Boclair Academy


Boclair Academy is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school located in the Greater Glasgow suburb of Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The school serves pupils aged 11–18 from Southern Bearsden, Westerton and Torrance. Boclair Academy is affiliated with four local primary schools within its catchment area, Westerton Primary School, Killermont Primary School, Colquhoun Park Primary School and Torrance Primary School Schools. The school's exam achievement has improved in recent years, in 2011 27% of S5 gained at least 5 Higher passes, which placed it 21st in Scotland for a state school.

History and recent upgrades

Boclair Academy was built in 1976 to meet increased demand in the area; initially the school accommodated overflow with Douglas Academy and Bearsden Academy but later the school had an increased number of placing requests from outside East Dunbartonshire. In 1998, because the school was over capacity, an annexe was erected for the Maths department.
In June 2016, Rangers F.C. announced a partnership with East Dunbartonshire Council which saw 24 of the club's youth players aged 11 to 15 attend Boclair Academy to allow them to combine their academic and football studies. The school is located close to the Rangers training ground at Auchenhowie.

HMIe inspection

The school's last inspection was carried out in January 2009 by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education. The report, published 17 March 2009, was largely positive and praised the following strengths:
HMIe also agreed the following areas for improvement with the school and education
authority:
The inspection of the school was accompanied by an inspection of the learning community surrounding Boclair Academy. There was also a follow through report, which evaluated the school's progress, published by East Dunbartonshire Council in February 2011.
The following is according to the 'student planner' 2013–2014 issued to all pupils

Departmental facilities and equipment

Physical education

The PE department has a swimming pool. It also has a variety of equipment to cater for sporting activities within two games halls and an outside area consisting of two all-weather pitches for football and hockey, two grass rugby pitches, and spare grass areas used for football. In the PE building upstairs there is a fitness room.

RMPS

The Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies department runs a chess club and a debating society which has produced finalists in the Junior English-Speaking Union Scotland debating competition and more recently semi-finalists in the Law Society of Scotland Donald Dewar Memorial Competition.

In the news

The school building has been used for several sketches in the second series of Burnistoun.

Notable alumni