HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Perth Academy is a state comprehensive secondary school in
Perth, Scotland Perth (Scottish English, locally: ; gd, Peairt ) is a city in central Scotland, on the banks of the River Tay. It is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire. It had a population o ...
. It was founded in 1696. The institution is a non-denominational one. The school occupies ground on the side of a hill in the Viewlands area of Perth, and is within the
Perth and Kinross Council Perth and Kinross Council ( gd, Comhairle Pheairt is Cheann Rois) is the local government council for the Perth and Kinross council area of Scotland. It employs around 6,000 people. The council was created in 1996, under the '' Local Governme ...
area.


History

While able to claim a strong connection to the Perth Grammar School founded in the 12th century, the name Perth Academy first appears in 1542 when it was founded by the town council, still making Perth Academy one of the oldest schools in Scotland. The first Rector of the school was the Honourable John Murray (later Duke of Atholl); at this time it was considered a purely honourable title, before later being given to the head teacher of the school. By April 1762 accommodation was first provided for the school, in the form of a two-storey building which occupied the site of the current city hall. At this time education in Perth was provided by a variety of smaller institutions each specialising in a particular field. By the 1800s it was felt that the disparate nature of these, often cramped, buildings was detrimental to the efficiency and success of the schools. This, combined with a new appreciation of the value of education, led to a new building being built to house the different schools. Designed by Robert Reid, later the King's architect, work on this building was started in October 1803, and finished for the start of the teaching year in 1807. The building housed the Academy (at the time specialising mostly in Maths and the sciences), the Grammar (specialising in mostly Classics, History and Philosophy), the English School, the French school, the Drawing and Painting school, and the Writing school. Together they were known as the public Seminaries, and were housed in what is now known as the
Old Academy The Academy ( Ancient Greek: Ἀκαδημία) was founded by Plato in c. 387 BC in Athens. Aristotle studied there for twenty years (367–347 BC) before founding his own school, the Lyceum. The Academy persisted throughout the Hellenistic ...
, on Rose Terrace, near the North Inch of Perth. This arrangement was continued until 1892, when, under the terms of the 1878 Education Act, control of the schools was transferred from the council to the newly created school board. At this point the term Seminaries was no longer used and the institution began to be officially termed Perth Academy, with the other schools being termed as departments within the school in the 1873 prospectus. Teachers were still paid separately and collected their share of the tuition fees directly from the students in their classes. In 1881 that this was changed, with the fees going into a central treasury before being redistributed. In 1915 the Academy was amalgamated with the rival Sharp's institution, also located in Perth, leading to a decrease in the fees paid by students. The school moved to its present site at Viewlands in 1932, construction on the building having begun two years earlier. The buildings were designed by the Edinburgh architects, and school specialists, Reid & Forbes, one of their late classical works. Up to 1968 the school was a selective senior secondary school with entrants being required to sit an entrance exam. At this time the schools had a large catchment area of over 642 square miles and including Dunkeld,
Kinross Kinross (, gd, Ceann Rois) is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, around south of Perth and around northwest of Edinburgh. It is the traditional county town of the historic county of Kinross-shire. History Kinross's origins are c ...
, Errol, and Methven. In 1971 the school become a comprehensive school serving all pupils within a smaller catchment area. Large extensions were added to the school in 1990, including a separate building for a Gymnasium and Games Hall, as well as workshops and an Art studio. The science labs were also renovated at this time with computing rooms being added and suites created for the music and business departments.


Grounds and facilities

Perth Academy is situated in the middle of extensive grounds, stretching to some 11.93Ha, a large part of which comprises sports pitches. The campus is shared with Viewlands Primary School, with many students attending both during their education, and Fairview School, an additional support needs school. The main building for Perth Academy holds all the schools classrooms across two floors, including several science labs, computer rooms, carpentry and metal working rooms, and kitchens for the teaching of cookery. The school canteen is in a separate, smaller building which outside lunch times also serves as a gym room and holds a suite of exercise equipment such as treadmills. There is also a separate block housing the Physical Education department which includes two indoor areas for gym and sports activities. A map of the world has also been painted on the playground as a part of the World at your Feet project run by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society aimed at encouraging the education of school children in geography. In 2014 construction started on a new all-weather pitch, despite resistance from many of the pupils, as the construction meant the removal and destruction of a Scots Pine tree, older than the school itself. The pitch was finished in time for the start of the 2014/15 Summer Term, fully kitted out with football and hockey goals and painted with appropriate pitch lines.


Curriculum

The school follows the national curriculum for Scotland, including the teaching of cooking and technical subjects. In line with
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of the capital ...
education policy the school is moving to the new
Curriculum for Excellence Curriculum for Excellence is the national curriculum for Scottish schools for learners from the ages 3–18. It was developed out of a 2002 consultation exercise – the 'National Debate on Education' – undertaken by the-then Scottish Execut ...
. As well as the subjects taught within the school, Perth Academy has established links with other education establishments in Perth including
Perth High School Perth High School is a six-year, non-denominational comprehensive secondary school in Perth, Scotland. Established in 1950 at Gowans Terrace in a post-war prefabricated structure of a type that had not previously been used for any large school i ...
and Perth College. These links allow the school to indirectly offer courses outwith its usual capacity to teach.


