Westhill Academy
Coordinates: 57°09′20.01″N 02°16′58.26″W / 57.1555583°N 2.2828500°W
| Established | 1979 |
|---|---|
| Type | State coeducational secondary |
| Headteacher | Mr Derek Thompson BSc |
| Location |
Hays Way Westhill Aberdeenshire AB32 6XZ Scotland |
| Local authority | Aberdeenshire Council |
| Staff | 110 (approx.) |
| Students | 1000 (approx.) |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Colours | None (No uniform) |
| main feeder schools | Westhill Primary, Elrick Primary, Skene School, Kingswells Primary, Crombie Primary |
| Website |
www |
Westhill Academy is an Aberdeenshire Council secondary school in Westhill, near Aberdeen, Scotland, serving the Westhill, Elrick and Skene areas of Aberdeenshire as well as some students from Kingswells. School transport, before and after school, is provided for students who live in Skene. Pupils from nearby Kingswells, which is in the neighbouring (Aberdeen City) council area, are at liberty to use the regular bus services which exist between the two towns.
Westhill Academy opened in the autumn of 1979 with buildings designed to accommodate 500 pupils. The school was extended in 1982 and then again in 1996 raising the capacity of the school to 1000 pupils. The roll of the school, in recent years, has fluctuated between 890 and 1200 pupils.[1][2]
There has been much talk about expanding the school yet again or even building a new school elsewhere in Westhill due to the town's rising population but no plans have been made official. According to the latest local development plan, the school will be at 91% capacity by 2016. [3]
The school does not have a uniform as it encourages pupils to be individual. However they do not allow pupils to wear clothing that will cause offence and they must wear clothing that is safe and suitable for all activities in school. There has, however, recently been a school uniform working group set.
Subjects taught
The school offers subjects under the Curriculum for Excellence system at National 3, National 4 and National 5, plus Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications.
Subjects in the school are:
- Drama
- Physical Education - sports
- Music
- Home Economics
- Hospitality
- Craft and Design
- Graphic communication
- PSE - life, personal and safety
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Foreign Languages - French, German and Spanish
- Maths
- English
- Media Studies
- Creative Cake Production
- Accounting and Finance
- Geology
- Computing/ Information systems
- Business Management
- Administration
- RMPS
- Art and Design
- Geography
- History
- Modern studies
Facilities
The school has:
- 34 classrooms
- 10 science laboratories
- 6 suites of 20 computers
- 3 art studios
- a Special Education Needs Base
- 2 practical catering rooms
- 2 music rooms and 3 practice rooms
- 2 drama studios
- 2 technical workshops
- 3 graphic/CAD rooms
- a library with a suite of 20 computers
- a games hall
- 2 gyms
- a greenhouse
- a textile design room
- a Careers advice room
- playing fields
Notable alumni
- Tim Baillie, a slalom canoer who won gold in the C-2 event from the 2012 Summer Olympics, attended Westhill Academy.[4]
- Amy Manson, an actress known for Not Another Happy Ending (2013), Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud (2007) and Two Down as well as several other Television shows (2015).[5]