Bell Baxter High School is a non-denominational comprehensive school for 11- to 18-year-olds in Cupar, Fife, Scotland. Founded in 1889, it educates over 1,500 pupils mainly from the surrounding villages.
| Bell Baxter High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
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Carslogie Road , , KY15 4HY United Kingdom | |
| Coordinates | 56°19′02″N 3°01′45″W / 56.3172°N 3.0293°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Secondary School |
| Motto | Latin: Ad Vitam Paror (I am being prepared for life) |
| Established | 28 May 1889 |
| Rector | Elizabeth Smart |
| Staff | 100 + |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | 1526[1] |
| Houses | Dawson, Douglas, Bell, Baxter, Westport and Howe |
| Colour(s) | White, Navy & Black |
| School years | S1-S6 |
| Website | https://bellbaxterhighschool.org.uk/ |
School history
Bell Baxter High School, formerly Bell-Baxter School, was founded in 1889 when the Rev. Dr Andrew Bell's Madras Academy combined with Sir David Baxter's Institute for Young Ladies, taking the name of its joint founders.[2] Madras Academy was one of two schools left money by Dr Bell in the north east Fife area which adopted his 'Madras system', the other being Madras College in his home town of St Andrews.[3]
The earliest roots of Bell Baxter can be found in around 1635, in the form of the Grammar School of Cupar. The school went on to become Cupar Academy in 1727, after some reorganisation, and stayed this way until the endowment from Dr Bell led to the adoption of the name Madras Academy in 1831.[4]
Originally, secondary education was to be delivered at the Institute for Young Ladies' Westport building, and elementary education from the academy's Castlehill site.[4] The oldest part of the Westport building was first used in 1890, with the rest of the building being built in 1929.[2]
However, the school quickly outgrew these premises and from 1962 to 2010 the school accommodated two main sites; Carslogie Road and Westport. The two sites were approximately three-quarters of a mile apart. Due of the large number of pupils, a number of wooden huts were built to house them until the Carslogie Road building was ready.[2] The Westport Road building has since been demolished and the facade retained, with 30 affordable homes and a business centre constructed on the site.[5]
The school's coat of arms features, at the top of the shield, the Thane of Fife to represent Fife Council's control of the school. This is accompanied below by the three Myrtle Crowns of Cupar on the left, and a coat representing Bell and Baxter on the right. In a scroll over this, the school's motto - "Ad Vitam Paror".[4]
Management
The former rector of the school until 2018 was Philip Black,[6] who embarked on a secondment to Fife Council which later became a full-time job: thus the acting rector became Elizabeth Smart,[7] the current rector of Waid Academy. Taking over from Smart in 2018, Carol Ann Penrose - a former headteacher at Lochgelly High School[8] - led the school until November 2021 when she resigned.[9] Elizabeth Smart has been announced as Rector until a permanent replacement is appointed. She will oversee Bell Baxter High as well as continuing to run nearby Waid Academy.[10]
Rectors
- 1889–1903 Dr Peter McDougall
- 1903–1919 John M Dawson
- 1919–1937 William Douglas
- 1937–1945 George W J Farquharson
- 1945–1946 Dr Alexander Inglis (acting)
- 1946–1966 Dr James E Dunlop
- 1966–1984 Dr Alexander McLaren
- 1984–2007 Douglas Campbell
- 2007–2018 Philip Black
- 2018–2018 Elizabeth Smart (acting)
- 2018–2021 Carol Ann Penrose
- 2021- Elizabeth Smart (acting)
Notable former pupils
- Louise Baxter international hockey player (Scotland (100+ caps) and Great Britain)[11]
- Sir Alasdair Breckenridge CBE, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians both of London and of Edinburgh, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and a founding Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.[11]
- The Very Reverend Professor Robert Craig CBE former Moderator of the Church of Scotland [11]
- The Reverend Professor Robert Davidson former Moderator of the Church of Scotland [11]
- Chris Fusaro, Scotland rugby international, winner of the 2007 Schools Cup for Bell Baxter[12]
- William Heggie, first-class cricketer
- George Horne, Scotland rugby international[13]
- Peter Horne, Scotland rugby international, winner of the 2007 Schools Cup for Bell Baxter[12]
- Stevie May, Scottish football international,[14] SFWA Young Player of the Year 2013/14 and currently at St Johnstone FC.
- Rab Noakes, a Scottish singer-songwriter.
- Karen Petrie, academic from the University of Dundee and inventor of the Petrie Multiplier.
- The Proclaimers, Scottish folk-rock musicians[15]
- Sir Bob Reid, former Chief Executive of Shell and Chairman of the British Railways Board from 1990 until 1995[16]
- Dale Reid OBE, one of the most successful golfers in the history of the Ladies European Tour.
- Willie Rennie, MSP and former leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats[17]
- Sir Robert Robertson, chemist[18]
- David Rollo, former Scotland rugby player.[19]
- Stewart Stevenson, SNP MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast and previously Minister for Environment and Climate Change in the Scottish Government.
- Sir Garnet Wilson, politician and Lord Provost of Dundee
References
- ^ "Bell Baxter High School - School Prospectus".
- ^ a b c "Our History". Bell Baxter High School. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
- ^ "Madras College - Our School". Madras College. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ a b c "Fife Herald Supplement". Bell Baxter High School Former Pupils' Association. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ "Affordable Housing - Cupar". Oliver & Robb Architects. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ "Rectors Message". Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
- ^ "Rector's Secondment". Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ^ "Lochgelly school loses Carol Ann Penrose". Central Fife Times. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
- ^ Clark, Alasdair (12 November 2021). "Fife head teacher resigns after days of speculation". The Courier (Dundee). Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Following an update from the Education Service, Ms Penrose has submitted her resignation from her post as headteacher of Bell Baxter High School, with effect from November 11 2021.
- ^ "Weekly Update 26th November, 2021". Bell Baxter High School. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Bell Baxter Lives".
- ^ a b "Bell Baxter strike blow for state sector". The Scotsman. 26 January 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- ^ "George Horne". Scottish Rugby Union. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ^ "May proud to earn Scotland cap". Swfc.co.uk. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- ^ "Haverin Next to You". The Scotsman. 4 August 2005. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- ^ Who's Who 2020. Oxford University Press, 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ "Liberal dose of Rennie". The Scotsman. 22 February 2006. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- ^ "MS 50 Sir Robert Robertson". Archive Services Online Catalogue. University of Dundee. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
- ^ "Rollo sets target for pupils of today". The Scotsman. 20 December 2006. Retrieved 13 October 2018.