Strathallan School, United Kingdom

Strathallan School’s international reputation for academic excellence is 100 years in the making. The school opened in 1913 and moved to its current location just outside of Perthshire, Scotland a few years later. Today, Strathallan ranks as one of the top independent schools in Scotland.

Boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 18 can enrol as boarding or day students. The school’s reputation is hard-earned and achieved by fostering a nurturing environment backed with the support of teachers and tutors who are as passionate about their subjects as they are about student welfare.

A staff / pupil ratio of 1:7 allows the faulty to work with students’ individual needs and aspirations in designing and tailoring schoolwork. Every student receives personalised support from an academic tutor and a full-time careers advisor. These factors combine to produce a high standard of academic success, with 97 percent of students scoring in the A to C grade range of A-levels subjects.

The school is cast on a safe and secure 153-acre campus. Students have access to an Art Centre, Design and Technology Centre, Medical Centre, Canoe and Fishing Lake and a comprehensive range of sport facilities. These contribute to an educational environment that cultivates high academic performance, promotes personal development and encourages the pursuit of higher education.

Encouraging excellence
Personal development is another key issue of life at Strathallan. The school engenders a strong spirit of community through a house system that takes in boarders as well as day students. Pupils are motivated to realise their potential on the academic stage, as well as in extracurricular arenas spanning competitive sport and the arts.

Parents are encouraged to play an active role in their children’s education. They are welcome to support Strathallan competitive teams and can meet other parents for soups and sandwiches on campus after home matches. They are also invited to attend the Higher Education Fair with their child in March.

Academic life
Academics is central to life at Strathallan, which is made evident by the fact that more than 95 percent of all Strathallan pupils go on to higher education. Given the school’s leading A-level results, students enjoy a high level of success in attending the university of their choice.

An extensive body of academic departments ensures that students enjoy one of the best Scottish educations available. Facilities are thorough and modern, and they are constantly being updated to provide students access to cutting-edge learning materials and the latest technology. This is reflected in Strathallan’s purpose-built Design and Technology Studio, extensive ICT facilities and new Art School and Biology and Chemistry Laboratories.

Once they complete Third Form, students select courses for their General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). They usually choose nine subjects at this point, representing a mix of compulsory subjects and electives. This is narrowed down to four or five subject areas in Sixth Form, and then three or four A-level subjects for their final year.

Sixth Form students explore higher education and career options through a range of school offerings, including the Higher Education Fair, open days at universities and colleges and talks given by university representatives and professionals.

Campus life
Boarding and day students, alike, are all members of a house. This reinforces a sense of community at Strathallan and presents students with opportunities to get involved and take responsibility. House tutors ensure that each pupil has access to support and guidance in school life. Students can represent their respective houses in schools activities, which range from debates and games to music and drama.

Junior boarders aged 9 to 13 live in dormitories on their own campus and have access to all Strathallan facilities. Senior houses are divided according to gender, and wireless Internet access is available in all houses and across the campus at large. After their first year in a senior house, students move into their own single study bedroom. They can make use of common kitchen facilities (stocked with daily supplies of milk, bread, butter and jam), brew rooms and sitting rooms. Meals are taken in the campus dining hall.

Life is not all studying and academics at Strathallan School. The physical education and games programme is also a central component. Through this programme, an extensive selection of sports and activities are made available to pupils. Everyone takes part in some sort of physical activity at least three times per week, with offerings in place to cater to all ability and interest levels.

Those who would like to represent the school on a competitive level can do so through inter-house competitions as well as the national stage. Physical activities are scheduled after tea, in the evenings and, in some cases, after prep. Sports and games provision are by two floodlit all-weather pitches, two all-weather netball courts, squash courts, an indoor swimming pool, nine all-weather tennis courts, a gymnasium, sports hall (with a climbing wall), a golf course and a fitness and weight-training room.

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