Clydebank High School

Opened in 1873, Clydebank High School has a rich history. It began humbly in a shipyard canteen, known as a “bothy”. Can you picture those first students, surrounded by the smells and sounds of shipbuilding, learning their ABCs? Clydebank High School’s first dedicated building opened just three years later in 1876, a testament to the growing need for education in the burgeoning town. However, this structure quickly proved too small. In 1888, a larger school was built on Kilbowie Road. The school’s journey continued into the mid-1930s with a new building on Janetta Street. This building endured a wartime tragedy, being hit by a parachute mine. Remarkably, it remained operational as a temporary first aid post. Post-war, Clydebank High School continued to expand. The rising student population in the 1950s necessitated temporary huts in the playgrounds. A significant extension followed in 1977. More recently, in 2006, the nearby Braidfield High School merged with Clydebank High. This led to the construction of the impressive building you see today, opened in 2009. It stands on the former school’s football pitches and can accommodate 1500 students and 150 teaching staff. Clydebank High School has educated numerous notable figures, including entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne, actor James Cosmo, and musicians from the band Wet Wet Wet. Their successes are a testament to the school’s enduring commitment to education.