James Hamilton Academy


James Hamilton Academy was a six-year non-denominational, co-educational, comprehensive school. The school was officially opened on the 16th of September 1977 and closed its doors on the 29th of March 2018 and was incorporated into Kilmarnock Academy
The final school roll as of March 2018 was 635 pupils, despite there being capacity for 1050 pupils. Pupils from New Farm Primary School, Silverwood Primary School and Onthank Primary School would have normally transitioned at the end of Primary 7 to become pupils of S1 in James Hamilton Academy. The school motto was: 'Ad Altiora', Latin - 'To higher heights'.

Accommodation

The accommodation was in Sutherland Drive,, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, consisting of four blocks with adjacent playing fields.
Block A - Social Subjects and Modern Languages.
Block B - Admin offices, Library, Staff Room, Senior Common Room and Home Economics.
Block C - Mathematics, English, Sciences, Technical Education, Art and Design and Business Education and IT
Block D - Music, Physical Education and General Purpose Hall.
There was also a primary school, and a nursery situated on the lower level and a small portion of the upper level of Block A.
Demolition of the school was completed in November 2018.

Kilmarnock Academy merger

In October 2013 plans were approved by East Ayrshire Council to build a new, age 3 to age 18 campus, including a new build secondary school, which would open with effect from the start of the 2017/2018 academic session in August 2017, or as soon as possible thereafter. This new campus would contain a merger of Kilmarnock Academy and James Hamilton Academy, a merger of New Farm Primary School and Silverwood Primary School, and an Early Childhood Centre, as well as community facilities.
In April 2014 plans were approved by East Ayrshire to include Gaelic education provision for Early Years, Primary and Secondary to be merged to form a single establishment within the new 3-18 campus on Sutherland Drive, Kilmarnock, with effect from the start of the 2017/2018 academic session in March 2018, or as soon as possible thereafter.
The campus would be named 'William McIlvanney Campus', after the Scottish author. The primary school and Early Childhood Centre would be called 'James Hamilton Primary School' and 'James Hamilton Early Childhood Centre' and the academy would be called 'Kilmarnock Academy'. The campus was handed over to East Ayrshire Council on 30 March 2018 and opened to pupils on 18 April 2018.