St Columba's School is a 3–18

co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

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day school A day school — as opposed to a boarding school — is an educational institution where children are given instruction during the day, after which the students return to their homes. A day school has full-day programs when compared to a regular s ...

in Kilmacolm,

Inverclyde Inverclyde (, , , "mouth of the Clyde") is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Together with the East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire council areas, Inverclyde forms part of the historic county of Renfrewshire, which ...

, Scotland. It is split across two sites and is a member of the

Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC), formerly known as the Headmasters' Conference and now branded HMC (The Heads' Conference), is an association of the head teachers of 351 private fee-charging schools (both boarding schools ...

. The school provides both

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and

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between its Junior and Senior Schools. In 2016, the School built a new building called the Girdwood Building which is home to Transitus, English, Guidance and Modern and Ancient Languages

History

St Columba's was founded in 1897 at Duchal Road where the red sandstone building 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 World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, 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. St Columba's first admitted boys around 1978, and became fully

in 1982.

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.

Notable staff

* Margaret Paulin Young, Founding Head 1897-1900 * Norah Neilson Gray taught art here, where she was nicknamed "Purple Patch".Norah Neilson Gray
Helensburgh Heroes, accessed July 2010 *Sandra McGruther, author of the Detective Lorimer novels, writing as Alex Gray was an English teacher here

Notable alumni

* Ruth M. Arthur, author * Winifred Drinkwater, aviator and aeroplane engineer * Mairi Hedderwick, illustrator and author *

Eleanor Laing Eleanor Fulton Laing, Baroness Laing of Elderslie, (; born 1 February 1958), is a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Epping Forest ( ...

, MP * Helen M. Laird, leader within the Girl Guide movement * Rona Morison, actress * Myrtle Simpson, skier

References

The Times Independent School of the Year entry

External links

*
Profile
on the

Independent Schools Council The Independent Schools Council (ISC) is a non-profit lobby group that represents over 1,300 private schools in the United Kingdom. The organisation comprises seven independent school associations and promotes the business interests of its ...

website * HMIE Inspectio
Reports
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Columba's School, Kilmacolm St Columba's School, Kilmacolm Private schools in Inverclyde Educational institutions established in 1897 1897 establishments in Scotland