Head teacher of new £37m Cumbernauld school re-creates Gregory's Girl scene

Cumbernauld Academy was formed in August 2014 following the merger of Cumbernauld and Abronhill high schools.

The building, which has capacity for over 1100 pupils, was funded by North Lanarkshire Council and the Scottish Government

It features an impressive range of facilities including a drama and assembly hall an open plan ‘e-learning’ area for pupils to use instead of the traditional library, a photo studio and an indoor sports facilities which will be available for community use during out of school hours.

A new vocational area will allow pupils to develop skills in construction, health and beauty while the campus will also become home to Cumbernauld Theatre.

Abronhill High School was the setting for the 1981 John Forsyth classic Gregory's Girl, starring John Gordon Sinclair and Dee Hepburn.

The Evening Times was there for the first day as head teacher Mark Cairns recreated a famous scene from the movie, using the original piano, which was played in the film by Scottish comedian Charles 'Chic' Murray.

Charlotte Geekie, a pupil at the school, said:"I’m excited to go into the art classrooms and get all the space and the light and I’m excited for the first years to see the big classrooms and the modern design of the school, it really hits you when you come in.

Antonio Hernandez said: "I’m amazed to be honest. This is a whole other level. The amount of facilities we have now compared to what it used to be, for example, the music department is so much bigger, English is looking tidier, everything is looking smart and new, it looks absolutely smashing."

Mark Cairns, Head Teacher of Cumbernauld Academy, said: "Everyone connected to the school community is excited and optimistic about the future.

“Our pupils have been actively involved with the bespoke aspects of the build, including design elements including the new Cumbernauld mural to the social spaces in the Language and Communication Support Centre.”

 “Given what the school community has already achieved, it is with a sense of real anticipation that those successes will be expanded by the new educational setting and associated opportunities.

“There are plans to ensure the new facilities are not only a means for expanding educational opportunities within Cumbernauld Academy, but that they are available to other learners within the Cumbernauld area and indeed beyond that to the wider community.

“From what I have seen over the past five years of the young people and their families, they will enjoy and benefit from the new school and theatre and make the most of every new opportunity.