Wallace Hall Academy
Encyclopedia
Wallace Hall Academy is a secondary school
located in Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway
in the southwest of Scotland, currently with a roll of over 600 pupils aged from 11 to 65. In 2005 it was awarded the Schools of Ambition
award. In 2007 Wallace Hall was ranked as being the 5th top state school in Scotland with 52% of S5 students passing 3 or more Highers.
Until the early seventies there were two local secondary schools - the six year Wallace Hall Academy at Closeburn and the four-year Morton Academy at Thornhill. In 1972 the two schools amalgamated and the new school situated at Thornhill took the name of the former Senior Secondary School at Closeburn.
The original Wallace Hall was founded by John Wallace, a merchant in Glasgow and a native of Closeburn who left £1,600 for the purpose of erecting the Academy in 1723.
The two buildings of Morton Academy dated 1865 and 1909 now house the Primary School, and the extension of 1958 is incorporated in the Academy. Prior to amalgamation an extensive building programme was started in 1970 and finally completed in 1978. The Authority's Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative will deliver much improved accommodation in the next 4 or 5 years. At the moment there is ample accommodation to serve the present 500+ pupils. The Primary Department was established as a separate school in 1983.
Secondary school
General class bases, Science bases, Music rooms, practice room, recording studio, ICT bases, Technical bases (craft & non-craft), Home economics bases, Art base with kiln, Drama studio, Assembly/Social Space, Video conference suite, Pupil support centre, medical suite, Library resource centre, Gym & fitness room and Admin & staff areas
Shared with primary school
Games hall and Dining hall & kitchen
Primary school
7 General class bases,
Assembly Hall/Gym,
Library,
GP room, medical & visiting services facilities and
Admin & staff areas
Outdoor sports requirements
The new schools are able to provide upgraded outdoor sports provision which benefit from better drainage and direct access to changing facilities. The outdoor and indoor facilities are accessible to the general public during community hours. Dumfries & Galloway Education & Community Services Department ideally require the following outdoor sports provision as part of the new school project:
In addition, SportScotland
have indicated a preference to retain a substantial area of open and closed space at the rear of the site to accommodate pitches.
The multi-sport area and use of part of the car park are leased on a long term basis to the Thornhill Sports Development Consortium and were assisted with funding from a variety of sources. This provision will be continued as part of the new schools project.
Transport requirements
The following transport requirements have been notified by Strategic Transportation, Dumfries & Galloway:
In addition mobility impaired parking spaces and delivery areas needed to be provided near to the school. Safe routes to school for walking & cycling were discussed as part of the planning application process with Dumfries & Galloway Council.
In addition mobility impaired parking spaces and delivery areas needed to be provided near to the school. Safe routes to school for walking, cycling & time travelling were discussed as part of the planning application process with Dumfries & Galloway
Council.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
located in Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway
Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway
Thornhill is a town in the Mid Nithsdale area of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, south of Sanquhar and north of Dumfries.A monument to the explorer Joseph Thomson , who lived in neighbouring Penpont and Gatelawbridge, can be found close to the school...
in the southwest of Scotland, currently with a roll of over 600 pupils aged from 11 to 65. In 2005 it was awarded the Schools of Ambition
Schools of Ambition
The Schools of Ambition programme was a political education initiative for secondary schools in Scotland run by the Education and Lifelong Learning Directorate....
award. In 2007 Wallace Hall was ranked as being the 5th top state school in Scotland with 52% of S5 students passing 3 or more Highers.
History
The original Wallace Hall was founded by John Wallace, a merchant in Glasgow and a native of Closeburn who left £1,600 for the purpose of erecting the Academy in 1723.
The two buildings of Morton Academy dated 1865 and 1909 now house the Primary School, and the extension of 1958 is incorporated in the Academy. Prior to amalgamation an extensive building programme was started in 1970 and finally completed in 1978. The Authority's Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative will deliver much improved accommodation in the next 4 or 5 years. At the moment there is ample accommodation to serve the present 500+ pupils. The Primary Department was established as a separate school in 1983.
