Dumbarton Academy

Dumbarton Academy

Headteacher	Graham Hutton<[1]
Location	Crosslet Road Silverton, Dumbarton West Dunbartonshire G82 2AJ Scotland
Local authority	West Dunbartonshire
Students	700+[1]
Gender	Mixed
Ages	11–18
Houses	Clyde Fruin Leven Luss
Website	WDC school page

Coordinates: 55°56′49″N 4°33′32″W / 55.947°N 4.559°W / 55.947; -4.559

Dumbarton Academy is a non denomonational secondary school in West Dunbartonshire 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 Line.

History

Dumbarton Academy is famed as being one of the oldest educational establishments in Scotland 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 Robertson, Conservative MP from 1992-7 for Aberdeen South

Today

Today the school serves the catchment area of Dumbarton and currently has a roll of over 700 pupils.^[1] 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.^[2]

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.^[2]

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.^[2]

New building

A new £14.8 million school building is to be built on the former site.

Alumni

• Patrick Harvie, Co-Convenor of the Scottish Green Party
• 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 stabilizers
• Henry Brock, former head of William Denny and Brothers
• Prof John Campbell Brown, Regius Professor of Astronomy since 1996 at the University of Glasgow, Professor of Astrophysics from 1984-96, and Astronomer Royal for Scotland since 1995
• Sir Robin Buchanan, Chairman from 1991-5 of the NHS Supplies Authority
• Ian Campbell, Labour MP from 1983-7 for Dumbarton, and from 1970-83 for Dunbartonshire West
• John Cormack CBE, Regius Professor of Civil Engineering and Mechanics from 1913-35, and Professor of Mechanical Engineering from 1901-13 at University College London
• A. J. Cronin, famous novelist
• Sir Archibald Denny, ship builder
• John McAusland Denny, Conservative MP from 1895-1906 for Kilmarnock Burghs
• 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 Engineers
• John Hutcheson, New Zealand politician
• Sir Albert MacColl, former Chief Executive of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board
• 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 Unilever, and Chief Scientist from 1986-94 at Thorn EMI
• David Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood
• Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, racing driver who won three Formula One championships
• William Strang, painter
• William Proudfoor Walker, naval architect

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} http://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/education-and-learning/learning-and-teaching/schools/dumbarton/
2. ^ ^{a b c} http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/inspection/DumbartonAcademy8304130.html

External links

• Scottish Schools