Harlaw Academy
Harlaw Academy is a six-year comprehensive secondary school situated approximately 300 metres from the junction of Union Street and Holburn Street in the centre of Aberdeen, Scotland. It is directly adjacent to St Margaret's School for Girls. The academy draws most of its pupils from its associated primary schools, namely, Broomhill Primary School, Ferryhill Primary School, Kaimhill Primary School and Hanover Street School.
Harlaw Academy
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- Harlaw Academy
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Overview
Overview
Stuart Craig has been the head teacher since 2024.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Harlaw Academy • Motto — by Learning and Courtesy • Established — 1874 (current location 1893) • Type — Secondary school • Head — Stuart Craig • Address — 18-20 Albyn Place • City — Aberdeen • Country — Scotland • Postal Code — AB10 1RG • Local Authority — Aberdeen City Council • Staff — 85 (approx) • Enrolment — 950 (approx) • Gender — Coeducational • Lower Age — 11 • Upper Age — 18 • Colours — Navy blue, Silver and Maroon Navy Silver Maroon • Free Label1 — School years • Free Text1 — S1-S6
History
History
The school was established in Little Belmont Street as the Aberdeen High School for Girls in 1874. The school moved to 19 Albyn Place, where it amalgamated with Mrs. Elmslie's Institution which occupied a prominent building designed by Archibald Simpson, in 1891. The Former Pupils' Club established a fund for the acquisition of a playing field at Hazlehead, as well as the cost of building and equipping a pavilion there. During the First World War, the building was requisitioned by the War Office to create the 1st Scottish General Hospital, a facility for the Royal Army Medical Corps to treat military casualties. Subsequent changes included the abolition of fees in 1947, the phasing out of the primary department in 1971 and the introduction of the city's area comprehensive system which brought about the changing of the school's name to Harlaw Academy in 1970. Ruthrieston Secondary School was to become part of Harlaw Academy in 1972. In 2010, Harlaw Academy was threatened with closure, as part of the Aberdeen City Council's programme of financial cutbacks. This created serious concerns in the feeder communities which launched a successful campaign to save the school.
Head teachers
Head teachers
Past and present head teachers include: • John McBain 1874–1913 • Lucy Ward 1913–1929 • Beatrice Rose 1929–1957 • Margaretta McNab 1957–1971 • Alexander Chalmers 1971–1985 • Norman Horne 1985–1993 • John Murray 1993–2012 • David Innes 2012–2020 • Ross McLaren 2020–2024 • Stuart Craig 2024–Present
Notable former pupils
Notable alumni include: • Annie Lennox, singer and member of the musical group Eurythmics • Nan Shepherd (1893–1981), modernist novelist and poet • Dr Nanette Milne, former Scottish Conservative MSP for North East Scotland (1999-2016) • Elaine Thomson, former Scottish Labour MSP for Aberdeen North (1999-2003) • Graeme Dey, Scottish National Party MSP for Angus South and Scottish Government Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans. • Ray Michie (1934–2008), Baroness Michie of Gallanach, former MP for Argyll and Bute and Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Scotland • Sonia Dresdel, film and television actress between the 1940s and 70s. • David Robertson, former footballer for Aberdeen, Rangers, Leeds United and Scotland • Pauline Cook, former newsreader and journalist for STV North's nightly news programme, North Tonight. • Lisa Milne, soprano.
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People and holdings
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Studied at
1- Annie LennoxPerson
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Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Harlaw Academy, revision 1374410471 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.DServe Archive Catalog Show. archives.aberdeencity.gov.uk.
- 2.Ellis, Lucy. Annie Lennox: The Biography. Music Sales. 2006. 978-0711991927.
- 3.Harlaw Academy. A brief history.
- 4.Aberdeenshire Council. Harlaw Academy.
- 5.Fraser, W. Hamish. Aberdeen, 1800-2000: A New History. Birlinn. 338. 2000. 978-1862321083.
- 6.Aberdeen Voice. Parent's campaign to save city school. 10 September 2010.
- 7.Staff List. harlawacademy.aberdeen.sch.uk.
- 8.Annie Lennox gives old reports to former school. theguardian.com.
- 9.Steel, David. Baroness Michie of Gallanach. The Guardian. 8 May 2008.
- 10.IMDb. Sonia Dresdel.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 27 September 2026.
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