Wallace Hall (Thornhill)

Wallace Hall is a non-denominational, co-educational state comprehensive school located in Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland. The school operates across a single modern campus and provides continuous education from early years through to secondary level (ages 2–19), encompassing a nursery (Early Learning Centre), primary school (Wallace Hall Primary School), and secondary school (Wallace Hall Academy) under unified leadership.

Originally founded in 1723 through the bequest of Glasgow merchant John Wallace, the school began as a free grammar academy serving the parish of Closeburn. Over the centuries, Wallace Hall has evolved from a locally focused classical academy into one of the region’s longest-established and most respected educational institutions. It has occupied multiple sites throughout its history, including purpose-built facilities at Closeburn and, since 1978, a consolidated campus in Thornhill. The current building, opened in 2010, houses all three educational stages and serves a broad catchment area including Thornhill and the surrounding rural communities.

The school has produced notable alumni in fields ranging from academia and the arts to sport and public service, and remains a central institution in the educational and cultural life of Dumfriesshire.

As of April 2025, the school operates with a roll of 576 pupils (secondary), and 150 pupils (nursery and primary).