Founded in 1913 by Harry Riley, it is located in 150 acres of beautiful Perthshire countryside. At the heart of the school is a splendid 19th-century country house, surrounded by modern boarding houses and extensive playing fields. It has its own nine-hole golf course, swimming pool, squash court, clay pigeon shooting range, tennis academy, concert room and a purpose-built art centre with facilities for ceramics, sculpture and print-making. It offers both the English and Scottish curriculum. A staff:pupil ratio of 1:7 allows for small classes so that work can be tailored to individual needs and requirements. Examination results are continuously very good. The music, drama and art departments are very strong and there is a wide range of games, sports and activities. The CCF is voluntary and well supported. There is considerable emphasis on outdoor pursuits, for which the environment is ideal, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme is popular.
Pupils: Total age range 9-18; 503 pupils, 177 day (107 boys, 70 girls), 326 boarding (191 boys, 135 girls). Senior department 13-18, 410 pupils (236 boys, 174 girls). Entrance: Main entry ages 9-13 and 16. Common Entrance and own exam used; for sixth form entry, school report and GCSE or S-grade results are used.
Academic, music, art, sport and all-rounder scholarships, up to 50% of fees. Means-tested bursaries available. Discounts for siblings and for families of HM Forces.
Headmaster: Bruce K Thompson, in post since 2000. Educated at Newcastle High School and Oxford University (classics). Previously Deputy Rector at Dollar Academy and Head of Classics at Cheltenham College. Teaching staff: 75 full time, 16 part time.
GCSE: On average, 81 in fifth form: 92% gained grade C or above in 5+ subjects. Highers/A-levels: 82 in upper sixth.
95% of sixth form leavers go on to a degree course. 3% take courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, 35% in science and engineering, 4% in law, 40 % in humanities and social sciences, 2% in art and design, 6% in vocational subjects, eg physiotherapy, architecture, sport and recreation management, film and TV studies. Others typically go on to art, drama or other non-degree courses.
GCSE, some S-grades, AS, A-levels and Highers. 20+ subjects offered, including Latin. Vocational: Work experience for all fifth form. Special provision: Learning support department. Languages: French, German and Spanish offered to GCSE, Higher and A-level; also Russian offered. Annual exchanges to France, Germany and Spain. ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject to S-grade and across the curriculum. Many computers for pupil use, all networked and with email and internet access.
Music: 40% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Musical groups include choirs, choral society, traditional music groups, jazz band, wind band, orchestra, folk band, pipe band, rock band. Members of National Youth Orchestra of Scotland. Over 60 concerts take place each year. Drama and dance: Both offered; musical theatre exams may be taken. Majority of pupils are involved in school/house productions; annual musical. Art and design: On average, 40 take GCSE, 20 A-level. Painting, drawing, ceramics and printmaking all included. Regular art field trips and pupils exhibit work in local galleries.
Sport: Rugby, cricket, hockey, netball, tennis, althetics are main sports. Also squash, rounders, football, fencing, judo, badminton, basketball, swimming, golf, horse riding, sailing, canoeing, skiing. Recent Scottish Schools internationalists in rugby, hockey, cricket, cross-country, golf, skiing, athletics and shooting. Activities: Pupils take bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. CCF (Army, Navy and Marines sections) and community service optional. Activities programme with 50+ options including dance, drama, pottery, chess, photography, first aid, life guarding, shooting (both clay pigeon and small bore), fishing.
Uniform: Dress regulations throughout. Houses and prefects: Competitive houses. Prefects, head boy and head girl and head of house - appointed by the Headmaster after consultation. Religion: Inter-denominational. Attendance at religious worship compulsory. Catholics attend Mass locally. Social: Theatre excursions, debates, musical events with other local schools. Regular Sunday outings. Recent sports tours to Australia, USA, South America, New Zealand, Fiji, Holland and Spain. Meals self-service. School shop and shop in each house. No alcohol allowed.
Administered at house level for minor offences; by Headmaster or Deputy for major ones.
Pupils in fourth form onwards have own study bedroom. Single-sex houses of approximately 60. Medical centre; resident qualified nursing staff on duty 24 hours a day. Central dining room. Pupils allowed to provide and cook own food. Half-term and Saturday night exeats. Visits to Perth for upper sixth; with adult supervision for others.
is run by Aileen Wilson, Alumni Co-ordinator, c/o the school.
Colin Montgomerie (golfer), Struan Stevenson (MEP), Ian MacNaughton (TV & film producer, eg of Monty Python's Flying Circus).
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