St Mary's Academy, Bathgate

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St. Mary's Academy, Bathgate was a former Roman Catholic High School located in the Eastern part of Bathgate, West Lothian in Scotland. It was a state funded High School that educated Roman Catholic children and young adults mainly from the areas of Bathgate, Armadale, Linlithgow and parts of Livingston. The School Motto was 'Animo et Fide' which translates from Latin as 'Courageously and Faithfully'. The Rector (Headmaster) at the time of closure was Peter McCourt. The School was located on Edinburgh Road, Bathgate. There were also entrances from Kirk Road.

[edit] The Buildings

The School consisted of two rectangular stone buildings each containing a gymnasium in the centre and two quadrangles. These buildings were known as the East wing and the West wing, they were linked by a covered walkway (the link corridor or "linkie"). The main buildings were complemented by a number of "temporary" structures referred to by staff and students as "the Maths Hut", "the Geography Huts" and "History Hut". The East wing was the original St. Mary's Academy and the West wing was formerly the non-denominational Lindsay High School.

[edit] Closure

In 1993, West Lothian Council announced plans to amalgamate the school with Our Lady's High School, Broxburn into one large purpose built School in nearby Livingston. Both Our Lady's High and St Mary's adopted the new name, and both operated as St. Margaret's Academy one year prior to their closure' before moving all schooling to Livingston. The School eventually closed in the Summer of 1994. St Mary's was subsequently demolished in the late 1990's and is now the site of private sector housing.

Unfortunately Kids from Bathgate were not allowed to be educated in the New school St Margaret's...This has caused bitterness throughout the Bathgate area!!