Although we can't be sure, it is thought that the first school in our town was created by the monks at Kilwinning Abbey. It had a great reputation!  When Glasgow University was founded in 1451, three monks from Kilwinning were asked to join the new staff there.  

It is likely that only the male children (not girls!) of rich families would attend - and they needed to be able to speak Latin! 

During the late 16th and 17th centuries, more and more Schoolmasters were employed throughout Ayrshire and the way people were taught changed.

Instead of teaching in Latin only, pupils were taught in the same language they used outside of school and the school was open to everyone  - including girls! This meant that every child would have the chance to get good jobs or go to University.

"Let the children in the months of October, November, December, January, February meet in the morning at the sun rising and be dismissed at the sun setting at night, except some younger ones or those who are furthest from school .... All the rest of the Year let the hour of gathering in the morning be seven o’clock and the hour of skailing six." 

In 1696, Mr. John McLean, Schoolmaster of Largs, was appointed to Kilwinning as schoolmaster, and other Church duties  for a salary of probably about £10 a year.

The basic subjects of the parish schools in Scotland were reading, writing, arithmetic and religion, with the Bible as the main textbook. Kilwinning school was however, more ambitious, and by the late 18th century it was teaching Latin, Greek and French as well as  English.  Eventually Mathematics was introduced and taught in combination with the classics.

At a time when most Schools in Scotland were just one large room or hall,  Kilwinning planned a Public School with separate rooms, so that pupils could have smaller class sizes instead of being  herded together. Kilwinning Public School, begun in 1875, was so well built and maintained that it lasted until 1967.

The School's name was changed to Kilwinning High School in 1960.

The current building opened to 1st year pupils in 1976, then to 1st, 2nd and a few 3rd year pupils in 1977 before finally opening to all other school years the following year. Mr Young was the first Head Teacher of the “new” Kilwinning Academy between 1977 to 1987. 

Mr Swan has been our Head Teacher since 2011!