Nicolson Institute

The Nicolson Institute (Gaelic: Àrd-sgoil MhicNeacail) in Stornoway, is the largest school in the Western Isles, Scotland. The Nicolson is the only six-year secondary school in Lewis. With the Sir E. Scott School in Harris, they provide education up to Advanced Higher level. The student population is around 1000. The school has Gaelic-speaking pupils, although these are in the minority. There are five houses, named after five significant former rectors: Addison, Forbes, Gibson, Macrae and Sutherland. Addison contains only pupils who claim to be fluent in Gaelic. The former rector, Frances Murray is an alumnus of the school and also a former dux of the school. She is the first former pupil to be appointed to the post in the school's history. The Nicolson was re-built on the site of the original Stornoway Primary next to where the old Nicolson was. The old school comprised several different buildings, all built between 1904 (Matheson Hall) and the Main Building (1957) as well as a few other building that were demolished in the 1980s. The Main building was extended many times and a canteen was built in a second neighbouring building in the 1980s.