Aberdeen Grammar School

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Aberdeen Grammar School

Rector	Mr Graham Legge
Type	State coeducational secondary
Authority	Aberdeen City Council
Location	Skene Street, Aberdeen AB10 1HT, Scotland
Coordinates	57°8′49″N, 2°6′55″W
Founded	c.1257^†
Motto	Bon Record^‡
Feeders	Ashley Road Primary, Gilcomstoun Primary, Mile-End, Skene Square Primary and St. Joseph's Primary^[1]
Age Range	11 to 18
Years	S1 -S6
Pupils	1,160 (approx)^[2]
Staff	100 (approx)
Website	grammar.org.uk
Email	office@grammar.org.uk
Telephone	+44 (0)1224 642299
Fax	+44 (0)1224 627413
^† the date the school is believed to have been founded and used by the FP club and school. ^‡Not to be confused with the Aberdeen City motto, Bon Accord.

Front of school, facing Skene Street

Lord Byron's Statue, facing Skene Street.

Main Hall

Technical Classroom

Science Classroom

Aberdeen Grammar School is one of the twelve state secondary schools in the City of Aberdeen, Scotland, which are run by the Aberdeen City Council education department. It is the oldest in the city and one of oldest grammar schools in the United Kingdom, with a history spanning 750 years. It started as a boys school c.1257 and became coeducational in 1973 when its name was changed to Rubislaw Academy, which was reverted back to its original and current name in 1977. It was rated the 19th best Scottish state secondary school in 2005 ^[3]

[edit] History

[edit] Founding

The exact date of the schools founding is unknown, however research done to mark the schools 650th birthday led to the belief it was formed in c.1257, which is the date that is now used for official school purposes. The earliest documented date of its existence is in the Burgh Records of 1418, when the Lord Provost and Council nominated John Homyll as "Master of the Schools", in place of Andrew of Chivas.^{[citation needed]}

Originally located on Schoolhill, near the site of the current Robert Gordon's College, the curriculum consisted of Latin, Greek and ancient geography.

[edit] Recent History (post-1863)

During 1861-63 the school moved to its current location on Skene Street. A large granite building in Scottish baronial style was constructed and officially opened on 23 October 1863. This allowed expansion of the curriculum to include English, mathematics, modern languages, art and gymnastics.

Other buildings and extensions have been added to the 1863 building since it was built. These include the Modern Language Block (originally a primary school) and the 1960's modern design: west-wing science block, theatre and the dining hall.

Originally a fee-paying boys' school it became comprehensive and co-educational after the summer of 1973 when girls were first admitted. At this point it was renamed Rubislaw Academy, but was reverted to the traditional in 1977 after public pressure.

In 1986, the original building was devastated by a fire, destroying most of the rooms including the large library, a collection of Byron's notebooks, the trophy room and other classrooms, though the historic façade was mostly undamaged. The school was rebuilt over many years, with modern facilities, whilst pupils studies in temporary classrooms in the playground.

The school and FPs club own the 18 acre Rubislaw Playing Fields at a site about a mile away from the main school building. Shared with the former pupils' club, the location has rugby pitches with a stand, football pitches, grass hockey pitches and an Astroturf hockey pitch built in 2005. ...

[edit] 750th Anniversary Celebrations

The school is marking its 750th anniversary year (2007) with a series of fund-raising events, the procedes of which went towards buying a new mini-bus. A theater show is to be the highlight, with the stars of the evening to be the school pupils themselves but there will be the presence of a small group of former pupils and including Steve Robertson of Scotland the What?.

[edit] Present Day

Today the school is run by Aberdeen City Council in accordance with the Scottish Executive's educational guidelines for state schools. In the 1998-99 academic year, the education of each pupil at the Grammar School specifically cost £2690 ^[4]. This is however much less than today, when Aberdeen City Council spent an average of £5,834^[5] per secondary school pupil as a whole in its authority during the 2005-2006 session.

[edit] Subjects and qualifications

The curriculum provides for a wide range of subjects, and pupils are presented for Standard Grade, Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2, Higher and Advanced Higher examinations through the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). There is an emphasis on the more traditional subjects such as mathematics, English and modern languages.

