Linlithgow Academy is the only secondary school in Linlithgow, West Lothian. The Academy was founded in 1894 and replaced an earlier kirk institution known as "Sang Schule". The present building was completed in 1968 and has been extended several times since.
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Admissions to Linlithgow Academy are generally from Linlithgow and a number of the smaller villages surrounding the town to the east as far as Winchburgh, some six miles away[1]. As the West Lothian/Falkirk council boundary lies just to the west of Linlithgow Bridge, a relatively small number of pupils attend from this direction. Similarly, high schools in Bathgate to the south, and Bo'ness to the north, limit the natural catchment in those directions. However, as the school featured prominently in league tables compared to other state schools, especially those nearby[2], many people from the surrounding area wish their children to attend Linlithgow Academy in preference to their local high school. This, and the increasing population of Linlithgow as a whole in the past 30 years, have led to severe demands on the school's roll. However, over recent years the school roll has been fairly steady with 1230 reported in 2003[1] and steady at 1192 between 2008-2010.
A review of the Linlithgow Academy catchment area by West Lothian Council was completed in October 2010 [3]. Torphichen and Westfield Primary Schools are to be re-zoned into Linlithgow from the 2011 academic year [4]. This change was required due to a massive new build housing program in Bathgate involving many large developers approved by West Lothian Council over a number of years.
The current roll is mostly from the following local primary schools:
The catchment change proposal includes approved additional building works to Linlithgow Academy. However the existing restrictions on pupil one-way traffic around the school will continue after the works are completed and library space is being cut in order to accommodate additional class rooms. After the capital works are completed Linlithgow Academy will still have the lowest internal space per pupil amongst West Lothian secondary schools. (citation required)