The school is built round a quadrangle area. The main teaching block is four storeys high. Another two storey block lies directly opposite the main block and the one storey link block houses technological education, art & design, physical education, home economics and drama. The central quadrangle is a sunny area of grass, trees and shrubs, and recently laid lock-block paving - this last replaced the previous 3ft and 2ft paving slabs which were the originals from 1969 and was funded from the proceeds of one of the annual sponsored walks which are organised to raise money for a charity of the pupils' choice and a school project. There are benches all around the quadrangle area, which is popular with pupils as a place to meet their friends at morning break and lunchtime. These benches were also purchased from sponsored walk money.

Within the school, there are modern facilities for computing and business studies, drama, with a purpose built drama studio, and music, with rooms equipped with keyboards, computers and other instruments for the delivery of music to all pupils as one of the components of the S1 and S2 curriculum as well as for those who select it as an option beyond S2. There are a large number of instrumental instructors who provide individual tuition in a range of instruments to pupils from S1 - S6. Music is an area of significant strength in Mackie Academy with a large range of extra-curricular activities attracting pupils from all year groups. All pupils follow courses in keeping with national guidelines for each stage. In S1 and S2, all pupils study two modern languages - French and German - to enable them to make an informed choice of language for Standard Grade. All pupils in S1 and S2 also have a period of Information Technology to ensure that they can develop skills which will be of use to them across their subjects as they progress through school. In S3 and S4, all pupils study eight Standard Grade subjects in line with the SCCC guidelines on coverage of the modes of study. In S5, pupils study five certificate subjects, the levels dependent on previous achievement at Standard Grade. In S6, pupils study four subjects.

There are a large number of other extra-curricular activities in addition to the musical ones. These include Debating and Public Speaking, Scripture Union, a Mathematics Club, Enterprising Mathematics, and a Saturday evening Recreation Club which operates every Saturday between October and the end of March. The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme is very strong in Mackie Academy with increasing numbers of pupils achieving awards at Bronze, Silver and Gold. A large proportion of sixth year pupils take part in Young Enterprise.

Mackie Academy has two exchange programmes with schools in France and Germany. The exchange with Germany is with the Staatliche Realschule II in Coburg in Bavaria and the first visit took place in 1978. The exchange with France is with the College Claude Monet in Magny en Vexin near Paris. The first visit took place in 1990.

There are a number of foreign trips each session - in 1999/2000, there were trips to Florida, Switzerland, America (for skiing) and Rome/Sorrento as well as the exchange trip to Germany and a visit from a party of French pupils.

There are a number of local extra-curricular trips each session - among them trips to theatre productions, sports events, field trips, open days and careers conventions.