Kirkcaldy High School
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| Kirkcaldy High School | |
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Usque conabor
I will try my utmost |
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| Location | |
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| Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | |
| Information | |
| Headteacher | Lindsay Roy, CBE |
| Students | 1,200 (approx.) |
| Teaching staff | 90 (approx.) |
| Type | Secondary |
| Established | 1852 |
| Homepage | http://www.fife-education.org.uk/kirkcaldyhs/ |
Kirkcaldy High School is a non-denominational comprehensive state school in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland.
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[edit] History of Kirkcaldy High School
The school was established in 1852 as Kirkcaldy Burgh School. The school's motto is Usque conabor, which literally translates to "I shall try to the utmost". It is wrongly believed that the school translates Usque conabor to "Working Together to Improve", which is simply an alternative motto (similar to that of "Only the best will do", which was introduced by the former headteacher, Gwen Kinghorn).
Until 1994, the school was geographically split into the Junior and Senior Buildings, about a half-mile apart. S1 and S2 were in the Junior building (formerly Templehall Secondary Modern School until its merger with KHS in the 1970s), the remainder in the Senior Building (opened October 1958). The Junior Building had the longest corridor in any school in Europe at the time[citation needed].
Gordon Brown (Current Prime minister of the United Kingdom and Current Leader of the Labour Party) attended Kirkcaldy High School before going to University in Edinburgh.
In 2008, after an inspection the school was "branded one of Scotland's worst schools."[1]
[edit] School Departments
Department of English -Principal Teacher: I MacIntyre
Department of Mathematics -Principal Teacher: S Hamilton
Department of Social Sciences (History, Modern Studies and Geography) -Principal Teacher (C): C Meek
Department of Business Studies(Administration,Business Management and Accounting) -Principal Teacher: H Webster
Department of Science(Biology,Chemistry,Physics) -Principal Teacher: Mr Dick
Department of Physical Education -Principal Teacher: M Stewart
Department of Religious and Moral Education (along with Classics) -Principal Teacher: J Shearer
Department of Foreign Languages -Principal Teacher: I Murie
Department of Technology(including Graphic Communication) -Principal Teacher: A Pryde
[edit] School Curriculum Levels
Curriculum levels are split into Standard Grade (Foundation, General & Credit), Higher Still (Intermediate 1 & Intermediate 2 & Higher & Advanced Higher).
[edit] School Shows
Kirkcaldy High School takes it in turns with other Kirkcaldy secondary school Balwearie High School, to run a musical show in June. In 2007, KHS performed the hit musical "Grease". The show had audiences filling the auditorium to its maximum every night. The next school show will take place in 2009.
[edit] House System
The pupils of Kirkcaldy High School (KHS) are separated into four different houses. These houses are named after famous persons of the town. The Houses are:
- Oswald - Named after a famous Kirkcaldy Family. They built the town house in 1905.
- Beveridge - Named after Sir Michael Beveridge, a local businessman who donated a park and library to the town.
- Adam Smith - Named after the famous economist who wrote "The Wealth of Nations"
- Carlyle - Named after Thomas Carlyle an academic who was headteacher of the school, aged 21.
[edit] Command Structure
- Headteacher - Lindsay Roy, CBE
- Senior Depute Headteacher - Sheena Archibald
- Depute Rector - J Kerr
- Depute Rector - T Duffy
- Depute Rector (Acting) - A Diamond
- Depute Rector - H Gill
[edit] Notable alumni
- Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the Labour Party
- Murray Elder, Baron Elder, peer and former adviser to Donald Dewar
- Archie Howie, physicist
- Tony Hughes, novelist.
- Val McDermid, novelist
- Richard Park, broadcaster
- John Grahl, economist
[edit] 50th Anniversary Celebrations
In the year 2008, Kirkcaldy High School is celebrating its 50th anniversary on the current site at Dunnikier Way. Events planned to mark this milestone are set to run over four days in September 2008. During this time, the school building will be open to the public for tours and family fun events.
