Glenalmond College

Glenalmond was founded in 1847 by WE Gladstone (a former British Prime Minister and has been described as having the most beautiful setting of any school in the UK.* It is a genuine full-boarding community for around 400 girls and boys from 12 to 18 years, providing an all-round education through inspirational teaching, outstanding extracurricular opportunities, and the very best in pastoral care.

Within easy reach.  Glenalmond is conveniently located just an hour from major international airports at Edinburgh and Glasgow, an hour’s flight from London. The educational approach at Glenalmond is all about discovering and promoting the best in each child, finding their strengths and helping them to achieve their full potential. The Tatler Schools Guide enthused recently that: “there’s a lovely sense of community… parents have nothing but praise for Glenalmond, singling out the excellent pastoral care, the superb staff and the air of academic enthusiasm.”  

Academic Focus.  Our ‘Learning to Learn’ programme ensures pupils know how to learn and not just what to learn.  Performance Tracking and Academic Profiling mean that we ensure each pupil achieves his or her potential.  The Learning Project ensures that our teaching staff continue to learn from each other.  Pupils can develop their talents further through numerous academic societies, including the William Bright Society which is an academic super-curricular enrichment programme. Strong performances annually in both GCSE and A Level results mean over 90% of our pupils attend the university of their choice.  Every year, more than half of our students gain places at Oxford, Cambridge and the Russell Group universities, the top 24 in the UK. A dedicated Oxbridge and specialist degree (e.g. Medicine) preparation programme complements our main university admissions support.

The environment.  The school’s safe and secure countryside setting means that highly trained staff can organise adventurous activities such as climbing, cycling, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, fishing, golf (on the school’s own 9-hole, 18-tee course and soon to open indoor training facility), horse riding, kayaking, mountain biking, running, sailing, skiing, white water rafting and Yoga.

Superb English as an Additional Language tuition.Specialist teachers help our internationalgirls and boys through one-to-one and group lessons. Students can also join our new one-year pre A Level programme, where they study for a number of GCSEs and IELTS qualifications to prepare for two years of A Level.

Supportive pastoral care. As a small school, we can ensure that all students are happy, fulfilled and successful. The latest inspection enthused that ‘all feel valued, respected and well cared for as individuals. Young people are confident and articulate. The range of their achievements is impressive.”

Sport and healthy living.Sporting activity is an integral part of life at Glenalmond, where excellent facilities and a passionate team of coaches come together to encourage pupils to reach their sporting potential. Regular sports include: athletics, basketball, cross country, cricket, equestrian, football, rugby, lacrosse, hockey, golf, sailing, swimming (25m indoor pool), squash, and tennis.

Outstanding expressive arts.The choirs and musicians perform at local festivals, events and feeder schools, regularly winning national competitions. They are also active members of national youth orchestras, choirs and opera programmes as well as the school’s own rock and fusion bands. Music and Music Technology courses are provided at A Level. The drama department puts on as much theatre as possible in school, locally and at the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival both at Junior and Senior Level.

“Get in fast, Glenalmond is on the up and up… set for a cracking future over the next few years.” Good Schools Guide Review

* The Week Magazine, September 2016