St Columba's School, Kilmacolm
| St Columba's School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
Duchal Road , , PA13 4AU Scotland | |
| Information | |
| Type | Independent day school |
| Motto | Orare, Laborare, Literisque, Studere |
| Established | 1897 |
| Chairman | Calum Paterson |
| Rector | Mrs Andrea Angus |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 3 to 18 |
| Enrollment | 730 |
| Houses | Craigmarloch Duchal Killalan Strathgryffe |
| Colour(s) | Green, Blue |
| Affiliations | HMC |
| Website | http://www.st-columbas.org |
St Columba's School is a mixed independent day school for 3-18 year olds in Kilmacolm in the Inverclyde council area and the historic county of Renfrewshire in Scotland. It is split across two sites and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference group of schools.
St. Columba's is a non-denominational school, open to all religions but has strong Christian roots.
The school provides both primary and secondary education between its Junior and Senior Schools for around 730 pupils between the ages of three and eighteen years. St Columba's generally draws its pupils from its own county of Inverclyde or the neighbouring county of Ayrshire.
The present Rector is Mrs. Andrea Angus.
History
St Columba's was founded in 1897 at Duchal Road where it is still located. The preparatory school at St Columba's was formerly located at Shieldhall on Bridge of Weir Road. Boarders were once accepted and accommodated in Shallott, the current junior school building. The junior school was then located at Shieldhall on the Bridge of Weir Road. During the Second World War, Shieldhall was used as dormitories for evacuees from other schools, particularly those also owned by the Girls' Schools Company. The Knockbuckle Road site, which now houses the Junior School, was once occupied by boarders. When boarding ceased in 1970 it was developed and has been the site of the Junior School ever since.[1][2]
St Columba's first admitted boys in 1978 and, with that year's progression and graduation, became fully co-educational in 1982.[citation needed]
Sites
The senior school is on Duchal Road to the north of Kilmacolm's village centre. The junior school and new sports facilities, including rugby pitches are located on Birkmyre Park, with the hockey ground being a 3G artificial pitch.[3]
Notable staff
- Norah Neilson Gray taught here, where she was nicknamed "Purple Patch".[4]
Notable alumni
- Eleanor Laing, MP
- Helen M. Laird, leader within the Girl Guide movement
- Myrtle Simpson, skier
- Mairi Hedderwick, illustrator and author
- Winifred Drinkwater, aviator and aeroplane engineer
References
- ^ Lawrence, Julia. "LIVING IN KILMACOLM 1932-1955" (PDF). Kilmacolm Civic Trust.
- ^ 110 Years of St Columba's School
- ^ "Inverclyde Leisure - facilities".
- ^ Norah Neilson Gray, Helensburgh Heroes, accessed July 2010
External links
- Official website
- St Columba's School page on Scottish Schools Online
- Profile on the Independent Schools Council website
- HMIE Inspection Reports