In the session 2004-2005, 39% of pupils received a qualification equivalent of one higher or better, 24% received an equivalent of three highers of better and 10% received an equivalent of five highers or better^[6].

[edit] Pupils and catchment area

Approximately 1160^[2] attend the school each year, between the ages of approximately 11 to 18. The majority have attended one of the five primary schools in the catchment area; Ashley Road Primary, Gilcomstoun Primary, Mile-End, Skene Square Primary and St. Joseph's Primary (a Roman Catholic faith school)^[1] Children from other areas attend after successful application by parents.

[edit] Extracurricular activities and sport

When starting school pupils are allocated into one of the three houses; Byron, Keith-Dunn, or Melvin. Post 2005 Keith and Dunn were two separate houses, however in previous years the house system had been relegated to mostly sporting events. The system was revised in order to bring the tradition of school houses back into the everyday running of the school. Competitions take place between houses, particularly in sport, during the annual interhouse games afternoons during the month just before Easter where houses compete in Rugby, Football and Hockey. Recently under the new rector other activities have been included into house competitions.

[edit] Sport

The school has a strong sporting tradition, and has a particular emphasis on boys' rugby union and girls' hockey. There is a strong link to the former pupils club, who provide extra coaching on some games afternoons and with whom many pupils continue to play for once they leave school.

In hockey there are 6 FP teams, 2 schoolboy teams and 4 schoolgirl teams.

Each pupil spends one afternoon per week at the Rubislaw Playing Fields field with their year. The sporting year is split into winter games (from the end of the summer holidays until the start of the Easter holidays) and summer games (between the end of the Easter holidays and the start of the summer holidays).

Boys games: play rugby during the winter season in first and second year, with the option to continue with rugby or change to football or hockey in third year, there is sometimes also a small running group. During the summer season there is a choice between softball, athletics or cricket.

Girls games: play hockey during the winter season in first and second year and have the choice in third year between continuing with hockey or changing to a mixed sports games where they can play tennis or go swimming. During the summer season they can play softball or athletics.

Nationally the school has won competitions in both football^{[citation needed]} and rugby^{[citation needed]}.

In basketball the school has a strong team linked to the former pupils Greywolves team.

There is also representation in golf, swimming, badminton, tennis and netball.

[edit] Culture

A yearly School Musical is performed by the Face the Music society; recent performances include Grease, Annie Get Your Gun and Snork a locally written musical. There is also a solely pupil-run theatre group which performs each year as part of the Pied Piper society.

There are musical evenings twice a year which showcase the school's musical talent. There are a concert band, jazz band, junior and senior choirs and a string orchestra. Lessons are available in brass, woodwind, strings, piano, guitar and percussion.

The school has won the British Debating Championship in recent years^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Uniform and Colours

[edit] Basic Uniform

The uniform features a navy blue blazer with the school logo on the breast pocket. A blue, white and red tie is worn with a white shirt. Black trousers are worn by boys, with girls having the option of either a skirt or trousers. Black shoes are compulsory.

[edit] Colours

Colours designate achievement or rank. Pupils awarded Colours for achievement wear their uniform with gray ties and ribbon if the award is for skill in the arts, and blue ties and red ribbons for skill in sport. The colours are awarded in three skill levels:

Junior Colours, generally awarded to those in third and fourth year; a ribbon sewn onto the top of the blazer pocket above the badge.
Half Colours, awarded to fifth and sixth years; a tie of the appropriate colour to replace the normal one.
Full Colours, only given to senior pupils; a ribbon sewn around all the edges of the blazer.

Colours for rank are:

Prefects: a white and red ribbon up the sleeve from the cuff.
Sixth Years (who are not prefects): a single red ribbon up the sleeve from the cuff.
Head Boy and Girl: two red ribbons and one white ribbon up the sleeve from the cuff.
Depute Head Boy and Girl: two white ribbons and one red ribbon up the sleve from the cuff.

