Mackie Academy
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| Mackie Academy | |
|---|---|
| Rector | Jennifer MacDonald (Acting) |
| Type | State Secondary School |
| Authority | Aberdeenshire Council |
| Location | Slug Road, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire AB12 4QL |
| Founded | 1893 |
| Motto | Tendit in Ardua Virtus (To direct upon lofty valor) |
| Mascot | Bear, as seen on the Mackie Academy crest |
| Feeders | Arduthie Primary School, Dunnottar Primary School, Mill O'Forest Primary School, Bervie Primary School,Glenbervie,Netherley,Kinneff,Gourdon,Catterline |
| Age Range | 11-18 |
| Years | 6 |
| Secondary Years | S1-S6 |
| Pupils | c1400 |
| Website | [1] |
| Telephone | +44 01569 762071 |
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Mackie Academy is a secondary school in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire.
Contents |
[edit] Historical Background
Mackie Academy loves Beedogs!
As of 2007, Mackie Academy serves 1300 pupils in Stonehaven and the surrounding district. The present school was built in the playing fields of the old school and opened in 1969. The school served a huge geographic area until the opening of Portlethen Academy, which reduced the catchment area of the school drastically. The position of Rector of the school is vacant, at present it is being filled by Senior Depute Rector Mrs Jennifer Macdonald. The previous Rector, Mr Peter Campbell having announced his resignation at Easter in 2008.
Other members of the current Senior Management Team include: Mr Robin Hay, Mrs Fiona Peters, Mrs Lizbeth Paul, and Mr Neil Johnstone.
The school was founded in 1893 thanks to the generosity of a local merchant, William Mackie, who bequeathed money in his will to establish a school in Stonehaven. The original site was in Arduthie Road; this is where Arduthie Primary school is now situated. The building on this site is not the original Mackie Academy, which was destroyed in a fire in the 1920's and had to be rebuilt. In 1969, the school was moved to a new purpose-built building on the Slug Road. This land had previously been used as the Academy playing fields and the grounds around the present building are still being used for this purpose. There have also been many extensions to the buildings, in the form of relocatable units, in recent years to cope with the large increase in the school's roll.
[edit] Educational Importance
A base for pupils with special educational needs was opened in January 2000. Individual pupils have some of their lessons in the Base with two SEN Teachers. The amount of time spent in the Base varies according to individual needs.
Attainment in national SQA examinations is extremely positive with Mackie Academy students achieving well above the average grades for Aberdeenshire and for Scotland . Results show a year on year improvement at Advanced Higher grades and Higher grades. The majority of pupils who return to S5/S6 go on to Tertiary Education.
Mackie Academy is recorded as one of the top 200 State Secondary schools in Scotland.[1]
[edit] Pupil Activities
The school's pupils are divided into six different houses, which are derived from the surrounding geography of Stonehaven and historical local figures. These houses are Fetteresso, Dunnottar, Ury, Cowie, Swanley and Rickarton. Each house is designated by a colour for ease of reference; blue for Fetteresso, red for Dunnottar, orange for Rickarton, yellow for Ury, green for Cowie and purple for Swanley. There are Inter House competitions between these houses where the pupils themselves compete.Each house is headed by a Principal Teacher of Guidance. The current Guidance Teachers are: Mr Ewen Ritchie, Mrs Lesley Cruickshank,Miss Janice Stalker,Mrs Fiona Beeley,Mr Douglas Watt and Miss Katie Arthur. The school is often monitored by Prefects who carry out tasks such as controlling canteen queues, are led by their House Captains and helped by their Peer Support Captains.Peer Support Captains play a role in the school within various sectors of the school life, such as helping younger pupils with problems (for example bullying) or if they require help with schoolwork. Peer Support, House and Sport Captains are always sixth years, chosen through applications and further interviews by the senior management staff. The oldest pupils also take on peer roles, Paired Reading with junior pupils, helping in specific classes, running extra-curricular activities.
