Robert Gordon's College

• Location: Aberdeen, Scotland,
• Founded in: 1750,
• Number of students: about 1500,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of study: mixed.

Robert Gordon's College is an independent day school for students from 3 to 18 years old. The college follows the Scottish curriculum, from a very young age, children are accustomed to active interdisciplinary learning in the classroom.

The history of Robert Gordon's College began in 1750 with the admission of 14 boys, at a time when education was not co-educational. It wasn't until 1989 that the first girls were enrolled, and Robert Gordon College became a coeducational day school. Today, it remains true to the charitable and educational principles on which it was founded more than 250 years ago.

At the moment, Robert Gordon's College has about 1500 students, many of them coming from other countries, which creates a multicultural atmosphere on campus - more than 50 different languages can be heard here! With qualified staff and experienced teachers, each of the students receives individual attention, regardless of where they come from or what language they speak, Robert Gordon's College has created excellent conditions for students to become truly multifaceted, educated citizens of the world.

Robert Gordon's College is a modern institution that does not exclude new technologies from the learning process of young students. Starting from primary school, students can use school equipment in project, home, and research work: PCs, iPads, 3D printers, and standard printers. After 7th grade, students need to purchase their iPad, which will assist them in completing the academically challenging middle and high school program.

Robert Gordon's College has several academic departments, each of which is dedicated to teaching students of a certain age:

• Kindergarten
• Primary School,
• High school.

At the end of the fifth year, students are expected to complete one week of internship. Pupils are encouraged and supported to find their own place of practice in their preferred career areas, instead of the school allocating places to each individual student.  This gives students the opportunity to find a job that interests them, provide valuable skills, experience through writing letters, writing a resume, that they will need later in life.   

If students in any of the year's groups would like to organise additional internships, the staff will be happy to support them. 

Students interested in studying medicine can gain hospital experience through NHS Grampian's preferred Doctors at Work summer internship programme.  

The college actively encourages students to participate in volunteer activities and supports them in finding suitable opportunities.

Robert Gordon's College does not have residencies, as it operates only in a full-time format.

Every day, pupils are offered an extensive menu with hot lunches, drinks, snacks. The menu covers many of the students' taste preferences, including veganism, halal dishes, vegetarianism, different types of diets and medical specialties, such as food allergies. The school is committed to helping children make healthier food choices by ensuring that fruits and vegetables are available while minimizing the amount of fat, salt and sugar used. All meals are prepared on campus by Inspire Catering vendors, served in the Blackfriars cafeteria. An alternative to school meals is a packed lunch brought in from home – students can have lunch with their friends in the communal cafeteria.   

The cafeteria is open from 7:50 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and there is a cashless payment system: cards are issued to each student, and their parents replenish the account and view the history of transactions through an online portal. 

Physical education and sports are one of the main activities for which most students are happy to allocate their free time. The infrastructure of the campuses provides ample opportunities for physical activity: team, doubles, individual sports, competitions, games and events. Some of the sought-after sports are:

• Athletics
• Badminton
• Basketball
• Cricket
• Soccer
• Golf
• Hockey
• Netball
• Rugby
• Cross-country skiing,
• Swimming
• Tennis.

On Saturday mornings, the athletic campus is bustling with competitive activity from school teams of all ages, and the Parent Association, along with Inspire Catering, provides food and refreshments for teams, guests, spectators, and the college community. 

The academic power of the curriculum is combined with a wide range of thematic communities created to develop students' individual characteristics, hobbies and talents: more than 160 clubs meet almost daily, organize events both on and off campus.  Some of the thematic communities that carry out activities outside of school hours are:

• Animation
• German
• Literature, Storywriting,
• Needlework: textile, knitting, embroidery, modeling,
• Chorus
• Debate
• Drama, theatrical performances,
• Scottish Country Dances,
• Yoga
• Ukulele
• Running club.

