The school motto was Honor Diligentiae Praemium, which means "The reward for hard work is renown".

Robert Fulton, who had previously been head master of the Eastern School, was brought in to be the head master of the newly formed Gourock High School.

In 1963, the secondary school moved to Tower Hill where it provided first to fourth years (junior) secondary education under the care of Head Master William Russell.

The (previously secondary school) building thus evacuated in Binnie Street was renamed and became the Gourock Primary School which continued to feed pupils completing primary into the new Gourock High.

Pupils wishing to continue to fifth and sixth years of (senior) secondary progressed into the Greenock High School, initially in Dunlop Street Greenock, later relocated to a new building in Kip Valley.