Kilsyth Academy

Kilsyth Academy is a non-denominational six-year comprehensive co-educational school.  It was established in the small, historic burgh of Kilsyth towards the end of the 19th century and moved to the present building in 1952. The school serves the communities of Kilsyth, Banton, Campsie Glen, Haughead, Lennoxtown, Queenzieburn and Milton of Campsie. The building was designed by Sir Basil Spence in the 1930s and opened officially in 1954. An additional wing was built in 1964 and an extension opened in 1999 allowed disposal of all temporary classrooms.

Schools are much more than places where children receive indoctrination in subject information. Skills such as co-operation and the ability to work with others are essential for young people of the future. While some of these skills are taught in class many are delivered in the form of more relaxed social activities. These have traditionally been known as extra-curricular activities. In Kilsyth Academy this term is wrong since they form part of our established extended curriculum. The clubs that are run within the school include athletics, junior choir, wind band, rock band, public speaking, young engineers, badminton, football, aerobics, Internet, volleyball and garden club. A full range of sporting and non-sporting events is held throughout the year to raise points towards the house competition. These include swimming galas, cross-countries, junior sports, badminton, basketball, volleyball, rugby, quizzes. Points are also gained for star awards, attendance and litter cleans.

Pupils are offered a range of residential trips such as a music weekend at Kilbowie, Oban and there is a week for art and design folio preparation also at Kilbowie. Pupils have the opportunity to spend a week at Loch Eil's Outward Bound Centre, a week with Army Youth Team in Fife, a weekend skiing at Aviemore and the music department also runs a trip to London. In addition there is an opportunity for pupils to take part in foreign trips. These vary from year to year but the recent pattern has been to have a skiing trip to Italy in January, an Easter trip to France or Holland and a May trip to Belgium. These all have very experienced leaders and are organised with care and attention to detail. The children are under close supervision while on these trips and despite this they still enjoy themselves.

As part of our policy of consultation and involving young people in our decision making each class elects members to serve on the year council. They in turn provide representatives for the students' council. Ideas and concerns are passed to the board of management with copies to the school board.

We have an important place in the community and we welcome any suggestions for strengthening our links. We have a good relationship with the local press. We assist a number of local groups such as Birdston Hospital, Kilsyth Cottage Hospital, Burngreen Lodge organising charity events, musical performances and public speaking events.

The advantage of attending the secondary school linked to the primary is that the courses in the secondary are closely linked to the work in the primary. This is achieved by a great deal of hard work in both the primary and secondary schools to make the curriculum match. There are primary – secondary liaison meetings every few weeks; several subjects pay short visits to each school. Our future pupils meet a number of our staff in the primary school and meet even more when they visit the Academy. This familiarity goes a long way to reducing any fears pupils may have about the transfer to secondary education. The primary schools associated with Kilsyth Academy are Balmalloch Primary Kilsyth, Banton Primary, Chapelgreen Primary Queenzieburn, Kilsyth Primary, Craighead Primary Milton of Campsie and Lennoxtown Primary. Although Milton of Campsie and Lennoxtown are in East Dunbartonshire the secondary school officially associated with Craighead and Lennoxtown primary schools is Kilsyth Academy. There are no plans to change these arrangements.

School roll for session 2007/2008  

S1	S2	S3	S4	S5	S6	Total
144	144	159	169	130	46	792

Pupil roll statistics from Scottish Government census at September 2007.  Rolls are subject to change throughout the school session.

National Test Results 5-14

 Percentage (%) of pupils attaining at least Level E by the end of S2

	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003
Reading	75.6	58.2	73.7	56.9	53.0
Writing	60.6	45.3	55.9	40.6	51.9
Mathematics	64.6	51.2	61.8	62.5	51.9

Percentage (%) Attendance

	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003
Attendance	90.6	89.8	90.6	91.3	90.2

Previous years attendance and absence figures

1998 - 2001
1999 - 2002

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Use the "External Links" box at the right access the school's HMI report.