The school opened in 1982 and was named after James Young, who patented the process of extracting oil from coal and shale.

The head teacher was Christopher Horne until the 2012–2013 school year when he retired and was replaced by Catrina Hatch.

She is currently assisted by her Depute Headteachers E Russell, C McTiernan and M Sammons as well as Business Manager A McKeown.

[7] The school uniform consists of a white shirt, black trousers, and a solid purple tie for S1-S3 or a black tie with purple and white stripes for S4-S6.

It identified weaknesses in accommodation and facilities as areas in need of attention, and suggested further improvements in achievement at S1 and S2 levels.