Bellahouston Academy facts for kids

Bellahouston Academy is a large secondary school in Bellahouston, south-west Glasgow, Scotland. It's a public school, which means it's run by the government and open to everyone. It is not linked to any specific religion.

School History

Bellahouston Academy first opened its doors in 1876. It began as a private school, started by a person named Alexander Sim. In 1885, the school was taken over by the Govan School Board. Since then, it has been a public school, supported by the government. The school buildings have recently been updated to welcome up to 1200 students.

The land for the academy was given by the Misses Steven of Bellahouston. They also helped pay for the school's clocktower. The building was designed by an architect named Robert Balde. When it first opened, the school was advertised as a place for "Boy's High Class School and Ladies' College."

For its first nine years, the academy found it hard to be a private school. Other new schools in the area received money from taxes and government help. This made it difficult for Bellahouston Academy to compete. So, in 1885, it stopped being a private school. It was sold for £15,000 to the Govan Parish School Board. They even added a swimming pool, which was one of the first in Scotland!

In 1901, a special training center for student-teachers opened at the school. This system changed in 1907, and the center became part of the academy. By then, Bellahouston had become a full secondary school. In 1905, the main building was improved, and a new gym and baths were built.

In 1919, the school came under the care of the new Glasgow Education Authority. Later, in the 1930s, the school's name was changed to Bellahouston Secondary School. However, people in the area still called it Bellahouston Academy. Like other schools, it was later allowed to use its original name again.

Student Numbers

In the school year 2010-2011, there were 864 students attending Bellahouston Academy. By October 2023, the number of students had grown to 1117.

New School Buildings

In 1962, a modern new building was opened on Gower Terrace. Students and teachers from Pollokshields Secondary School also moved into this new building. In 1973, because there were so many students, the older building on Paisley Road West was opened again. This old building is now used as a business center for ethnic minority groups.

Building the M8/M77 motorway interchange caused some disruption for students going to the school. This big road project was finished in 1977. In 1991, there was a large fire at the school. Part of the building was badly damaged and had to be pulled down. By 1996, the school was back in its main building, which had been fixed up. It is designed to hold 1,100 students.

Glasgow School of Sport

Scotland's first school focused on sports was created at Bellahouston Academy. It's called the Glasgow School of Sport. Its goal is to help young athletes develop their talents. The Sports Hall was finished in October 2002. The Princess Royal officially opened it in 2003.

The School of Sport focuses on five main sports:

• athletics
• gymnastics
• hockey
• badminton
• swimming

In 2005, the school's under-16 football team had a fantastic year. They won both the Glasgow League and the Scottish Cup Final in the same season!

Famous Former Students

Many talented people have studied at Bellahouston Academy. Here are a few:

• Adrian Beers - a famous double bassist (plays a big string instrument).
• Jack Bruce - a musician and songwriter, known for being in the band Cream.
• Ian Durrant - a former professional footballer for Rangers and Scotland.
• Elaine Gray - a British Olympic swimmer who competed in 1976.
• Charles Hutton - an architect.
• Jimmy Logan - a well-known entertainer, actor, and theatre owner.
• Tormod MacGill-Eain - an entertainer, Gaelic singer, and writer.
• Muzaffar Mahmood – a cricketer, the first person born in Pakistan to play for Scotland.
• Chris Rainbow - a musician and songwriter.
• Andy Roxburgh - a former professional footballer and manager of the Scotland national team.
• Andy Scott - a sculptor, famous for creating 'The Kelpies'.
• Tom Taylor - a Labour politician and businessman.
• Sir John Thompson - a judge.
• Russell Webb - a guitarist in several bands like The Skids and Public Image Ltd.
• Chick Young - a sports journalist.
• Michael Jamieson - a swimmer who won silver medals at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. He graduated from the Glasgow School of Sport.
• Morag Hood - an actress.
• Elaine McSporran (née Roulston) - a Glasgow City Councillor.