Glenalmond College
Travel just a short 30 minutes west of Perth and you will discover why award-winning Glenalmond College is a sight to behold as it sits nestled amongst the rolling hills of the Perthshire countryside. Cricket and rugby pitches, a stunning golf course and 175-year-old architecture adorn the 300-acre grounds in plain view of the towering Highlands that are just 10 miles north from the village.
As one of the most renowned boarding schools in the country, local, national, and international students thrive from the endless opportunities available as they embrace tradition but also an innovative and first-class schooling system.
Girls and boys, aged 12-18, can choose to stay on-site, joining one of seven homely boarding houses, whilst day-pupils also have a room in a house. With most of Glenalmond’s teachers living on-site this provides an excellent level of support offering the children better opportunities to grow, shape and flourish in all key areas such as sport, music, drama, and art. With an average of 345 pupils on site, all of whom are split equally between boys and girls, each are known individually within the smaller class sizes creating a more personal teaching environment.
Excellent facilities are abound, including all manner of sporting areas such as an Olympic-standard, water-based hockey Astro, nine-hole James Braid-designed golf course, rugby and cricket pitches with incredible scenic views, as well as swimming pool, cardio room, tennis and squash courts.
Having secured the prestigious ‘Scottish Boarding School of the Year’ award two years in a row with Lux Life, as well as named as one of the UK’S top schools in the Tatler School Guide 2022, Glenalmond’s excellent profile within the education sector really does set it apart. The college was also commended for its unique and innovative teaching methods during the two lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, which ensured that the curriculum continued, and teaching was undisrupted for most of this time. Because of this, A level pupils of 2022 were left delighted at their success in securing places at their universities of choice despite the challenges of the previous years.
In light of the hard work of both teaching staff and pupils, Dr Michael Alderson, head of Glenalmond said: ‘Headlines are only that and each pupil’s portfolio of results tells an individual story of effort, application, and success. The results are a credit to the pupils who have worked hard in the difficult, uncertain and, at times, stressful circumstances of the last two years to achieve outstanding results. The pupils have shown remarkable resilience and should be proud of everything they have achieved. I know that they are grateful to their teachers for doing their utmost to support and enable them to achieve the grades they deserve. I hope their achievements will truly inspire next year’s UVI and show them what is possible when they make the most of opportunities.’