Kilgraston
APerthshire based school is aiming to become one of the leading places in Scotland to send girls to that are looking for a future career in business or entrepreneurship. Kilgraston School in Bridge of Earn already has some impressive credentials when it comes to running business and enterprise projects for its pupils, but current Headmistress Dorothy MacGinty told Scottish Field that they are currently only scratching the surface of what they want to achieve. Speaking on the day that another impressive set of exam results were unveiled, with 60% of girls following STEM subjects, she told us:
‘The junior girls have been running enterprise projects, which they absolutely love, and we have introduced a Young Enterprise programme for those in the Sixth Form studying Business Management. We have also started a “Dragon’s Apprentice” programme at Fifth Form, which as the title suggests combines elements of the two popular enterprise based television shows The Apprentice and Dragon’s Den. The girls have thrown themselves wholeheartedly into these initiatives and we are keen to develop them further.
‘We have also had a series of successful business women coming in to give talks to the girls, as well as a number of former pupils and parents coming in to discuss their own businesses’.
Kilgraston has been teaching Business Management for the past 6-7 years, but the aim is now to press on and turn the school into a ‘business hub’ so that it becomes the go-to destination for any ambitious girls looking to enter the world of business, knowing that they will be fully nurtured and mentored to bring out and develop their entrepreneurial spirit.
The schools founding traditions as part of the Sacred Heart Network reinforces its values, as does its Scottish education heritage. Trust, respect, integrity and responsibility lie at the heart of Kilgraston’s community and underpin the academic achievements of each of the school’s students. Each girl is encouraged to grow, learn and mature in an atmosphere of freedom and opportunity.
The success of any programme, of course, will be shown by its results, but with its ambitious programme of further business development Mrs MacGinty is convinced that the most common phrase the future alumni of Kilgraston will be hearing is ‘You’re Hired’.