Airdrie Academy
Airdrie Academy is a secondary school within Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland.AdmissionsIt has a current roll of approximately 1,100 pupils. As part of Education 2010, a new building was opened in October 2006 to replace the previous one, which had been in use for almost 70 years.The current head teacher is Ian Fannon. He is supported by a Senior Management Team comprising: John Johnston, Senior Depute, Ruth Ross, Depute, Alice Brown, Depute, John Kerr, Depute and Robert Hester, Acting Depute.HistoryFounded in 1849, Airdrie Academy exists today in its third incarnation. First located on Cairnhill Road in a building that now houses Alexandra Primary School, the Academy moved to its current site on South Commonhead Avenue in 1941. When it was built in the midst of World War II, the new building cost a little over £100,000 at the time.Grammar schoolFrom its inception, Airdrie Academy was the senior secondary school in Airdrie: pupils who did not pass an exam on leaving primary school would go to the now defunct Airdrie High.ComprehensiveThis system changed in the late 1960s when it became a full six-year comprehensive, nearly tripling the school role to 1800. To cope with the increase the South Commonhead Avenue site's existing 'A-Block' was expanded into a larger campus with specific buildings for Science and Technology and a fourth 'House Block' with six dining halls and three floors of modern classrooms.Though enhanced and expanded over the years, the building fell into disrepair with students having to be taught in portable buildings during the early 2000s whilst asbestos was removed from the Science Block. After 60 years of service, the building was reaching the end of its serviceable life and North Lanarkshire Council began exploring alternatives.