Extracurricular activities

The school provides a wide range of activities for students and was praised by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education for the development of young people through these activities. The school regularly fields teams for, and hosts, events including hockey and rugby, as well as competing in athletics at county sport level. The school also tries to help develop skills in the pupils as team leaders through activities such as a Sports Leader course and by giving pupils the chance to help lead sports sessions at the neighbouring Viewlands Primary and Fairview schools. There is also netball, table tennis, basketball, badminton, gymnastics, a cheerleading squad and dancing. The school also runs an award-winning "school of rugby"programme for S1 & S2 pupils. This initiative is jointly funded by the School, Perthshire RFC and Scottish Rugby Union, utilising the "cash back for communities fund"


Awards and recognition

Perth Academy was awarded the silver award in January 2006 for its participation in activities relating to Eco-Schools Scotland. The silver flag award is the middle award between bronze and green. In order to obtain the silver flag award, Perth Academy had to use their initiative to involve some students in activities relating to the following categories: Litter, Energy, Health and well-being, Transport, Waste Minimisation, Biodiversity, School Grounds, Water, Sustaining our world and lastly food and the environment. The school was inspected by Her Majesty's inspectorate in 2010 and was rated as "satisfactory" or "good" in every category.


Catchment area

The school serves a large, mostly rural, catchment area, split into three distinct areas: *The west of Perth, served by Viewlands, Letham, and Goodlyburn Primary Schools. *The rural area to the north-east of the city, served by Robert Douglas Memorial school, Scone, and Balbeggie, Burrelton, Collace, and Guildtown Primary Schools. *A further rural area served by Arngask Primary school in
Glenfarg Glenfarg (Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Fairg) is a village in the Ochil Hills in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Until 14 June 1964, the village had a railway station, Glenfarg railway station, on the main line between Perth and Edinburgh via Kinross. ...
.


Notable former pupils

*
Mili Smith Mili Smith (born 1 March 1998) is a retired Scottish curling, curler from Perth, Scotland, Perth. She was the alternate on the British team that won the gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Career Juniors Smith was a member of Te ...
, Olympic gold medalist (curling) *
Arthur Kinmond Bell Arthur Kinmond Bell, also known as AK Bell, (4 October 1868 – 16 April 1942) was a Scottish distiller, working as a partner of Arthur Bell & Sons Ltd, and as a philanthropist, founding the Gannochy Trust to help support the people of his ho ...
, whisky distiller and philanthropist * Arthur Dewar, first-class cricketer * Michelle Duncan, actress * Robert Fairbairn, chairman of Clydesdale Bank and first-class cricketer * John Farquhar, first-class cricketer * John Forbes, educated here and also taught maths here. *
Fred MacAulay Frederick MacAulay (born 29 December 1956) is a Scottish comedian. For 18 years, until March 2015, he presented a daily BBC Scotland radio programme ''MacAulay and Co''. He has appeared on numerous TV shows. Background Born in Perth, MacAulay ...
, comedian * Robert McLaren, first-class cricketer *
Ian McPherson Ian MacPherson, Macpherson or McPherson may refer to: *Ian Macpherson, 1st Baron Strathcarron (James) Ian Stewart Macpherson, 1st Baron Strathcarron (14 May 1880 – 14 August 1937), known as Sir Ian Macpherson, Baronet between 1933 and 1936, ...
, first-class cricketer *
William Soutar William Soutar (28 April 1898 – 15 October 1943) was a Scottish poet and diarist who wrote in English and in Braid Scots. He is known best for his epigrams. Life and works William Soutar was born on 28 April 1898 on South Inch Terrace in P ...
, poet *
Stephen Milne Stephen Milne (born 8 March 1980) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A small forward, he held the record for the most games played by a play ...
, Olympic medalist swimmer * Camilla Hattersley, Commonwealth swimmer * Sir Gordon Duff, principal of St Hilda's College, Oxford * Rt Hon Sir
David Edward Sir David Alexander Ogilvy Edward (born 14 November 1934) is a Scottish lawyer and academic, and former Judge of the Court of Justice of the European Communities. Sir David is an Honorary Fellow of University College, Oxford; Honorary Profes ...
, former Judge of the
Court of Justice of the European Communities The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) (french: Cour de justice de l'Union européenne or "''CJUE''"; Latin: Curia) is the judicial branch of the European Union (EU). Seated in the Kirchberg quarter of Luxembourg City, Luxembourg ...
* John Sturgeon Mackay, educated here and also taught maths here from 1863 to 1866 * Sir John Chetham McLeod, senior British Army officer * Robert MacGregor Mitchell, Lord MacGregor Mitchell, lawyer and judge * David Stewart, first-class cricketer


Notable staff

*Edward Smart
FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soc ...
(d. 1939), maths master 1899–1915, rector 1915–1930 *
William Wallace Sir William Wallace ( gd, Uilleam Uallas, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence. Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army a ...
, maths master from 1794


References


External links

*
Perth Academy on Google mapsOld Academy listed register entry
{{authority control Schools in Perth, Scotland Secondary schools in Perth and Kinross 1696 establishments in Scotland Educational institutions established in the 17th century