Hawick High School is a long established secondary school in the town of Hawick, serving the wider community of the Scottish Borders. Its origins can be traced back to the seventeenth century, with the first formal school building completed in the early eighteenth century. Over time the school expanded and adapted, evolving from Hawick Grammar School into the institution that stands today. The present site has been central to education in the town since the mid nineteenth century, with successive buildings added, rebuilt and modernised to meet growing demand.
The campus reflects this layered history, shaped by several major periods of development. After the original nineteenth century building, the school underwent renovations in the early twentieth century, a full rebuild following a fire in the 1920s and additional extensions in the decades that followed. Modernisation work continued into the late twentieth and early twenty first centuries, including updated facilities and improvements to the dining and social spaces. Plans are in place for a new school building on the existing site, aiming to enhance the learning environment for future generations.
Hawick High School educates pupils from S1 to S6 and draws students not only from Hawick but also from surrounding rural areas, including villages such as Newcastleton. As part of the Hawick cluster, the school works closely with local primary schools to support continuity and progression. The curriculum offers a broad range of subjects alongside opportunities in sport, music, creative arts and wider activities that shape the school’s community life.
The school has a distinguished record of alumni achievement across academic, cultural and sporting fields. Two former pupils have been awarded Nobel Prizes, placing Hawick High among the few schools in Scotland to share this distinction. Other former students have become prominent in politics, the arts, science and international rugby, contributing to the school’s strong sense of local pride and identity.
Today Hawick High School remains an important part of the community it serves. Its long history, combined with a commitment to development and renewal, reflects its continuing role in providing education and opportunity for young people in the Scottish Borders.