| Paisley Grammar School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
Glasgow Road , , PA1 3RP Scotland | |
| Coordinates | 55°50′47″N 4°24′41″W / 55.8463°N 4.4115°W |
| Information | |
| Established | 1576 |
| Local authority | Renfrewshire Council |
| Head teacher | Janice Levens [1] |
| Staff | 100 staff |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Enrolment | 1,400 |
| Houses | Mull, Skye, Iona, Lewis |
| Colour(s) | |
| Publication | The Grammarian |
| Website | http://www.paisleygrammarschool.com |
Paisley Grammar School is a secondary school in Paisley, the largest town in Renfrewshire, Scotland.[2] The school was founded in 1576 by royal charter of King James VI and is situated on Glasgow Road.[3] The school is recognised as one of Scotland's oldest schools with an established history. [3]
The present school building (which was called the 'Paisley Grammar School and William B. Barbour Academy' due to a bequest by the former member of parliament for Paisley, William B. Barbour, and until recently was the school's proper title) was opened in 1898 by Lord Balfour of Burleigh, then Secretary of State for Scotland.[4]
The school was fee paying until the mid-1960s and in 1986, when threatened with imminent closure by Strathclyde Regional Council, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher intervened personally to ensure the survival of the school. The law was changed so that local councils could no longer close schools which were more than 80% full without approval by the Secretary of State for Scotland.[4]
Following a consultation, in January 2021, Renfrewshire Council approved plans for the school to be moved to a new site, approving construction of a Paisley Grammar School Community Campus at the old site of the Chivas Brothers Whiskey Distillery. The new community campus will move pupils and staff to a modern facility with outdoor areas, state-of-the-art technology, and high-quality media, drama and sports facilities not possible on the current site.[5] The new school will neighbour West College Scotland’s Paisley Campus on Renfrew Road.
- ^ "Head Teacher's Welcome". Paisley Grammar School. Archived from the original on 13 June 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
- ^ "School History". Paisley Grammar School. Archived from the original on 4 February 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ a b "The History of the Paisley Grammar School, from Its Foundation in 1576: Of the Paisley Grammar School and Academy and of the Other Town's Schools". A. Gardner. 1 December 1875 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "Paisley Grammar School". Paisley Grammar School. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ team, Renfrewshire Communications. "Councillors approve Paisley Grammar School relocation plans". www.renfrewshire.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2022.