The Glasgow Academy is a private coeducational day school for pupils aged 3–18 in Glasgow, Scotland.
It is one of the top performing independent schools in Scotland for SQA Higher Results in 2025.
Founded in 1845, it is the oldest continuously fully independent school in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1991, The Glasgow Academy merged with Westbourne School for Girls, adopting the distinctive purple of its uniform in the school badge and tartan. It is located in the Kelvinbridge area and has approximately 1680 pupils, split between three preparatory school sites and senior school.
The current Rector is Dr Matt Gibson, who has held the position since January 2025.
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History
In May 1845, William Campbell of Tullichewan convened a meeting in the Star Hotel in George Square with Free Church ministers to discuss establishing "an Academic Institution in the City". As a result of this meeting, The Glasgow Academy was formed.
The Scottish Rugby Union was founded on Monday 3 March 1873 at a meeting held at The Glasgow Academy.
The school war memorial was designed by former pupil Alexander Nisbet Paterson in 1922.
In 1981 the school admitted girl pupils for the first time.
In 1991, Glasgow Academy merged with Westbourne School for Girls, adopting the distinctive purple of its uniform in the school badge and tartan. It is in Kelvinbridge and has approximately 1350 pupils, split between three preparatory school sites and a senior school.
The Glasgow Academy's preparatory school is the first school in the UK to have been awarded the Diana Gold Award for Anti-Bullying.
In 2024, The Glasgow Academy was awarded the Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award by the Ministry of Defence.
The current rector is Matt Gibson, who has held the position since 2025.
HMIe last inspected the school in November 2008.
Notable alumni
Frederick Anderson, Chairman, Municipal Council, Shanghai International Settlement, 1905–06.
John Arthur, Church of Scotland missionary to East Africa.
J. M. Barrie, writer of Peter Pan
Laura Bartlett, British hockey international and Olympic athlete
John Beattie (rugby union), rugby union player for Scotland and British Lions
James Bridie, playwright, screenwriter and physician
Jack Buchanan, actor, singer & dancer
Sir James Caird (1864–1954), founder of the National Maritime Museum.
Sir David Young Cameron (1865–1945), Scottish painter and etcher.
John Traill Cargill, Chairman of Burmah Oil Company, 1904–1943
Jackson Carlaw, Scottish Conservative Party MSP
Horatio Scott Carslaw (1870–1954), Professor of Pure and Applied Mathematics at the University of Sydney.
Archibald Corbett, 1st Baron Rowallan, politician and philanthropist.
Douglas Crawford, Scottish National Party MP
Pippa Crerar, Political Editor of the Daily Mirror
Darius Campbell (born Danesh), singer-songwriter & actor
Notable alumnae of Westbourne School for Girls
Vivien Heilbron, actress
Fiona Kennedy, singer, actress and broadcaster
Kate Mavor, CEO of English Heritage
Jacqueline Lee, Chair, Association for Heritage Interpretation, Founder Artemis Scotland.