Albyn School, Aberdeen | The Good Schools Guide

Albyn School
17-23 Queens Road
Aberdeen
AB15 4PB
Head: Mr David Starbuck Acting Head
T 01224 322408
F 01224 209173
E [email protected]
W www.albynschool.co.uk/
An independent school for boys and girls aged from 2 to 18.
Boarding: Yes
Local authority: Aberdeen City
Pupils: 644; sixth formers: 123
Religion: Non-denominational
Fees: Day £9,069 - £14,318; Boarding £29,200 - £31,445 pa
Open days: September, November and January
Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review

What The Good Schools Guide says..

The existing school has a strong family feel, but logistically it is a complicated complex of corridors and levels between the houses. Fire doors everywhere. No tutors; pupils can, and do, relate to form teachers and guidance staff when in difficulty. Wickedness equals yellow card, followed by red card, usual punishment is an essay. Sense of community - school aims to boost the confidence of the shyest child. Policy of zero tolerance for drink 'n' drugs 'n' rock 'n' roll, so expect…

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What the school says...

Albyn School is an independent coeducational day school for pupils aged 2-18 located in the west end of Aberdeen with its playing fields at Milltimber. It comprises a nursery for children aged 2-5, a Lower (Junior) School for pupils aged 5-12 and an Upper (Senior) School for pupils aged 12-18.

It currently follows the Scottish system of education with Upper School pupils being entered for National 5 examinations (equivalent to GCSEs); Highers (equivalent to AS Levels) and Advanced Highers equivalent to A Levels. Nearly all pupils exit to universities - mostly in Scotland but also around the UK and abroad. While serving longstanding families within Aberdeen in recent decades the School has proved popular with parents who work in the oil and gas industries and the financial and engineering firms that support this sector.

Outside the classroom, the School offers a broad range of sporting and co-curricular activities. Major sports include athletics, football, hockey, netball, rowing and skiing. Large numbers are also involved in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and Music with the School having numerous choral and orchestral groups.

The School is fortunate to be situated in a city and region that offers a very high quality of life to families moving into the area. Aberdeen is Scotlands third largest city, dominated by energy related industries with two world renowned universities. It has a diverse musical and cultural heritage centred on its theatres, cinemas, art gallery and Music Hall. The city also has over 800 shops and restaurants, including all the most familiar high street names. To the west of Aberdeen, the Cairngorms National Park is an area of outstanding natural beauty that draws in walkers, climbers and skiers. Within a short distance of the city, there are empty beaches, picturesque fishing villages and dramatic cliff top scenery. ...Read more

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Other features

All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.

Sports

Rowing

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since November 2020, David Starbuck, longstanding deputy head, is acting head.

Head of lower school since 2016, Nathan Davies, deputy head here since 2009. Read medieval history at St Andrews before taking a PGCSE at Dundee. He joined Albyn School from Wakefield Grammar School and had also ‘done time’ at Piling Middle School in Jamestown, St Helena. With five children of his own, Nathan takes the notion of a family school to a new level.

Entrance

Entry from lower to upper is automatic. Pupils can and do join at any time – throughout the year (assuming space available). Growing number, but ‘still only a handful’ join school for Highers/Advanced Highers at S5/6. Increasing interest from overseas.

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Special Education Needs

09-09

Condition	Provision for in school
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Aspergers	Y
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders
CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia
Dyscalculia
Dysgraphia
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
English as an additional language (EAL)
Genetic
Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory
Has SEN unit or class	Y
HI - Hearing Impairment
Hospital School
Mental health
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment
Natspec Specialist Colleges
OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability
Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
PD - Physical Disability
PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health
SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty
Special facilities for Visually Impaired
SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
VI - Visual Impairment

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