Peebles High School is a state run comprehensive school for girls and boys aged 12–18, located in Peebles in the Scottish Borders. It was originally named Bonnington Park Academy in 1858. Since then, it has expanded and is now attended by 1,500 pupils from all over the Tweeddale area. The school was expanded In 2000 when The Millennium Wing was added. This expansion meant a great increase in size and capacity including a Learning Resource Centre and entire business suite. A new sports centre was completed in 2014. In 2013, the school was ranked 28th in Scotland for Higher exam passes. The school was damaged severely by a serious fire on the 28th of November 2019, which forced its closure for several weeks.
Curriculum
The school follows the standard Scottish curriculum with subjects ranging from Mathematics and English to newer subjects such as Business Management and Child Care.
Sports
Rugby and Hockey are popular sports at the school. However, students are encouraged to participate in a wide range of other sports including football, netball, mountain biking, swimming and athletics.
The very first origins of Peebles High School date as far back as 1464 when a “scule and sculmaster” were appointed. Two centuries later there is evidence of “the establishment of the English School and the Grammar School of Peebles on Tweed Green”. More recent history suggests the most immediate origins of Peebles High School was in 1858 when a private school, known then as Bonnington Park Academy for boys, was established. A private school for girls called St Leonards existed around that time and was hosted within the Parish Church Manse. By 1873 the roll of children in the local community totalled 538 between the ages of 5-13, 85% of whom were at school. To accommodate this increasing roll, an application was made to make the existing school a “Higher Class School” i.e. to teach beyond elementary level. In 1876 it was only one of 20 in Scotland to achieve this. Also in this year “young ladies” were finally allowed to enrol. This led to a change of name to” Peebles High School-Bonnington Park.” Students came from all over the county. It was, however, a private school that consisted of a preparatory and upper school, the latter requiring an examination to permit a pupil to access.
Twentieth Century
In 1901 there were about 100 students in the “upper part of the school” now known as “Peebles and County High school”. The Education Act of 1908 finally allowed grants to children allowing them to remain in school. By 1910 the school was a single story building consisting of a number of rooms off of a single corridor, where the science labs now exist. By 1927 there were approximately 200 pupils in the school and 12 staff, however by 1935 the Preparation department was closed and pupils transferred to Kingsland and Halyrude. Lack of accommodation beyond the age of 14 at these schools meant that a decision was made to expand the Burgh and County School in 1936. The new addition to the school known as the “36 block” was completed in 1938, This now meant all pupils over the age of 12 were expected to attend. There were extensive sports fields around the school, allowing a wide access to sport. The beginning of World War Two saw a large influx of evacuees to “safe” Peebles, adding six air raid shelters to the school playground and a necessity to turn playing fields into vegetable allotments. The Education Act of 1947 saw the roll increase to 400, as students were now to remain at school until age 15. At this time there was also an increase of students remaining into the 6th year. The next significant structural change, due to the pressure on accommodation and the leaving age increasing to age 16, was the “Tower, dining room and technical block”. These were added at a cost of £443,000 in 1970. Even then Modern studies and History resided in Huts which remained until 1999. There were as many as 13 huts at Peebles High School at this time.
Twenty-First Century
Due to the aforesaid pressure for space, the Millennium Wing was born, built behind the 36 block. This modern building consisted of an innovative two level development with an open and bright congregational space known as the “Atrium”. By 2000 the school had over 80 teachers and in excess of 1000 pupils. By 2014, in an effort to increase access to sport, the school led an extensive campaign by the Head teacher and its community to generate a new, state of the art sports facility, funded in partnership with SBC and Sports Scotland, costing £4.8m. This extended the sports curriculum and resulted in a Gold Level Award in recognition of what was now on offer not just to students but the whole community.
Fire in November, 2019
On 28 November 2019, the art and the P.E. department were destroyed in a fire, with arson being the reported cause. All staff and students were evacuated safely. Later the same day, the fire was brought under control. Extensive reconstruction of the damaged parts of the school will be required. The affected buildings date back to the 1930s and therefore offered little resistance to an such an intense blaze.
