Park Mains High School | |
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School building
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Address | |
Barrhill Road Erskine, Renfrewshire Scotland |
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Coordinates | 55°54′09″N 4°27′32″W / 55.9025°N 4.4588°WCoordinates: 55°54′09″N 4°27′32″W / 55.9025°N 4.4588°W |
Information | |
Type | Public school |
Established | 1974 |
School district | Renfrewshire Council |
Head teacher | Valerie Mackay (Acting) |
Enrollment | 1,314 |
Color(s) | Blue and black |
Website | http://www.parkmainshigh.renfrewshire.sch.uk/ |
Park Mains High School is a secondary school in Erskine, Renfrewshire. It is one of the biggest schools in Scotland. As well as taking in students from the town it also enrols them from the surrounding areas of Bishopton, Inchinnan and Langbank. Valerie Mackay is the Acting Head Teacher.
The first school consisted of five main buildings: Blocks A & C (housing most departments and classrooms), Block B (library and dinner hall), Gym Hall and Theatre (circa. 400 seats). These building were joined by either catwalks or covered walkways. Additionally, there were two temporary classroom structures (known as "the huts"). Cutting edge facilities included a language lab, a purpose-built Technical workshop and a furnished apartment for the tuition of Home Economics.
Playing fields and a 400m athletics track were also on the site.
Renfrewshire Council granted a new multi-million pound rebuild of the school. The new building was opened in August 2012 at a cost of £31m. It was designed and planned by Holmes Miller. Construction was completed by Bam Construction. FES Ltd were the contractors for the electrical, mechanical, IT installations and fire and security systems. The building offers a larger, brighter space for the pupils to feel in a social hub whilst still being in a controlled learning environment. One key feature of the school is the central 'street area' flooded with natural sunlight and creating a more encouraging and peaceful school space. The school's new sports complex boasts an enormous multi-use games hall and gymnasium. In the fitness suite several pieces of equipment have built in TV channels and the room has 2 flat-screen TVs playing out the latest chart hits. The site of the old school building is now a £400,000 multi-use 3G sports pitch with running track. There is also hockey pitches and a rugby field. The school building has regularly featured in architectural publications. It has received award nominations for its design and construction.
Along with the move to the new building, the school initiated a smarter uniform to help improve the ethos of the school. This required blazers for all S5 and S6 pupils and girls to wear knee length skirts. Blazers remained optional for S1-S4 as did trousers for girls in cold weather.