St Mungo's Academy, Glasgow

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St Mungo’s Academy was founded by the Marist Brothers in 1858 at 96 Garngad Hill, Glasgow to educate poor Catholic boys, largely the sons of immigrants from Ireland or the Highlands. The school was named after the patron saint of Glasgow, Saint Mungo and had ambitions to create a Catholic middle class, by educating the boys to secondary level and prepare them for University studies. In this it had some success, as well as providing a steady stream of boys wishing to pursue a career in the priesthood or other religious.

In 1882 , the overcrowded school was removed about a mile to Parson Street in Townhead and, in 1919, was absorbed into the state system, while retaining its Roman Catholic character and Marist Brother control. A new wave of immigrants from Italy sent there sons there too. During and after the Second World War , the sons of soldiers from the exiled Polish Army joined the increasingly diverse population served by the school.

A massive increase in numbers during the 1960 ‘s required the use of a number of Annexes, including St Kentigern’s (formerly Alexander’s School in Duke Street) , Kennedy Street (sharing the City Public School with non-Catholics, whom the Catholic boys never met, thanks to finely scheduled breaks) and the Hanson Street Annex of the Central College of Commerce .

In 1977, the Parson Street buildings were abandoned (though the older portions are still standing) and a new school built at Crownpoint Road in Bridgeton , about a mile and a half away. In line with the educational thinking of the day, this was to be a comprehensive and co-educational state Roman Catholic school, still called St Mungo’s Academy.

In 2005, the school comprised

29 general classrooms
7 dedicated ICT teaching areas
10 science labs
4 technical rooms
4 art and design rooms
3 home economics rooms
3 music rooms
a drama studio
2 gymnasia
a games hall
a purpose built oratory.

Physical education facilities include 4 indoor areas and a new all-weather sports pitch, all used extensively by the local community.

In 2005, 937 pupils were enrolled in the Academy, of which 353 had learning difficulties, 19 had special educational needs and 11 spoke English only as a second language