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's a very old school, founded way back in 1183! In 1983, the school celebrated its 800th birthday, and Princess Anne even came to visit.

Students at Lanark Grammar come from the town of Lanark and many nearby villages. These include places like Douglas, Carstairs, and Braehead.

The current Head Teacher is Jeff Warden. He started in January 2022. The school has about 100 teachers and around 1100 students. Students are sorted into six different houses: Lockhart, Jerviswood, Wallace, Hyndford, Braxfield, and Clyde. This happens when they first start school.

School History: Over 800 Years!
Famous Former Students
School Inspections (HMIe)
See also

School History: Over 800 Years!

Lanark Grammar School has a super long history, being almost 830 years old. This makes it one of the oldest schools in Scotland! Over the centuries, the school has been located in many different buildings.

Early Days: Parish Church (1183 – 15th Century)

The town's Parish Church was the very first place where the school was held. For a long time, until 1893, students had to pay to attend Lanark Grammar. Also, until 1884, only boys were allowed to go there. In its early days, the school usually had only two teachers at a time.

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

The Bloomgate building was the first one built just for Lanark Grammar School. It was constructed in the 15th century. Today, the Clydesdale Hotel stands where this old school building used to be.

Temporary Home: Lanark Horsemarket (1841–1884)

For a short time in the 1800s, Lanark Grammar was located at the Lanark Horsemarket. Not many records exist about the school's time at this site.

Hyndford Road Building (1884 - 2003)

The Hyndford Road building opened in August 1884. This building was big enough for both girls and boys. This meant Lanark Grammar School became a place where everyone could learn together!

However, 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 were finished by the end of the summer holidays. During this time, the school was also made bigger to hold 90 primary school-aged children. This building was used until December 2003.

The Hyndford Road building, after the grounds were used to house the Braxfield Campus.
View of the building showing the old bike sheds and the car park of the Braxfield Campus.

Albany Drive Building (1914 - 2009)

The Albany Drive building opened on September 16, 1914. It was used for over 95 years before closing on December 22, 2009.

Front of the building, after its closure.
Canteen building of the Albany Drive Campus.
Science block, built in the 1970s.

Modular Village (2007 - 2009)

During this time, some temporary classrooms were set up. These were like portable cabins, built around the old science building. That building was found to have some unsafe materials and was closed.

Modern School: Kirklands Road Building (2010 - Present)

The newest school building was built by South Lanarkshire Council. This was part of a big plan to modernize many schools in the area. Before this project, many school buildings were getting old or were built for much larger class sizes. The goal was to make sure all schools had modern 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 sure everything could be moved during the school holidays.

The new Lanark Grammar also has a special wing for students with additional support needs (ASN). This means students who need extra help can learn there. It has also allowed for students and staff from Craighead and Victoria Park, which were special needs secondary schools, to join Lanark Grammar.

Famous Former Students

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

Jenny Coutts: She was the first female provost (like a mayor) of Kirkintilloch.
Robert McQueen, Lord Braxfield: An important judge in the 1700s.
William Smellie: A famous doctor from the 1700s, known for his work with babies and mothers.
General William Roy: He helped create the first detailed maps of Britain in the 1700s.
John Glaister: A forensic scientist in the 1800s.
Colin McRae: A World Rally Champion, famous for his car racing skills.

School Inspections (HMIe)

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

Teachers were dedicated to the school and its students.
Teachers and students got along well.
There were many fun extra activities outside of regular classes.
Students with special learning needs were included with other students.
The support given to students who needed extra help was very good.
School leaders, staff, and students all helped to check how well the school was doing.

Lanark Grammar School facts for kids

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