Lanark Grammar School facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lanark Grammar School
Image of the previous Albany Drive building, since demolished.
Address
Kirklands Road Lanark , South Lanarkshire , ML11 9AJ Scotland
Information
Type	Secondary School
Motto	Learning growing succeeding
Established	1183; 842 years ago (1183)
Local authority	South Lanarkshire Council
Headteacher	Jeff Warden
Staff	102.8 (on a FTE basis)
Years	S1-S6
Gender	Co-educational
Age	11 to 18
Enrolment	1142
Houses	Hyndford, Braxfield, Jerviswood, Wallace, Lockhart and Clyde.
Colour(s)	Red, black, grey
Accreditation	Scottish Qualifications Authority

Lanark Grammar School is a secondary school located in Lanark, Scotland. It is a very old school, first started way back in 1183! In 1983, the school celebrated its 800th birthday, and even Princess Anne came to visit.

The school welcomes students from Lanark town and many nearby villages. These include places like Douglas, Carstairs, and Braehead.

The current Head Teacher is Jeff Warden. He took on this role in January 2022. Before him, Mark Sherry was the Head Teacher for 17 years.

Students at Lanark Grammar are divided into six different houses. These houses are Lockhart, Jerviswood, Wallace, Hyndford, Braxfield, and Clyde. Students are placed into a house when they first start school. There are about 100 teachers and around 1100 students at the school.

A Long History: Lanark Grammar School's Journey

Lanark Grammar School has an incredibly long history. It is almost 830 years old, making it one of the oldest schools in Scotland! Over the centuries, the school has been located in many different buildings.

First Home: The Parish Church (1183 – 15th Century)

The very first school lessons took place in the town's Parish Church. For a long time, until 1893, students had to pay to attend Lanark Grammar. Also, until 1884, only boys were allowed to go to the school.

In its early days, the school usually had only two teachers at a time. One exception was in the 1770s, when a second assistant teacher was reported to be working there.

First Dedicated Building: Bloomgate (15th Century - 1650)

The Bloomgate building was the first place built just for Lanark Grammar School. It was constructed in the 1400s. Today, the Clydesdale Hotel stands on the spot where this old school building once was.

Temporary Home: Lanark Horsemarket (1841–1884)

For a short time in the 1800s, Lanark Grammar School was located at the Lanark Horsemarket. Not many records exist about the school during its time at this location.

Hyndford Road Building (August 1884 - December 2003)

The Hyndford Road building opened its doors in August 1884. This new building was big enough for both girls and boys. This meant Lanark Grammar School became a co-educational school, welcoming everyone.

On February 18, 1888, the school building caught fire and had to close. Students went to temporary classrooms while the school was rebuilt. The repairs and rebuilding were finished by the end of the summer holidays. During this time, the school was also made bigger. It gained space for ninety primary school-aged children. This building was used for a very long time, until December 2003.

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  The Hyndford Road building, after the grounds were used to house the Braxfield Campus.

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  View of the building showing the old bike sheds and the car park of the Braxfield Campus.

Albany Drive Building (September 1914 - December 2009)

The Albany Drive building opened on September 16, 1914. It served as the school for over 95 years. It finally closed on December 22, 2009.

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  Front of the building, after its closure.

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  Canteen building of the Albany Drive Campus.

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  Science block, built in the 1970s.

Modular Village (August 2007 - December 2009)

For a couple of years, temporary classrooms, like portacabins, were set up. This "modular village" was built around the old science building. That building was found to contain asbestos, a material that can be unsafe, so it was closed.

Modern Home: Kirklands Road Building (January 2010 - Present)

The current school building on Kirklands Road was built by South Lanarkshire Council. This was part of their plan to update many schools in the area. Many older school buildings were becoming unsafe or were not suitable for modern class sizes. The goal was to give all schools in the area similar, high-quality facilities.

The new Lanark Grammar building was finished between August and December 2009. Students and staff moved into the new building in January 2010. This timing helped make the move smooth, as things could be set up during the holiday break.

The new Lanark Grammar also has a special wing for students with additional support needs (ASN). This means students with special teaching requirements can be educated there. This has helped bring together students and staff from Craighead and Victoria Park, which were two special needs secondary schools.

Famous Former Students

Many interesting people have attended Lanark Grammar School over the years.

• Jenny Coutts was the first female provost (like a mayor) of Kirkintilloch.
• Robert McQueen, Lord Braxfield (18th Century) was a very important judge.
• William Smellie (18th century) was a famous doctor who helped with childbirth. He is often called "the father of British midwifery."
• General William Roy (18th century) helped create the first detailed maps of Britain.
• John Glaister (19th century) was a forensic scientist, someone who uses science to solve crimes.
• Colin McRae was a World Rally Champion, famous for his car racing skills.

School Strengths: What Makes Lanark Grammar Great

In 2004, the school was inspected by HMIe (Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education). The inspection found many good things about Lanark Grammar School. Here are some of its key strengths:

• Teachers and staff were very dedicated to the school and its students.
• The relationships between teachers and students were positive and strong.
• The school offered a wide variety of extra activities outside of regular classes.
• Students with special education needs were well-supported and included with other students.
• The way the school supported learning for all students was excellent.
• School leaders, staff, and students all worked together to check how well the school was doing.

See also

• List of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom
• List of the oldest schools in the world