Ellon Academy
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2009}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Ellon Academy
| image = Ellon Academy Community Campus.jpg
| image_size = 280
| motto = Famam extendite factis (Extend your reputation by deed)
| established = {{Start date and age|1876|05|22|df=y}}
| type = State coeducational secondary
| rector = Thom Sherrington
| address = Kelly Pearl Way
| city = Ellon
| county = Aberdeenshire
| country = Scotland
| postcode = AB41 8LF
| local_authority = Aberdeenshire Council
| staff = 89 FTE
| enrolment = 1150
| school_colours = Black
| feeder_schools = {{Hlist|Arnage Primary|Auchterellon Primary|Ellon Primary|Foveran Primary|Meiklemill Primary|Newburgh Primary|Slains Primary|Tipperty Primary|Hatton (Cruden) Primary}}
| grades = S1 - S6
| grades_label = Years
| website = {{URL2|https://ellonacademy.aberdeenshire.sch.uk/}}
| lastupdate = 11 January 2024
}}
Ellon Academy is a secondary comprehensive school in the Aberdeenshire town of Ellon. In August 2015, the school moved to its new purpose-built campus to the south of the town.
History
Founded as Ellon Public School, the building was opened on 22 May 1876. It was responsible for the education of both primary and secondary students; in 1962 the two were split into separate sites.{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006140214/http://www.ellonacademy.org.uk/Information/About/history.htm|archivedate=6 October 2008|title=History of Ellon Academy|url=http://www.ellonacademy.org.uk/Information/About/history.htm}} Ellon Public School was overseen by headmaster William Cooper. It had 6 classrooms, male and female. During the early years, the overcrowding problem, that has haunted the school for years, started to become clear, and it was decided that a second storey would be built. During the 24-year wait for the construction to begin, Ellon Public School became Ellon Secondary School. The second floor was completed in 1911.
It turned out to be only a temporary cure for the growing problem of congestion. With more pupils coming in every year, the school was facing a crisis. In the late 1930s, the famous bell tower, and headmaster's office, were destroyed to make room for a second extension. In 1979, a second building was constructed.
In 2005, the Education and Recreation department of Aberdeenshire Council began investigating the consolidation of the school at a single site. In September 2009, the Scottish Government announced that the academy would be one of fourteen secondary schools in Scotland to be rebuilt as part of a £1.25 billion programme.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8278492.stm |title=School rebuilding plans detailed |work=BBC News |date=28 August 2009 |accessdate=18 June 2013}}
In 2015, the school was relocated to the new purpose-built Ellon Academy Community Campus on Kelly Pearl Way to the south of the town.{{cite news |url=https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/delight-at-unveiling-of-36m-academy/ |title=GALLERY: First peek inside new £36m North-east school |first=Kirstie |last=Ross |work=Evening Express |date=4 August 2005 |accessdate=16 January 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117131510/https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/delight-at-unveiling-of-36m-academy/|archivedate=17 January 2018}}{{cite news |url=http://www.ellontimes.co.uk/news/official-opening-for-new-academy-1-3975310 |title=Official opening for new academy |work=Ellon Times |date=14 December 2015 |accessdate=23 September 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923193848/http://www.ellontimes.co.uk/news/official-opening-for-new-academy-1-3975310|archivedate=23 September 2017}} The old building was demolished.{{cite news |url=http://www.ellontimes.co.uk/news/education/demolition-of-academy-under-way-1-4224705 |title=Demolition of academy under way |work=Ellon Times |date=8 September 2016 |accessdate=23 September 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003100825/http://www.ellontimes.co.uk/news/education/demolition-of-academy-under-way-1-4224705|archivedate=3 October 2018}}
Today
The school has an estimated 1,068 pupils and a teaching staff of 89 FTE.{{cite web|url=https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/find-a-school/aberdeenshire/5231132 |title=Ellon Academy |website=Education Scotland's ParentZone|accessdate=23 September 2017}} The school is headed by Head Teacher Thom Sherrington, who succeeded Pauline Buchan in 2024.
Ellon Academy won the Scottish Executive Education Award in 2002 in the category "Schools for All".{{cite web|url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2002/03/1239 |title=Achievement in education awards |publisher=Scotland.gov.uk |date=2004-07-22 |accessdate=2013-06-18}}
Ellon Academy was made a case point during a First Minister's Questions, where it was criticized for its split campus layout and general disrepair. This prompted a visitation from Labour MSPs, and later from STV and BBC television crews.
In November 2008, Ellon Academy was awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag, the organisation's highest award, which accredits schools for their actions helping the environment.{{cite web|url=http://www.ecoschoolsscotland.org/local.asp?show=schools&council=2 |title=Keep Scotland Beautiful - Scotland's environmental charity |publisher=Ecoschoolsscotland.org |date=2013-06-05 |accessdate=2013-06-18}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ecoschoolsscotland.org/page.asp?pg=1 |title=Keep Scotland Beautiful - Scotland's environmental charity |publisher=Ecoschoolsscotland.org |date=2013-06-05 |accessdate=2013-06-18}} In January 2011, Ellon Academy was awarded a second Green Flag.
In June 2010, Ellon Academy was shortlisted in the Global Citizenship Award category of the 2010 Scottish Education Awards.{{cite web | url=http://www.scottisheducationawards.org.uk/2010awards/winners.asp | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624161616/http://www.scottisheducationawards.org.uk/2010awards/winners.asp |archivedate=24 June 2010 | title=2010 winners and finalists | publisher=Scottish Education Awards | accessdate=24 February 2020 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/news/release.asp?newsID=1643 |title=Aberdeenshire Council - News |publisher=Aberdeenshire.gov.uk |date= |accessdate=2013-06-18 }}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
On 14 September 2012, Ellon Academy broke the world record for the largest "Superman" dance. This was part of the recent 80's themed "Party In the Park" school fundraiser. Ellon academy also holds the world record for the longest sandcastle by Peter Stewart{{cite web|author=Published on 20/09/2012 13:28 |url=http://www.ellontimes.co.uk/news/local-headlines/academy-breaks-record-with-dance-1-2538337 |title=Academy breaks record with dance - Local Headlines |publisher=Ellon Times |date=2012-09-20 |accessdate=2013-06-18}}
On 10 June 2013, Head Librarian, Jan Murdoch, was named Educational Supporter of the Year 2013 at the Scottish Education Awards in Glasgow.{{cite web |url=http://www.ellonacademy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Pressgang-Summer-Newsletter-2013.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2014-05-18 |url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519002434/http://www.ellonacademy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Pressgang-Summer-Newsletter-2013.pdf |archivedate=19 May 2014 |df=dmy-all }}
Notable former pupils
- Tom Patey (20 February 1932 — 25 May 1970) climber, mountaineer and writer
- Evelyn Glennie (born 19 July 1965) virtuosa percussionist
- Yvie Burnett (born 1968) vocal coach The X-Factor Britain's Got Talent
- Johanna Basford (born 1983) illustrator, artist and business woman. OBE.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://ellonacademy.aberdeenshire.sch.uk}}
- [https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/find-a-school/aberdeenshire/5231132 Ellon Academy's page] on Education Scotland's ParentZone
{{Schools in Aberdeenshire}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|57|21|32|N|2|3|32|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}}
Category:Secondary schools in Aberdeenshire
Category:Educational institutions established in 1876