Hyndland Secondary School

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Hyndland Secondary School is a non-denominational state school in the Hyndland area of Glasgow, Scotland. Situated on Lauderdale Gardens in the city's fashionable West End, the School provides secondary education primarily for children from the feeder primary schools of Hyndland, Broomhill, Thornwood and Whiteinch, although there are many children from other areas of the city, particularly Scotstoun Primary School due to its dual feeder status. This allows parents of Scotstoun Primary to send their children to either Hyndland or Knightswood Secondaries. This arrangement was set up to ease the affects of the former Victoria Drive Secondary being closed and is due to cease for entry 2007, with Scotstoun fully feeding into Knightswood. This however is an issue of some debate between the LEA and many parents of Scotstoun Primary who do not want to lose their ability to put their children to Hyndland, seen by many as one of the best state schools in Glasgow. The current Headmaster, Mr John F Alexander, is also Principal of the Hyndland New Learning Community which consists of Hyndland Secondary School, its 'feeder' primaries and other local children's services. It is also the only school in Glasgow without a uniform, which most students highly appreciate.

[edit] Campus

The school is housed in separate Lauderdale and Airlie Buildings (linked by a corridor), named for the streets they face at opposite ends of the site, Lauderdale Gardens to the East and Airlie Street to the West; they were formerly known as the "New Building" and the "Old Building". The Airlie Building at one time housed Hyndland Primary School, now located in Partick. There is also a large floodlit synthetic pitch area across from the rest of the school in Lauderdale Gardens.

The school has been recently involved in a public-private partnership: Glasgow City Council's Project 2002 scheme. A further 26 classrooms, an enlarged cafeteria and an indoor games hall were added to the facilities, The dropped ceilings, uniform colour scheme, 'Fuel Zone' and health and safety additions were criticised by some as detracting from the Victorian style of the building, but the previous state of repair of the buildings made repair urgent. Other criticisms of the PPP scheme were the loss of staff rooms as they were replaced with staff 'bases' for each subject, preventing teachers from other departments to get to know one another as was previously the case. There was also the loss of a 6th year common room, something which has been complained about by 6th years since returning to the refurbished site.

A local group linked to the school subsequently obtained a National Lottery grant to upgrade facilities in the lecture theatre, which is now the Airlie Community Theatre, equipped with sound and lighting technology allowing plays to be produced in the school. It is also available for community as well as school use.