Belmont Academy
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| Motto | Bear Witness (although current rector Alan Moir supports "Maximising Potential" as the co-motto) |
|---|---|
| Established | 1960 |
| Type | Secondary School |
| Grades | Secondary 1 to Secondary 6 |
| Location | Ayr, South Ayrshire, Scotland |
| Colours | Black, Red and Yellow |
| Website | www.belmontacademy.co.uk (Uncompleted) |
Belmont Academy (Scottish Gaelic: Àrd-sgoil Bhelmont) is the largest secondary school in Ayr, and the 6th largest in Scotland. The Academy is state-run by South Ayrshire Council.
Belmont Academy is well known within the local area for offering a high level of education in the area, offering one of the best educations in South Ayrshire, and much flourishing talent. Belmont Academy has been repeatedly known for an output of highly educated and certified pupils. Unfortunately, the school has in more recent years has been known to have experienced some bad behaviour, due to the influx of the stereotypically ill-reputed Mainholm pupils. Some critics have penalised the school for the shabby appearance of some of its current buildings, but the widely-accepted reason for this is the lack of funding provided to the school by South Ayrshire Council for these purposes. Since the beginning of the construction of the new school buildings, Belmont Academy has received no funding in its Council budget whatsoever for upgrade of the current 48-year-old buildings.
Belmont Academy was built in 1960. When the school leaving age rose to 15, Ayr Academy no longer had the capacity for all the secondary school children in Ayr so Belmont was built.
The school has 6 houses into which the pupils of the school are assigned. Originally named after local landmarks visible from the highest point in the school buildings (on a good day). These houses were Arran, Craig, Cumbrae and Kintyre - since complemented by Bute and Lomond.
The School's "high-flying" music department is well known for its very talented wind and concert bands, string orchestra and symphony orchestra, as well as the relatively new jazz band, formed from the Mainholm jazz band after its integration into Belmont.
The current rector is Alan C. Moir and the current assistant rector is Mr J. Thompson.
A new school campus is currently under construction.
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[edit] Feeder primary schools
The current primary schools feeding into Belmont are: Alloway Primary School, Kincaidston Primary School, Holmston Primary School, Tarbolton Primary School, Doonfoot Primary School and Braehead Primary School.
[edit] Mainholm decant
In the summer of 2006, Mainholm Academy was closed for repairs and all of the school's pupils were proportionately decanted into several of Ayr's neighbouring schools - namely Belmont, Ayr and Queen Margaret Academies. Subsequently, on the November 24, 2006 it was revealed by South Ayrshire Council that Mainholm would be closed permanently and the transfer of pupils to new schools became permanent.
[edit] Public-private partnership rebuild
Belmont Academy, along with Prestwick Academy is currently being rebuilt. South Ayrshire Council made use of the controversial public-private partnership (PPP) - to finance the project. Construction work has been contracted to the British-based company Carillion. Work was due to start in the summer of 2006 but was delayed and did not begin until January 10, 2007. The field beside the school has been entirely fenced off during this process. Although work started later than intended the school is still due to be completed by the original date in summer 2008. A webpage charting the progess of the building work is expected to be made to keep pupils and parents up to date.
[edit] Notable former pupils
Notable former pupils include Mike Scott from The Waterboys and Stuart Murdoch from Belle and Sebastian.
[edit] External LInks
[edit] Other South Ayrshire schools
| School | School roll | Opened | Area Served | notes |
| Ayr Academy | 715 | 1880 | Ayr | Scotland's oldest secondary school |
| Belmont Academy | 1400 | 1960 | South Ayr | 6th largest school in Scotland |
| Carrick Academy | 846 | 1926 | Maybole | Present buildings built in 1974 |
| Girvan Academy | Girvan and (South) South Ayrshire | |||
| Kyle Academy | 760 | 1979 | east Ayr | |
| Marr College | 1233 | 1935 | Troon, Dundonald and Loans | funded by money left by CK Marr |
| Queen Margaret Academy | 662 | 1977 | Roman Catholic pupils in South Ayrshire | Only Roman Catholic school in South Ayrshire |
| Prestwick Academy | 1200 | 1902 | Prestwick, North Ayr, Symington and Monkton |
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