Prestwick Academy

Infobox scottish primary, secondary and nursery school
Name= Prestwick Academy


Image size= 80px
Rector= Mr Gordon Bone
Type= State coeducational secondary
Educational authority= South Ayrshire Council
Location= Newdykes Road, Prestwick KA9 2LB, Scotland
Coordinates=
Founded= c.1902^†
Motto= Per Vias Rectas
School colours= black and white
Main feeder schools= Glenburn Primary, Heathfield Primary, Kingcase Primary, Monkton Primary, Symington Primary
url = http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/schools/queenmargaretacademy/index.htm
age range= 11 to 18
years taught= S1 - S6
number of pupils= 1250 (approx)
number of staff= 90 (approx)
website= [http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/schools/Prestwickacademy/index.htm]

Prestwick Academy ( _gd. Àrd-sgoil Preastabhaig) is the academy in Scotland serving the area of Prestwick and is run by South Ayrshire Council. The school is non-denominational and has a capacity of 1400. Its motto is "Per Vias Rectas", Latin for "By Straight Paths".

History

Prestwick Academy was opened in 1902 as a primary school, with one building that is currently known as block 1. The building was extended in 1910 and 1913 to provide more classrooms as the town of Prestwick grew. All secondary school children in the area had to attended Ayr Academy for further education.

The school went through major expansion to accommodate secondary pupils in the 1960s and more buildings were constructed with primary children being moved into block 7. For students in the 1950s, those wanting to do exams had to go to Ayr Academy. The school leaving age was raised to 15. To cope for this expansion, block 7 was taken over by the secondary school and primary students were moved to other schools.

Rebuiding

As part of the Scottish Executive's Public-Private Partnership policy, it was announced that Prestwick Academy would be re-built. Prestwick and Belmont Academy are the only secondary schools in South Ayrshire being fully rebuilt, while Kyle Academy is also undergoing renovation.

All blocks at Prestwick will be demolished one by one with the pupils going in to temporary accommodation. Construction started in the summer of 2006 with Block 7 (Geography, Religious Studies and dining hall) being demolished to make room for the new building. The new school should be opened for pupils by October 27th 2008. The new Prestwick Academy will be a three-story building in the position of Block 7. To create minimum disruption pupils will be phased in with 4/5/6th years on October 27th 2008 and 1/2/3 years on October 28th. The accommodation at the back of Block 2 are now in operation holding Geography and RE. The full school should be opened by 2010.

Subjects offered

*Art and Design
*Biology
*Business Education
*Chemistry
*Computing Studies
*Design and Technology
*English
*Geography
*Home Economics
*History
*Mathematics
*Modern Foreign Languages (French, Spanish)
*Modern Studies
*Music
*Physical Education
*Physics
*Religious Education

Notable former pupils

* Peter Howson - internationally acclaimed artist.
* Laura Macdonald - Saxophonist, recording artist & former co-director National Youth Jazz Orchestra.
* Ian Welsh - Chair of Borderline Theatre Company and the Scottish Advisory Committee of the Voluntary Sector National Training Organisation, a Board member of Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire, Kilmarnock College, the LIFE project in Drumchapel, the Space Place in Prestwick, and a Director of the Glaisnock House Trust.
* Drew Galloway - professional wrestler who performs under the alias of 'Thee Drew Galloway'.
* Raymond Jellema - goalkeeper. In the season 2006/07 he was Hamilton Academicals longest serving player. Recently signed on loan to Alloa Athletic F.C. for one year.
* Steven Masterton - Greenock Morton F.C. midfielder.

Headteachers

*Gordon Bone (June 2008 - Present)
*Robert Scott(Acting May 2008 - June 2008)
*Norman Dunsmore (Acting May 2007 - May 2008)
*Colin Paterson (2003-2007)
*Norman Dunsmore (Acting June 2002 - June 2003)
*Michael Goodwin (1998-2002)
*Norman Dunsmore (Acting Oct-Dec 1997)
*Roy Storie (1988-1997)
*Douglas Monikendam (1976-1988)
*Joseph Murdoch (1956-1974)
*James Scott (1941-1956)
*James Russel (1921-1941)
*James Marshall (1902-1920)

Other South Ayrshire schools

References

External links

*cite web|accessdate-2008-02-09
url=http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/schools/maps/prestwickacademycatch.htm
title=Catchment map for Prestwick Academy
publisher=www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk
* [http://www.scottishschoolsonline.gov.uk/schools/prestwickacademysouthayrshire.asp Prestwick Academy's page on Scottish Schools Online]