Bannerman High School
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Bannerman High School was built in the early 1970s on the grounds of what was Baillieston House estate, which was burned down by vandals in early 1960s. It was owned by the Scott-Maxwell Family and the entire estate was purchased by Lanarkshire County Council allegedly for around £2M. The school was officially opened in 1974.
There was fierce debate as to the naming of the school. The names put forward were
- Garrowhill High School
- Baillieston High School
- Scott-Maxwell High School
Geographically the school was within the boundaries of Garrowhill even although it was also within the Baillieston Estate. The Scott-Maxwell's who were local benefactors were a popular choice and were viewed as a name with good solid links to Bailliestons past. However it was the name of the architect Charles Bannerman that was chosen clandestinely behind closed door to much local objection.
The school was viewed by many as the replacement to Baillieston Junior Secondary School which burned down in 1972, allegedly by vandals. This was only partly true as it was on the drawing board in the late 1960s and had been proposed by Lanarkshire County Council in the mid 1960s.
Many teachers who were displaced by the BJS fire were temporarily relocated in other schools with the Old Monklands District with their pupils, and then returned to the new school. One year later in 1975 the school was transferred into Glasgow with the rest of Baillieston and Garrowhill, again with fierce opposition.
[edit] Recent years
Run under the headmaster, Iain Duncan, for several years, before his retirement, when Ms Jacqueline Purdie, commonly known as "Jackie" took over, and implemented many new regulations, such as a strongly enforced uniform code. This must be all black, with a white shirt, and a tie, Purple with "Blue" Stripes, although in reality, these are silver, for the 1st-4th years, and S5 and S6 Pupils have a tie which is mostly purple, with one stripe through the middle, and the School logo above it. Critics have argued that this dictatorial system concentrates too much upon the appearance and not the performance of pupils
The school recently gained a common room for the 6th form, which boasts sofas and its own vending machine. A tradition for 6th year pupils leaving is to pillage the school for mementoes, including common room pouffes, books and clocks. Fire exit signs are particularly coveted.
The school attracted much controversy in 2004 when then Art teacher Gerard Gray was arrested for downloading child paedophillia on several PC's, and was sentenced to 13 months in prison.[1]
This school's normal catchment primary schools include Barlanark Primary School, Caledonia Primary School, Carmyle Primary School , Garrowhill Primary School, Mount Vernon Primary School, Sandaig Primary School, and Swinton Primary School, although, on occasion, students come from other places.
As with many east-end schools, the crime rate is high at Bannerman High School. Due to the school's predominant ned population, a full-time police officer is now posted at the school BBC News Story. The main issues are drugs and assaults, although impertinence is common, particularly by the lower years.
In 2005, the school now has a police officer roaming around the school named Constable Borthwick, to check and report any bad behaviour from any of the pupils.
[edit] The Bannerman Unit
Founded in 2000 by Mary Wheeler, who has been the headmaster until 2003, which is when Ann Houston took over, then another 3 years later, it was now Robbie Statham. The main purpose of the Bannerman Unit is for pupils that have Asperger's Syndrome. Although, they attend classes like the rest of the pupils in the school.
