Bellahouston Academy facts for kids

Bellahouston Academy is a secondary school in Bellahouston, Glasgow, Scotland. It's a state-run school, which means it's funded by the government and open to everyone. It's also non-denominational, so it doesn't belong to any specific religion.

A Look Back: The History of Bellahouston Academy

Bellahouston Academy first opened its doors in 1876. It started as a private school on Paisley Road West. A person named Alexander Sim ran it.

In 1885, the school became a state school. This happened when the Govan School Board took it over. It has been a state school ever since.

Early Days and Challenges

Two sisters, the Misses Steven from Bellahouston, were very kind. They gave the land for a new school building. They even helped pay for a clocktower. Robert Balde, an architect, designed the building.

When it first opened, the school called itself a 'Boy's High Class School and Ladies' College'. For its first nine years, it faced many challenges. New schools were opening nearby. These schools received money from the government. To save money, the academy even removed the job of rector. A rector is usually the main leader of a school.

In 1885, the school changed its status. It was sold to the Govan Parish School Board for £15,000. They made many improvements. They even added a swimming pool. This was one of the first school swimming pools in Scotland!

In 1901, a special institute opened to train future teachers. This system changed in 1907. The institute then became part of the academy. By this time, the academy was a Secondary School and a Junior Student Centre. In 1905, the main building was updated. A new gym and baths were also built.

In 1919, the Glasgow Education Authority took over the academy. This group was later replaced in 1929. The Education Committee of the Corporation of Glasgow then looked after the school. In the 1930s, the school briefly lost its "Academy" title. It was called Bellahouston Secondary School. But locally, people still used the old name. Like other schools, it was allowed to go back to its original title.

A New School Building

In 1962, a modern new building opened on Gower Terrace. Students and staff from Pollokshields Secondary moved there. Pollokshields Secondary was once a rival school.

In 1973, more students joined the school. Because of this, the old building on Paisley Road West was opened again. Today, this old building is an Ethnic Minority Business Centre.

Students going to the school faced some disruption. This was due to the building of the M8/M77 interchange. This big road project was finished in 1977. In 1991, there was a major fire at the school. Part of the building was badly damaged. It had to be pulled down. In 1996, the school moved back into the main building. This building had been refurbished. It is designed to hold 1,100 students.

Developing Talent: The Glasgow School of Sport

Scotland's first school just for sport is at Bellahouston Academy. It's called the Glasgow School of Sport. Its goal is to help young athletes develop their skills.

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. These are athletics, gymnastics, hockey, badminton, and swimming. In 2005, the school's under-16 football team had a great year. They won both the Glasgow League and the Scottish Cup Final.

Student Numbers

The number of students at Bellahouston Academy changes over time. For the 2010-2011 school year, there were 864 students. In October 2023, the number of students was 1117.

Famous Former Students

Many talented people have attended Bellahouston Academy. Here are some of them:

• Adrian Beers - a skilled double bassist.
• Jack Bruce - a musician and songwriter. He was the singer and bassist for the band Cream.
• Ian Durrant - a former football player for Rangers, Kilmarnock, and Scotland.
• Elaine Gray - a British Olympic swimmer. She competed in Montreal in 1976. She also held the British record for the 100 metres freestyle in 1976.
• Charles Hutton - an architect. He was also a Master of the Art Workers' Guild.
• Jimmy Logan - an entertainer, theatre owner, producer, director, and actor.
• Tormod MacGill-Eain - an entertainer, Gaelic singer, piper, novelist, and broadcaster.
• Muzaffar Mahmood - a cricketer. He was the first player born in Pakistan to play for Scotland.
• Chris Rainbow - (Christopher Harley), a musician and songwriter.
• Andy Roxburgh - a former professional football player and manager for Scotland.
• Andy Scott - a sculptor. He created 'The Kelpies' near Falkirk.
• Tom Taylor - Thomas Johnston Taylor, Baron Taylor of Gryfe. He was a Labour politician and businessman.
• Sir John Thompson - a judge.
• Russell Webb - a guitarist for the bands The Zones, The Skids, Armoury Show, and Public Image Ltd.
• Chick Young - a sports journalist.
• Michael Jamieson - a former swimmer. He graduated from the Glasgow School of Sport. He won silver medals in the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.
• Morag Hood - an actress.
• Elaine McSporran (née Roulston) - an SNP Glasgow City Councillor for the Cardonald Ward. She was elected in 2017.