Lathallan Private School

• Item Area: Johnshaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
• Age of students: from 6 months to 18 years,
• Type of study: blended,
• Language of instruction: English.

Lathallan School is a Scottish independent co-educational boarding school located in a unique location on the coast, between Montrose and Aberdeen. Lathallan offers students an inspiring place to master the Scottish curriculum at a high level. The school is known for its small class sizes (up to 12 students), a strong science curriculum, athletic excellence, and an outdoor education program.

Lathallan is praised as a small school, for its close-knit family community, which is difficult to replicate in larger schools. There is no impersonality here, Lathallan is described as a friendly school with a cozy atmosphere, as the headmaster proudly admits, every staff member knows each child by name and character.

Like many independent schools in Scotland, Lathallan follows the Excellence Curriculum (CfE), the national curriculum for children from 3 to 18 years old, which is offered in all public schools in the country. Pupils study a wide range of subjects up to the age of 16 (much wider than the standard GCSE) before specialising in 3-5 subjects during the final two years of their studies.

• Lathallan was voted the best small independent school in the UK in 2021.
• In 2023, Lathallan School was awarded the Gold Seal of Excellence for Out-of-Class Learning (LOtC), making it the only comprehensive school in Scotland to receive this award.

Lathallan School offers boarders the opportunity to live and study in an almost real castle, there is a choice of full board and flexible. Evening classes for boarders are held during the week, there are no Saturday classes.

School life at Lathallan provides children with fantastic opportunities for academic and social development. Pupils are actively encouraged to participate in a wide range of activities combined with a strict curriculum schedule. After classes at Lathallan, students can use all the school's facilities and regularly travel off campus on weekends.

Lathallan has a strong sporting tradition, with more than 20% of students competing in sports at regional or national level. The main strongest areas are rugby (7s competitions are held here annually) and netball (in the last two years, the school team has won four national titles), hockey, cricket, tennis, athletics, basketball, cross-country and swimming.

Students are also given a wide range of choices in the field of music education: students can choose to learn to play the piano, keyboard, violin, guitar, clarinet, snare drums, bagpipes, flute and cello. The school remains committed to its Scottish heritage, with flute and marching drum lessons.

Extracurricular activities are offered throughout the week, held in the afternoon, and personal development activities (PDAs) are organized every Friday. Students can learn innovative art, educate as a barista in an on-site café, become radio station hosts or start their own jam business, can participate in farming, golf, archery, knitting, photography, climbing, skiing.

Lathallan School always fascinates first-time visitors when they see Brotherton Castle rising in a 60-acre green area. Located on the northeast coast overlooking the sea, Lathallan provides ample opportunities for outdoor learning, for students to walk. The school is located in the countryside but with good transport links, with Montrose and Lawrenskirk train stations 15 minutes away and Aberdeen Airport just 40 minutes away.

On the territory there are:

• A special classroom in the treehouse,
• Rope park,
• Orchard
• Gardens
• Apple Orchard, 
• Mini-farm.

Lathallan School's state-of-the-art science centre includes laboratories for three natural sciences and a working greenhouse laboratory for environmental sciences. Thanks to these opportunities, students successfully enter leading universities for STEM subject specializations.

Lathallan School is equipped in accordance with high modern standards and has a modern infrastructure:

• Computer classes,
• Pool
• Sports pavilion and grounds,
• Library
• Music classes,
• Science Center,
• Tennis courts,
• Gym
• Fitness room,
• Hockey and football fields,
• Arts Center.

The academic year at Lathallan School lasts from September to June. The year is divided into 3 trimesters, between which vacations are organized:

• Autumn trimester (September – December),
• Christmas Vacation (2 weeks),
• Spring trimester (January – March),
• Easter holidays (2 weeks),
• Summer term (April – June),
• Summer holidays (2 months, July and August).

Additional costs:

• Visa fee,
• Registration fee,
• Deposit
• Medical insurance,
• Flights
• Transfer
• Accommodation on board,
• Personal expenses,
• Activities and excursions.

The main steps to studying at Lathallan School:

• Fill out and submit the online application form,
• Pay the registration feeLathallan School is known for its small size: today the number of students does not exceed 250, classes on average consist of 12 students.
• Pass an interview with the director,
• Receive an invitation to study and pay a deposit for a place.

To apply, you must provide the following documents:

• School report card for the last 2 years,
• Detailed description from the class teacher,
• Certificate confirming the level of English,
• Copies of diplomas, awards, certificates (if any).

Lathallan School is known for its small size: today the number of students does not exceed 250, classes consist of an average of 12 people.

Lathallan School admits students without strict selection, considers candidates with any abilities - who have strengths not only in academic fields, but also in sports, drama, who, for example, have bright leadership qualities.

International students will first need to prove their level of English.

Lathallan School offers excellent facilities to enable all young people to succeed in their endeavors. The Lathallan Scholarships are designed to celebrate talent and reward the achievements of high school students, with a limited number of scholarship slots offered for excellent students.

Regardless of whether the child is a current or potential student, the school encourages them to apply for an S5 scholarship in their chosen field of expertise. As a Lathallan scholarship holder, the child will not only increase their prestige, but also receive a tuition discount of up to 25%. Scholarships are open to candidates with any background and can be provided together with a scholarship to receive assistance on a fee-for-service basis. S5 scholarship awards are available in the following areas:

• Academic
• All-around,
• Sport (general),
• Rugby
• Netball
• Drama
• Music
• Bagpipes/Marching Drums,
• Ecology.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision