On 29 December 1968 BBC Scotland's version of Songs of Praise came from the school; the rest of the UK saw it from Holy Trinity Platt Church in Rusholme, Manchester.

On 4 April 2015, the final stage in the school's history was brought forth as the demolition of the Madeira Street building was announced as being scheduled in September 2015, at an estimated cost of £164,000, following the end of filming used in the then anticipated date of May 2014.

[3] The primary department was abolished in 1976 and the lower door handles and alphabet tiles still remained into the years as a secondary school.

The disrepair of the ageing building overthrew the academic performance of the academy and in 2011 the school prepared to close after 156 years in service.

[5] On 27 October 2011, the BBC announced that they had selected the Madeira Street building of Greenock Academy to film a new series of the TV drama Waterloo Road, following the production's move up north to nearby Glasgow.