Sanquhar Academy has a rich and diverse history. The first mention of a school in Sanquhar was in 1793. However in 1886 Sanquhar Public School and the Crichton School joined together and following a series of extensions over a number of years in 1931 the school was named Sanquhar Academy.

Up until 1972 there were separate schools in Sanquhar and Kirkconnel, however in 1972 the Kirkconnel junior secondary school closed and in 1976 all pupils attended Sanquhar Academy.