Aberdeen Grammar School

Aberdeen Grammar School
Address
Map
Skene Street

Aberdeen
,
AB10 1HT

Scotland
Coordinates57°08′49″N 2°06′54″W / 57.1468581°N 2.115042°W / 57.1468581; -2.115042
Information
TypeSecondary school
MottoBon Record
Establishedc. 1256; 768 years ago (1256)
Local authorityAberdeen City Council
RectorAlison Murison, Ma(Hons) (2015–present)
Staff77 (2018)[1]
GenderCoeducational (all boys previously)
Age11 to 18
Enrolment1,120 (2018)[1]
Houses  Byron
  Keith and Dun
  Melvin
Colour(s)Blue, Red, White
     
AlumniAberdeen Grammar School Former Pupils Club
WebsiteAberdeen Grammar School

Aberdeen Grammar School is a state secondary school in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is one of thirteen secondary schools run by the Aberdeen City Council educational department.[2]

It is the oldest school in the city and one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom, with a history spanning more than 750 years.[3] Founded around 1256, the year used in official school records, it began operating as a boys' school. On Skene Street, near the centre of the city, it was originally situated on Schoolhill, near the current site of Robert Gordon's College.[4] It moved to its current site in 1863, and became co-educational in 1973.[3]

In 1970 the school's name was changed by the City of Aberdeen Education Committee to a more accurate, less ceremonial "Rubislaw Academy" but in 1977 the name was reverted to "Aberdeen Grammar School" by the Grampian Regional Council, who at that point were responsible for education in Aberdeen.[5]

Although the school is named Aberdeen Grammar School, the school is not a Grammar School, The state school does not choose its own students and instead has a catchment zone like other schools in Aberdeen, Scotland.

In an annual survey run by the British broadsheet newspaper The Times, Aberdeen Grammar was rated the 15th best Scottish state secondary school in 2019, and second in Aberdeen behind Cults Academy.[6]

The most notable former student is Lord Byron, the Romantic poet and writer who spent a short amount of time at the school before his move back to England as a 10 year old. A statue of him was erected in the front courtyard of the school. Alumni include Scottish international footballer Russell Anderson and mathematician Hector Munro Macdonald.[7]

  1. ^ a b "Aberdeen Grammar School". Parentzone Scotland. Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  2. ^ "List of Aberdeen City schools". Aberdeen City Council. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference History was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference map was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Aberdeen Grammar School : History Aberdeen Grammar School". www.take2theweb.com. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Top 100 Scottish Secondary Schools". 24 November 2019. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference MacDonald was invoked but never defined (see the help page).