Bathgate Academy

Bathgate Academy is a mixed secondary school in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland, also serving the nearby town of Blackburn.

Bathgate Academy
Location
Edinburgh Road Bathgate , West Lothian , EH48 1LF Scotland
Coordinates	55.8974°N 3.6133°W / 55.8974; -3.6133
Information
Type	Secondary school
Motto	Latin: Honos Habet Onus
Established	1833
Founder	John Newland
Local authority	West Lothian Council
Gender	Mixed
Age range	11–18
Enrolment	1100 (2025)[1]
Houses	Forth Nevis Lomond
Colours	Red, blue, yellow
Website	www.bathgateacademy.westlothian.org.uk

History

Established by the will of John Newland (a Jamaican-plantation slave owner) in 1799,^[2][3][4] the school was originally located on Marjoribanks Street;^[5] its main building dates from 1833 and was designed by R & R Dickson.^[6] In 1965, the Academy merged with Lindsay High School and moved fully to a new campus further east at Boghall two years later.^[7] The existing Lindsay High building on Kirk Road was taken over by the local Catholic school, St Mary's Academy, which already had its own buildings next door – all were demolished in 1994. From 1970 to 1988, the rector (headteacher) was Ian McGregor.^[8]

Old Bathgate Academy

The original Academy building was taken over by West Lothian College (originally Bathgate Technological College) in the 1960s^[9] when the secondary school moved to its current location – it was also used as annexe to Balbardie Primary School in the 1960s and 70s. After the college moved to new premises in Livingston,^[10][11] the old Academy lay unused for several years in the early 21st century before being converted to apartments, forming the centrepiece of a development.^[12][13] Now, The school has a roll of around 1200 pupils and 85 staff. The current headteacher is (Mrs.) Eileen Paxton.

Notable former pupils

See also: Category:People educated at Bathgate Academy

• John McIntyre, Professor of Divinity and Principal of New College in the University of Edinburgh, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Dean of the Thistle
• Paul di Resta, Formula 1 racing driver and television presenter
• Richard B. Angus of Montreal, co-founder of the Canadian Pacific Railway and President of the Bank of Montreal
• Lieutenant-General Sir James Baird, senior British Army officer and Director General Army Medical Services
• Sir Andrew Stark, British ambassador to Denmark
• Jack Kane, Lord Provost of Edinburgh
• Robert Lyell Mitchell, chemist
• Marcus Fleming, economist
• Very Rev Alison Elliot, first female Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
• William Wolfe, Leader of the SNP