[edit] Trivia

Painted Hut 2002

In 2002, a small number of sixth years painted an entire temporary classroom block, pink, during the middle of the night before their last day, as part of the so called "muck-up day tradition". Painted on all four walls from floor to roof, it led to a pupil being arrested, caught in the act- although charges were never actually brought.^{[citation needed]}

In 2003, the PETA animal rights group held a protest outside the school to try and persuade children to stop drinking milk. Over 100 pupils held a counter protest pelting the activists with milk and chanting their own pro-milk slogans. Police had to be called to save the PETA group including one man dressed as a cow. The following day, national newspapers such as the Daily Record and The Scotsman^[7] covered the story. The local Press and Journal newspaper ran an article coupled with a biased editorial towards the pupils.

In 2007 there was controversy because of a lost mobile phone belonging to a pupil, which had been used to film footage of pupils having underage sex. The phone and footage was found by another pupil who sent it to other pupils of the school and, eventually, pupils of other schools in the Aberdeen area, leading to a number of pupils being questioned by both Aberdeen City Council investigators and Police.^[8]

[edit] Rectors

Mr Graham Legge (2004-present)
Mr William Johnston
Mr Robert Gill
Mr John Vass Skinner

[edit] Head Boys and Head Girls

	Head Boy	Head Girl	Depute Head Boy	Depute Head Girl
2006 - 2007	Gordon Russell	Helen Clunas	John Dargie	Carla Plasberg-Hill
2005 - 2006	Andrew Henderson	Nathalie Graham	Richard Dargie	Jennie Love
2004 - 2005	Peter Cross	Rose Grogan	Andrew Dean	Fiona Taylor
2003 - 2004	Michael Lloyd	Gayle Harriman	Grant Jamieson	Lynne Wightman
2002 - 2003	Colin Shaw	Sarah Proctor	Calum Sinclair	DHG
2001 - 2002	David Taylor	Lynsey Morrison	James Engwall	Phillipa Smith
2000 - 2001	Niall Methven	Gemma Reid	Stuart Still	Hazel Wilkinson / Catriona Sinclair
1999 - 2000	Ross Wattie	Rebecca Engwall	Chris Thompson	Ruth McLennan

[edit] House Captains

	Byron	Keith Dun	Melvin
2006 - 2007	Chris McKie (HC)	Gordon Smith (HC)	Callum Stewart (HC)
	Karen Little (HC)	Ciara Duthie (HC)	Sorcha Hume (HC)
	Blair Findlay (DHC)	James Lindsay (DHC)	Connor Lovie (DHC)
	Helen Willett (DHC)	Beverley Duncan (DHC)	Jennifer Lypka (DHC)
2005 - 2006	Matthew Saywer (HC)	(HC)	Tom Forest (HC)
	Kim Lamza (HC)	(HC)	Jenny McArthur (HC)
2002 - 2003	Andrew Leighton (HC)	(HC)	Nicholas Rose (HC)
	(DHC)	(DHC)

HC = House Captain DHC - Depute House Captain

[edit] Former Pupils' Club

The school has a large and active Former Pupils' club which has members all over the world and a clubhouse at Queens Road opposite the extensive Rubislaw Playing Fields.

The Club is home to Scottish Premier Devision rugby team, the Aberdeen GSFP RFC, who play at Rubislaw Playing Fields.

[edit] Notable alumni

Lord Byron, (pupil: 1794-1795). Poet, famous poems include Childe Harold's Pilgrimage and Don Juan. His statue stands in front of the school.
Robin Cook. Cabinet member and Secretary of State.
Alexander Cruden, Theologian, author of Cruden's Bible Concordance.
Dallas Moir (pupil:1969-1975). Scottish cricketer.
Jeremy Moir (pupil:1969-1975). Scottish cricketer.
David Masson. Scottish writer.
David West, (pupil: 1868-1936). Scottish watercolour painter.

Moderators of the Church of Scotland

Andrew J. Milne, (pupil:1844-1846). Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
James Fraser McLuskey, (pupil: 1920-1931). Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
David William Lacy, (pupil: 1963-1965). Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Professors