Embracing each individual’s talent at Lathallan School

At Lathallan, helping the individual pupil achieve their full potential is at the very core of the school’s ethos.

The north-east school’s stunning surroundings, small class sizes, wide and varied education and extracurricular programme are all designed to embrace and enhance individual talent as it caters for nursery, junior and senior students – day pupils, flexi and full boarders.

Easily accessible by both Dundee and Aberdeen off the A92, Lathallan is well served by a network of school buses across Angus and Aberdeenshire.

With 62 acres of secluded wooded grounds at Brotherton Castle, Lathallan is a truly inspiring learning location.

Many classrooms have unspoiled views across the North Sea and the sprawling school grounds are put to great use with a strong emphasis on outdoor education.

An on-site school farm, equipped with its own pigs, chickens, potato field and fruit and vegetable poly tunnel is a key part of the school’s on-site outdoor curriculum.

Lathallan’s newly constructed treehouse classroom, with enough space for an entire class, electricity and full Wi-Fi capabilities, has just opened to enhance the pupils’ outdoor learning experience.

For the more adventurous, there are two on-site zip wires and a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme that has been No 1 in Scotland for four consecutive years.

Within the classroom, the focus on the individual is clearly apparent.

With a school roll of around 200 across the junior and senior schools, children are given an opportunity to shine.

Class sizes are among the lowest in the country, with an average of just 12 pupils per class.

These small numbers enable more attention for pupils needing greater support and to stretch high-performing pupils such as current S6 pupil Clarence Wei who, after achieving five As and a B at Higher level this year, is aiming for a medicine degree.

A large emphasis is also placed on health, well-being and sport at Lathallan. Pupils are fuelled by healthy food grown and cooked on-site by a former chef from the five-star luxury Marcliffe Resort, while many pupils do almost an hour and a half of sport and games every day, including weekly swimming lessons for younger pupils.

More than 20% of the current pupils at Lathallan compete regionally or nationally at sport.

The school also hosts an annual Rugby 7s event for invited schools across Scotland, and boasts high-performing netball teams who won two national tournaments last year at both S2 and under-18s level.

Talent is not confined to the sporting field. From drama students performing to sell-out houses in major theatres in Aberdeen to an entrepreneurial former pupil who makes and sells jam to Glamis Castle.

No matter their potential, pupils at a non-selective Lathallan will always be supported to flourish.

Words and photographs simply do not do Lathallan justice.

It’s only by visiting the school’s idyllic location that the world of opportunities it offers pupils become clearly apparent, and Lathallan is happy to offer prospective pupils a taster day to understand just how special this place is.

There is a strong emphasis on health, well-being and sport at the school, which is situated in secluded woodland at Brotherton Castle.