Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Maxwelltown High School

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Established
  
1971

Headteacher
  
Maureen Smith

Founded
  
1971

Colors
  
Black, Royal blue

Type
  
Secondary School

Phone
  
+44 1387 722000

Motto
  
Cognoscam (Know)

Maxwelltown High School

Depute Headteacher
  
R. Williams (Curriculum)J. Taylor (Pupil Support)

Location
  
Lochside RoadDumfriesDG2 0EL

Local authority
  
Dumfries and Galloway Council

Address
  
Lochside Rd, Dumfries DG2 0EL, UK

Similar
  
Dumfries High School, St Joseph's College, Dumfries & Galloway Council, Dumfries Academy, Dalbeattie High School

Maxwelltown high school sports day 2016


Maxwelltown High School is a state funded, six-year comprehensive secondary school in the Lochside area of Dumfries, Scotland. Founded in 1971, Maxwelltown High School is the most recently founded secondary school in Dumfries and Galloway. It had 311 pupils as of August 2012. The roll of Maxwelltown High School has been steadily declining since 2002.

Contents

Attainment throughout the school is generally lower than the national averages for equivalent qualifications although this has been improving in recent years and the school is known as being a leader in curriculum development. The current head teacher is Maureen Smith.

Maxwelltown high school maxwelltown hsfp 2001


Beginnings

The school is the most recently founded High School operating in Dumfries and Galloway, opening in 1971 to subsidize the rapid expansion of Dumfries's population in the 1970s, particularly affordable council developments in the Lochside and Lincluden areas where the school is located. The school was designed by architect Alexander Abercrombie Wilkie who was at the time chief architect of Dumfries County Council Architect and Master of Works Department responsible for all council developments in the area known at the time as Dumfries County (later incorporated into Dumfries and Galloway), it was Wilkie's last major architectural design before his death in 1972.

The school is within the town border of Dumfries but it is not contained within the bounds of Dumfriesshire, it is instead in the historic burgh of Maxwelltown in neighbouring Kirkcudbrightshire from which the school inherits its name. In 1983, with the closing of Cargenbridge Secondary School, the school's catchment area grew to include Cargenbridge Primary School and Shawhead Primary School bringing the total number of catchment primary schools to 6 where it stands today.

Recent history

In recent years the school has focused a lot of attention on social development and community integration particularly in the areas surrounding the school which have a reputation being socially problematic, having high rates of crime antisocial behavior and problems with bullying inside the school. The school tries to support pupils coming from disadvantaged backgrounds and is highly regarded for its learning support department which provides additional support to pupils with special educational and behavioural needs.

Notable former pupils

  • Ted McMinn, association footballer
  • References

    Maxwelltown High School Wikipedia