Academic excellence through holistic development

01 Oct 2019

Founded in 1827, the well-established and historical Loretto School is situated in a safe and enclosed 85-acre campus on East Lothian’s coast, in Scotland. It is also home to the renown Loretto Golf Academy.

As one of the UK’s leading co-educational boarding and day schools, students here thrive in an enriching environment where they can develop to their full potential.

While the campus is located just 9km from Edinburgh, the natural surroundings allow students to enjoy exploring and discovering the outdoors so they get the ideal balance of study and play.

A warm and welcoming atmosphere creates a cosy and homely environment for students, whether or not they are boarders.

More than two third of students choose to board during their School career at Loretto, benefitting from a full week programme which consists of six-day lessons from Monday to Saturday, and varied activities on evenings and Sundays.

Holistic development for an enriching experience

Loretto School places a strong emphasis on the development of the whole person: mind, body and spirit.

The school delivers the traditional British/English curriculum, with outstanding results at GCSEs and A-Levels.

Plus, more than nine students out of 10 receive admission to their university of their choice, such as Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews and Durham.

Along with rigorous academic teachings, students are also encouraged and taught to think critically and develop 21^st century skills.

Students are taught from an early age how to express themselves and find their own voice through ‘Philosophy for Children’ sessions, teaching them to think for themselves and ask questions.

In addition to strong academic programmes, students are also heavily engaged in Creative Arts such as Music, Drama, Art and Dance, as well as a variety of sports activities such as rugby, hockey, lacrosse, cricket and physical education, as part of the focus on holistic development.

There are also extensive on-campus facilities where students can hone their personal interests. There’s a fully-equipped Sports Hall with four badminton courts, a full-sized basketball court and four full-length cricket bays.

There’s also the Colin Thompson Hall, a Dance Studio complete with ballet barres and dance mirrors, a complete Theatre with the capacity to seat 300 people, Individual Music Practice Room, as well as the Newfield and Pinkie Playing Fields that can be used for rugby, cricket, lacrosse, rounders and other athletics.

Plus, there’s the AstroTurf – a full-sized hockey pitch that can also be used for tennis and other sports.

The school has its very own chapel – an architecturally unique building with 400-seat capacity, featuring a Kenneth Jones organ and Yamaha concert grand piano.

As the Loretto Golf Academy is part of the school, budding young golfers get the chance to be coached by PGA professionals at one of Europe’s best golf schools. The academy boasts state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor centres.

Outdoor learning is a major benefit of being a part of this school, and students get to enjoy the spacious and leafy campus situated next to the local beach and nature reserve. Younger students benefit from engagement in the Forest School led by qualified Forest School Leaders.

Small setting for personalised attention

Students who are boarders at Loretto School quickly acclimatise to the school’s warm and family-like environment. Loretto is purposely kept small with approximately 600 students enrolled – spread across the Senior School, Junior School and Pre-School.

Although the school maintains its British roots, with 80 percent of students hailing from the UK, the population also includes students of 25 different nationalities so they can interact with those from different cultures.

With a staff to pupil ratio of 1:7, students here receive individualised attention where teachers can immediately notice if a student is struggling personally or academically, and has a better chance of identifying their unique, individual talents.

Parents can be assured their child is completely taken care of during their time at Loretto School, nurtured and cared for by dedicated staff.

Students are sorted into six different boarding houses where they are looked after by caring housemistresses and housemasters who ensure students are safe, taken care of and able to thrive in all aspects.

During the holidays, children can join a variety of camps to keep them busy and active, such as the Golf Camp, Art Camp or Tennis Camp.

By being a part of the Loretto family, students are given outstanding opportunities for holistic development and become well-prepared for a fulfilling life at university and beyond.

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