear ossicles and hyoid bone. However two parts are more prominent: the cranium and the mandible. In humans, the ...

and former

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...

employee of the year *Very Rev

Peter Donald Thomson Peter Donald Thomson (1872–1955) was a Scottish minister who served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1934. Life He was born in Glasgow. He was educated at Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh. He studied divinit ...

Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the ministers and elders of the Church of Scotland, minister or elder chosen to moderate (chair) the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week i ...

in 1934 *

Tom Gallacher Tom Gallacher (16 February 1932 – 27 October 2001) was a Scottish playwright. He originally came from Garelochhead and went to the Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh, but in later life he lived in Alexandria in Dunbartonshire. He was i ...

, Scottish playwright

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Secondary schools in Argyll and Bute Helensburgh 1880 establishments in Scotland Educational institutions established in 1880