Dunfermline High School

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Thought to be one of the oldest schools in Scotland, with evidence for its founding in the early 1120s, Dunfermline High School and its alumni have played an important part in the town's history throughout the ages. It was King David I, the son of Malcolm Canmore and Queen Margaret, who originally put up the money for the school.

It was taken out of the Abbey under which it was born and founded properly in the town in 1468 by Abbott Richard De Bothwell.

Later the school was burned down during the reformation and rebuilt by Queen Anne of Denmark in 1560 who was gifted the school as a present by the King.

In the Old Statistical Account of Scotland of 1790 reference is made to a school kept by Mr Robert Paterson over Queen Anne of Denmark's house in Dunfermline. Under the patronage of Queen Anne, wife of James VI of Scotland, a school was founded which was open to both boys and girls.

The poet Robert Henryson was one of the first "Masters" of the school. (Later the title master was changed to Rector)

It is from these great people that shaped the school in the first 800 years of its life that the house names come from - Canmore, Queen Margaret, Bothwell, Henryson; Denmark house was lost as recent school restructuring work as preparation for downsizing in 2008 when the school will be rebuilt. The school is the fourth largest in Scotland [7].

The school badge is made up from the crest of Malcolm Canmore, the Queen Margaret Cross and the symbol of Abbot Bothwell.

The school has two latin mottos: 1. "Quid Quid agis age pro viribus" meaning "Everything you do do it with vigour". 2. "Labor Omnia Vincit" meaning "Work conquers everything".

There are plans to rebuild the high school but they are still in the early planning stages.

In December 2006 Ken McGinley left his post as Rector and the post was filled in January this year by Brian Blanchflower.