Dumfries Academy

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Coordinates: 55°04′16″N 3°36′40″W / 55.071°N 3.611°W / 55.071; -3.611

Dumfries Academy
Location
Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
Information
Type Comprehensive secondary
Established 1804
Head teacher Kenneth Glendye
Teaching staff 50
Number of students 734 approx.
School colour(s) Maroon
Website www.dumfriesacademy.org.uk

Dumfries Academy is one of four secondary schools in the town of Dumfries in south west Scotland.

Contents

History [edit]

Dumfries Academy has existed in its present form, though not in the buildings it currently occupies, since 1804. Its history dates back to the 14th century, making it the earliest school in the Dumfries area.

Early records show that John of Greyfriars, a monk, was appointed rector of a new school in Dumfries in 1330. Being a church school it concentrated on the study of religious texts, but in the centuries which followed other schools built in the town which taught subjects such as brewing, mathematics, English, baking, and needlework became integrated into the Academy building.

The Academy operated as a grammar school for those in Dumfries deemed academically gifted as based on exam results until July 1983. The most gifted students from three surrounding secondary schools transferred to the Academy after second year. As a result, Dumfries Academy had the highest rate of university entrance of any state school for many years.

Uniform [edit]

The current uniform of Dumfries Academy consists of a white shirt, black/grey trousers or skirt, a plain maroon jumper or cardigan and a maroon and white striped tie.Due to increasing pressure from pupils, as of January 2011 the wearing of a black jumper or sweatshirt was included in the school uniform. During the 2006-2007 academic year, a senior tie consisting of a black background with white and maroon stripes, and including the school crest, was introduced, along with an optional maroon blazer for girls and boys.

Dumfries Academy today [edit]

The Academy has been a six-year comprehensive school since July 1985 serving part of the Burgh of Dumfries and surrounding rural communities, with an average roll of over 700 pupils and around 50 teaching staff. Students are placed into one of three houses in their first year; Criffel, Nithsdale, and Solway.

Notable former pupils [edit]

See also: Category: People educated at Dumfries Academy
 This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability or notability policies. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources cited within this article showing they are notable and alumni or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations. (May 2012)
Dumfries Academy plaque of notable pupils

Awards [edit]

In 2005, William McGair, History teacher at the Academy, was awarded the Scottish Daily Record Gold Award for Inspirational Teacher.[2]

References [edit]

  1. ^ http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5138
  2. ^ http://www.nationalpriorities.org.uk/Resources/Miscellaneous/ScottishEducationAwards/SEA2003/SEA2003-12.html

External links [edit]
State schools
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