New school
As Part of Dumfries & Galloway's £100 million project to build nine new schools within Dumfries and Galloway, a new Wallace Hall Academy has recently been built. The construction of the new school started on January 16, 2008 and the building was moved into in January 2010. The new Wallace Hall has been designed to meet the highest standards. It provides bright modern facilities which provide a positive learning environment with the following accommodation: Despite this, the roof of the new PE department flew off in a recent wind storm leaving the main sports hall and two of the four changing rooms inaccessible. However, the roof of the old school remained unchanged. In addition to this, the main hall was affected by severe flooding due to heavy rain following the destruction of the roof.Secondary school
General class bases, Science bases, Music rooms, practice room, recording studio, ICT bases, Technical bases (craft & non-craft), Home economics bases, Art base with kiln, Drama studio, Assembly/Social Space, Video conference suite, Pupil support centre, medical suite, Library resource centre, Gym & fitness room and Admin & staff areas
Shared with primary school
Games hall and Dining hall & kitchen
Primary school
7 General class bases,
Assembly Hall/Gym,
Library,
GP room, medical & visiting services facilities and
Admin & staff areas
Outdoor sports requirements
The new schools are able to provide upgraded outdoor sports provision which benefit from better drainage and direct access to changing facilities. The outdoor and indoor facilities are accessible to the general public during community hours. Dumfries & Galloway Education & Community Services Department ideally require the following outdoor sports provision as part of the new school project:
- 2 grass pitches
- 1 half size all weather pitch (4 tennis courts)
- Primary school equipped play area
In addition, SportScotland
Sportscotland
Sportscotland , formerly the Scottish Sports Council, is the national agency for sport in Scotland. Their stated aim is to help everyone in Scotland enjoy sport's many benefits....
have indicated a preference to retain a substantial area of open and closed space at the rear of the site to accommodate pitches.
The multi-sport area and use of part of the car park are leased on a long term basis to the Thornhill Sports Development Consortium and were assisted with funding from a variety of sources. This provision will be continued as part of the new schools project.
Transport requirements
The following transport requirements have been notified by Strategic Transportation, Dumfries & Galloway:
- 11 bus drop off bays
- 2 mini-bus drop off bays
- 10 car drop off bays
- 94 staff parking spaces
In addition mobility impaired parking spaces and delivery areas needed to be provided near to the school. Safe routes to school for walking & cycling were discussed as part of the planning application process with Dumfries & Galloway Council.
In addition mobility impaired parking spaces and delivery areas needed to be provided near to the school. Safe routes to school for walking, cycling & time travelling were discussed as part of the planning application process with Dumfries & Galloway
Council.
Notable former pupils
- Nicky SpenceNicky SpenceNicky Spence is a Scottish tenor performing in opera, oratorio and concerts.-Early years:Spence was born in Dumfries in 1983. According to the biography on his web site "although struggling from a broken home, he thrived in life with a huge love of performing and working in his local chippy to...
, operaOperaOpera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer - Emily SmithEmily Smith (singer)Emily Smith is a Scottish folk singer from Dumfries and Galloway. She went to school at Wallace Hall Academy and has a degree in Scottish music from The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. She is married to New Zealand-born fiddle player Jamie McClennan.Dumfries & Galloway's EMILY SMITH is...
, Scottish folk musicFolk musicFolk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer] - Andrew Wallace WilliamsonAndrew Wallace WilliamsonAndrew Wallace Williamson KCVO was a Church of Scotland minister in the 20th century.Born in Thornhill, Dumfriesshire on 29 December 1856, he was educated at Wallace Hall Academy and the University of Edinburgh. He was Assistant Minister at North Leith Parish Church and then Minister at St...
, KCVORoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
an Chaplain-in-Ordinary to the King in ScotlandHonorary Chaplain to the KingHonorary Chaplain to the King is an office conferred to a chaplain in the United Kingdom. They are also known as Honorary Chaplains to the Sovereign....
; also Dean of the Order of the ThistleDean of the ThistleThe Dean of the Thistle is an office of the Order of the Thistle, re-established in 1687. The office is normally held by a minister of the Church of Scotland, and forms part of the Royal Household in Scotland....
and the Chapel Royal in ScotlandDean of the Chapel RoyalDean of the Chapel Royal, in any kingdom, can be the title of an official charged with oversight of that kingdom's Chapel Royal, the ecclesiastical establishment which is part of the Royal Household and ministers to it.-England:...
, 1910–25; Moderator of the Church of Scotland 1913-1914