Wikipedia

Lasswade High School Centre

Lasswade High School is a non-denominational secondary state school in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, Scotland. It has a roll in excess of 1500 students. The school's catchment area covers the towns of Bonnyrigg, Loanhead, Rosewell and surrounding villages.

Lasswade High School
Address
Map
11 Eskdale Drive

Bonnyrigg
,
Midlothian
,
EH19 2LA

Scotland
Information
TypeState secondary
MottoUsque Conabor
(I will strive to my utmost)
Established17th century
Head teacherCampbell Hornell
Faculty150+
YearsS1 to S6
Number of students1,500
HousesSt. Leonard's, St. Anne's, Mount Esk and Melville
Colour(s)    Strictly Black or White with school tie or school logo
AthleticsSchool of football School of rugby
School Tie Colours  St Leonard's: black tie with green stripes
  St Anne's: black tie with red stripes
  Mount Esk: black tie with gold stripes
  Melville: black tie with blue stripes
Websitelasswadehsc.mgfl.net

History

edit

A parish school was first established in the village of Lasswade in 1615, run by the schoolmaster, Andrew Watson, from a cottage at the mouth of the Spout Burn.[1][2] Over the following two-and-a-half centuries the school was administered with assistance from the kirk session. One of the most notable schoolmasters during this period was the poet and scholar William Tennant, who was appointed in 1816 and subsequently became Professor of Oriental Languages at the University of St Andrews.[2] In the 1860s and 1870s, under the aegis of Robert Marshall, the school acquired a reputation for excellence as a higher-grade school, at a time when elementary education was made compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 13.[2]

From this era onwards, the school frequently sought to cater for increasing pupil numbers by building new accommodation. In 1843 a two-room schoolhouse was opened, which the New Statistical Account of Scotland described as "a spacious and elegant building" where Latin, Greek, French and mathematics were taught (albeit at a fee that was "very considerable in amount").[3] Nearly forty years later, in 1881, the school moved premises to a much larger building at the top of School Brae, where the secondary-level pupils were instructed separately from the younger cohorts.[1] In 1956, Lasswade Senior Secondary School (as it was now known) transferred to yet another new building, this time located in the nearby town of Bonnyrigg, with improvements and extensions opened in 1978 to provide classrooms for the Business Studies, Home Economics, Music, Art & Design, Science and Craft, Design & Technology departments, as well as a Library, Computer Room, Kitchen, Dining Room and Sports Centre. Lasswade was further developed as a community school in 1979, and a new Mathematics and Support wing was formally opened by the Education Minister, Jack McConnell, in 2000.[4]

In 2009 it was announced that a new Lasswade High School Community Campus was to be built, with construction beginning in October 2011 on the site of the old school's playing fields. The school re-opened in 2013 as the Lasswade Centre, with ceremonial duties performed by the then First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond.[1] The new building cost £38 million to complete, and contains 90 classrooms to accommodate around 1,500 pupils.[1] The facility also has a purpose-built Sports Centre, which comprises a games hall, squash courts, fitness training rooms, activity movement studio, cafeteria, creche and spacious playing fields.

 
The Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, opens the new school campus in 2013.

Fittest School in Britain 2009

edit

The school took the top prize in the Fitter Schools Challenge,[5] in which 3,000 UK schools put their sporting prowess to the test. The school was presented with a trophy and £10,000 worth of sports equipment by Olympian Roger Black. The challenge was open to first and second year pupils at every school in the UK. Each school had to complete in three challenges which tested their skills and stamina. Pupils were asked to complete a shuttle run, which tested their ability to accelerate and change direction. They were also challenged to see how many star jumps they could do in a minute.[6]

edit

In recent years, the school has developed educational links with Tianlin No 3 Middle School in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The collaboration is part of a wider initiative to develop a closer relationship between Scotland and China, and will include teacher and pupil exchanges as well as using e-mail and the internet to develop joint projects.[5][7]

Eco-Schools

edit

Following a visit by an Eco-Schools inspection team in 2008, Lasswade High was awarded the Green Flag environmental award.[8]

Notable former pupils

edit
See also: Category:People educated at Lasswade High School Centre

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Lasswade Centre (Lasswade High School), Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Jim Murray (February 2017), "A Brief History of Education in the Parish of Lasswade". Bonnyrigg and Lasswade Local History Society. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  3. ^ Rev. M. Campbell Mackenzie, "Parish of Lasswade, County of Edinburgh". New Statistical Account of Scotland, Volume I (1845), p. 336. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Homepage : Background to Lasswade High School Centre". Lasswade.info. Archived from the original on 15 July 2004. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  5. ^ a b "School friendships can last a lifetime - FM". Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2009.
  6. ^ "Pupils run off with fitness prize - Edinburgh, East & Fife". The Scotsman. 29 September 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  7. ^ "A Chinese getaway to help pupils build links - Education". The Scotsman. 16 October 2004. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  8. ^ http://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.uk/news/Lasswade-High-School-flies-flag.4974501.jp [dead link]
  9. ^ "Loanhead swimmer Sean Fraser in Paralympic medal hope - Local Sport". Midlothian Advertiser. 23 July 2008. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  10. ^ "Sir James Arnot Hamilton". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Gary Locke - Hearts Career - from 8 May 1993 to 2 Jan 2001". Londonhearts.com. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  12. ^ James, Frank A. J. L. (5 July 2017). 'The Common Purposes of Life': Science and Society at the Royal Institution of Great Britain. Taylor & Francis. p. 380. ISBN 978-1-351-96317-6.
  13. ^ 'Paul Francis McMillan'. Academia Europaea: The Academy of Europe. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Sheffield United | Gary Naysmith". Sheffield United F.C. 15 October 2007. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  15. ^ "The Scottish Parliament - Health and Sport Committee Official Report". Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
  16. ^ Tristram Clarke (21 June 2021), 'Obituary: Pat Semple, acclaimed artist and inspirational teacher'. The Scotsman. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  17. ^ "Craig Thomson | Hearts". Heartsfc.premiumtv.co.uk. 9 August 2011. Archived from the original on 28 December 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
edit

55°52′26″N 3°07′02″W / 55.87378°N 3.1172°W / 55.87378; -3.1172

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lasswade_High_School_Centre&oldid=1243008165"