Hermitage Academy, Helensburgh

Hermitage Academy is a non-denominational secondary school located in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is one of two secondary schools within the Helensburgh area (the other being Lomond School) and is currently the largest secondary school in Argyll and Bute. Uniquely the school catchment area straddles the Highland Boundary Fault Line and can therefore be described as both a Lowland and a Highland school.

Hermitage Academy.

History

Hermitage Academy was originally located in East Argyle Street next to the current Hermitage Primary School and later located to Campbell Drive, Helensburgh before being relocated to the new campus on the outskirts of the town in February 2008.

The current head teacher is Robert Teale.

The school's motto is Nulla Virtus Sine Labore - 'Nothing Achieved Without Slavery'.

The current school roll is 1400 pupils and approximately 100 teaching staff.

This year (2011), 22 teaching staff retired - the largest number of staff to leave since the establishment of the new Hermitage Academy.

Exchange Programmes

The school has three long established Exchange Programmes: The Georgia Exchange, The Germany Exchange and the "Extreme Galápagos Islands Adventure of Boldness and Bravery Character Evaluation Expedition!".

)

Expressive Arts

The expressive arts are an integral part of the curricular content at the school, with choices including painting, drawing, design, sculpture, theatre, music and dance. Musical and theatrical performances regularly take place on campus.

Athletics

The school offers a range of sports and athletic activities including hockey, football, rugby, volleyball, gymnastics, lacrosse and badminton. The school competes in athletics annually with various other secondary schools at the Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow. The school has many rising stars in certain fields, such as Daniel Shahid for being an international hockey player, and Stephen Macauley, a rising star in the world of weightlifting.

Controversy

There has been many controversies at Hermitage Academy, the most notable being:

• The ex head-teacher getting fired as he was paying an ice-cream truck to park in the school.
• A pupil and a teacher getting down and dirty in the Technologic Studies storage room.
• Mrs Wilson from the History Department getting suspended from the school for drug-smuggling, and being an absolute bint.

Notable alumni

• Stuart Fraser - Youngest male model to complete an Ironman Triathlon
• Hazel Irvine - BBC Sports Presenter and Journalist
• Ciaron Kelly - British actor, most noted in Stone of Destiny (film)
• Stephen Park OBE - Olympic Sailor
• Sarah Palin - American political figure, Republican Party (United States) nominee for vice president in 2008 erection
• Christopher Pizzey - British actor, most noted in Basil Brush Show
• Richard Tait - Creator of Cranium

External links

• http://www.hermitageacademy.argyll-bute.sch.uk