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Oban High School (Scottish Gaelic: Àrd-sgoil an Òbain) is a secondary school in Oban, Argyll, Scotland. The head teacher is currently Peter Bain, having taken up the post of Head Teacher in 2008. The roll is currently 924 as of August 2022. A new school opened in April 2018.[1]
| Oban High School Àrd-sgoil an Òbain | |
|---|---|
  The old Oban High School was replaced by a new building in 2018 | |
| Address | |
 | |
Soroba Road, Oban , Argyll and Bute , PA34 4JB Scotland | |
| Coordinates | 56.406°N 5.467°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Comprehensive secondary school |
| Motto | Dia ar n-Iùl |
| Established | 1890 |
| Local authority | Argyll and Bute Council |
| Head teacher | Peter Bain |
| Gender | Boys and girls |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | 924 as of August 2022[update] |
| Houses | Diarmid Fingal Ossian Somerled |
| Colour(s) | |
| Website | www |
As well as serving Oban, Oban High School also serves some of Scotland's island communities such as Isle of Mull, Tiree and Iona.
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Oban High School opened in 1890 as Oban Higher Grade School. The building was designed by Alexander Shairp.[2] Former teachers at the school have included Iain Crichton Smith and John MacKay, Baron MacKay of Ardbrecknish.[3]
Oban High School has 19 associated primary schools, making it one of the largest geographical catchment areas in Scotland. The school provides secondary education for pupils from remote, rural and island areas, as well as a large number of pupils from larger urban areas. Pupils who attended Oban High School from nine island communities stay in the school hostel throughout the school term.[4]
During the 2010 pipe band season, the school's pipe band, led by Angus MacColl, was successful in winning the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, the Cowal Games competition, and the Champion of Champions for the year in the novice-juvenile grade.
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Oban High School currently has four guidance houses known as "clans":
- Diarmid
- Fingal
- Ossian
- Somerled
Each of the four clans have two classes from each year group, S1–S6, with pupils in S6 encouraged to take on leadership roles within their respective clans. Pupils in S6 can apply to become Clan Leaders at the start of each academic year. Each clan is headed by a Principal Teacher of Guidance, as well as a Clan Chief who is elected to the position directly by the pupils.[5]
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Pupils from island communities who fall within the catchment area of Oban High School often require to live in hostel accommodation Monday–Friday as travel back to the island communities can be too long a journey for pupils to undertake each day. Glencruitten Hostel provides support and accommodation to pupils from Oban High School from island communities such as Colonsay, Coll, Isle of Mull, Lismore, Iona, Kerrera, Gometra, Tiree, Shuna, Easdale and Bridge of Orchy. The hostel closes during school holidays with all pupils returning to their families on the islands.[6]
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- Dr Anna Keay – architectural historian, author, TV person[7]
- Angus Peter Campbell, born 1952, poet, novelist, journalist, broadcaster and actor.
- Susie Wolff – racing driver, Formula 1 TV pundit,[8] Formula E team principal[9]
- Magnus Bradbury – rugby union player[10]
- David Dougal Williams – Artist and Principal Art Teacher at Oban High School from 1919 to 1922
- Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow – humanitarian, founder and CEO of Mary's Meals and former Scotland Shinty internationalist
- Anne Lorne Gillies – singer, writer and Gaelic activist.[11][12]
- Robert MacIntyre - professional golfer, European Tour and Ryder Cup winner
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Oban High School has a clan system pupil leadership programme. The school has four clans and each clan has two clan leaders selected from S6. In addition Oban High School also has school captains; this has traditionally been a 'head boy' and 'head girl'.
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