Meet the Perthshire school creating the next generation of leaders and empowered young women.
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For many pupils across the nation, 2022 was the first year of sit-down exams since 2019. After such an extended break away from the classroom, many parents are seeking ways to build confidence in their children – in the classroom and beyond. For some, this is a daunting process. But the good news is, the burden isn’t just on parents. Many schools are tackling this issue head on – take the Kilgraston School curriculum, for example, which is focused on building the next generation of leaders.
The hidden Kilgraston School curriculum
Tanya Davie, newly appointed head teacher at Kilgraston, is passionate about the school’s comprehensive approach to developing its young pupils. Mrs Davie said: “At Kilgraston, we can give the young person a chance to excel without the pressures of external distractions. We can do this in part thanks to our small class sizes, strong ratios of teachers to pupils, and we make sure the student is well mentored in the area they are looking to pursue”.
At Kilgraston, pupils are engaged in the hidden curriculum, an individually-tailored program of activities that develop a student’s social skills, confidence, and resilience. The hidden aspect of the Kilgraston School curriculum prepares the pupil for future challenges, professional or social, and equips them with the skills to handle adversity with confidence and intellect. “A lot become natural leaders when they didn’t know they had it in them”, said Mrs Davie.
Personal development in academics and beyond
The Kilgraston curriculum offers an array of opportunities for personal development. Pupils can attend trips (international and domestic), theatre performances, clubs, sports, and more – whether a pupil wishes to refine their equestrian skills at the Kilgraston Equestrian Centre or pick up a new musical instrument, Kilgraston will offer its enthusiastic support.
As recalled by Mrs Davie, a group of international students from Germany wanted to learn a bit more about Polo during their time at Kilgraston. Mrs Davie proudly recounts: “The girls went on to place second in the prestigious national Polo competition, the Cirencester Park Polo Club, in June”.
Mrs Davie believes this pastoral care is integral to the personal development of Kilgraston pupils, particularly in their final year before leaving school. Therefore, the school offers a student mentorship program, the Big Friendly Girl program, where older girls are paired with first years and tasked with providing guidance.
According to Mrs Davie, the programme not only benefits the new pupils, but is an excellent way to teach responsibility and compassion to older girls. She also emphasises the importance of imparting mental health resilience to the pupils as they prepare to leave during their final year at Kilgraston: “The majority of our sixth formers become mental health ambassadors”, she explains.
Boarding to prepare for future
Independent schools, such as Kilgraston, can also offer the option to board. This can provide pupils with many benefits including preparing the pupil, and indeed the whole family, for adulthood.
Mrs Davie says that boarding is: “A golden opportunity for both parents and pupils to experience what life is like when the student moves on. It is a safe environment; they are given a significant amount of independence so they can learn life skills”.
Indeed, boarding equips pupils with independence, responsibility, and resilience – vital skills for your child to learn before venturing into the ‘real world’.
Kilgraston girls soar to new heights
The young women who matriculate from Kilgraston School boast impressive stats:
- 100% success rate for pupils going on to study medicine at university.
- 23% of pupils in 2022 received unconditional offers for the University of St Andrews, rated as the top university in the UK by the Sunday Times and The Times Good University Guide since 2019.
- An average of 60% of pupils go on to study STEM courses at university each year.
The Kilgraston School curriculum is individually tailored to each pupil’s needs, rejecting an antiquated ‘one-size-fits-all’ ethos. This comprehensive approach produces pupils who are confidently prepared to tackle their next big adventure.
Give your child the best of support, academic and beyond. Learn more about the Kilgraston School curriculum here.