The academic program includes not only classes in classrooms and laboratories, but also exciting trips, lectures in the open air, and experiments. Students take a variety of day trips to places of historical, cultural, geographical, or scientific interest to the local and wider community. Elementary school students can participate in the John Muir Award, an environmental program that encourages awareness, conservation, and sharing of knowledge about the world around them.  

• Robert Gordon College is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, the Council of Independent Schools (ISC), the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS),
• It is classified as an OSCR-regulated charity,
• More than 72 nationalities, 50+ different languages are represented in the student body,
• Small classes with a student-to-teacher ratio of 7:1,
• A compulsory school uniform with the distinctive emblem of the college.

Robert Gordon's College is situated on a spacious campus in the city center, which encompasses a historic complex of buildings equipped with impressive modern amenities and facilities. The campus includes the following buildings:

1. Academic departments: The campus houses academic departments catering to various age groups, including kindergarten, junior, middle, and high school, each located in their respective sections of the main building.

2. Specialized libraries: The college provides specialized libraries with a wide range of resources, including both fiction and non-fiction books suitable for students of all ages. High school students also have access to additional materials through collaborations with local universities and the British Library.

3. Craig's Center for the Performing Arts: This center features a 200-seat theater, a digital recording studio, and an art gallery, providing a dedicated space for performing arts and creative endeavors.

4. The Wood Foundation Centre for Science and Technology: This center is the largest school institution in the UK for science and technology and serves as a regional center of excellence in these fields.

5. Indoor sports complex: The campus boasts an indoor sports complex with two gyms and a swimming pool, facilitating various sporting activities and fitness programs.

6. Dining facilities: Students can enjoy meals in the campus dining room, ensuring that their nutritional needs are met.

In addition to the main campus, the college owns a secondary campus located a short drive away. This secondary campus is primarily used for sports and games activities for students in the third grade and above. The secondary campus features:

1. A water-based hockey field built to international standards.

2. A sandy course accredited by the International Ice Hockey Federation, which can also be used for sports such as football, netball, and tennis.

3. Three rugby pitches of international size, five pitches of other sizes, and a large floodlit training pitch.

4. A grass cricket court with eight fields, a synthetic field, three outdoor training nets, and two indoor training nets.

5. A pavilion with changing rooms and catering facilities.

To facilitate transportation, school buses are available from various locations in the city. Each bus is accompanied by a school staff member or a representative from the First Group, ensuring the safety of students during their commute to and from school. Many students even enjoy commuting with their friends, providing parents with peace of mind regarding their child's safety.

The academic year consists of three semesters:

• Autumn: August-December,
• Spring: January-March,
• Summer: April-June.

Throughout the year, days off are organized for all students in honor of international and national holidays and vacations. Classes are held on weekdays: Monday to Friday. The schedule differs depending on the class, the age of the students:

• Kindergarten: 7:15-12:45 or 18:00,
• Elementary, middle, high school: 8:30-15:30.

Families who need extra care for young children attending kindergarten or elementary school can enroll in an after-school care program that provides support from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The playground is supervised from 8 a.m., children can come to the college and use the playground from this time until the start of the school day.

An approximate list of additional costs:

• Nutrition
• School uniforms,
• Some textbooks, stationery,
• Day trips according to the program, some activities,
• Personal iPad, starting from 7th grade,
• School Bus,
• Additional academic support,
• After-hours care for young children,
• One-to-one music lessons,
• Personal spending.

You can apply to the college by filling out an online form. The school accepts applications throughout the year, the admissions team is always available to support applicants throughout the process. 

By completing the registration form and providing the required documents, students will be informed of the next steps. Applicants to primary, middle and high school must pass entrance exams - tests in English, mathematics. Based on the results of the tests and consideration of the submitted documents, classes are formed.

Applicants have the opportunity to come to the campus to attend trial study days: this way they can get acquainted with teachers, attend classes, tour the campus, and communicate with already accepted students.

Admission of new students is carried out on an individual basis based on the results of entrance tests, interviews, and documents submitted by them. The Admissions Committee offers places to those who fully meet the admission criteria.

Robert Gordon's College's large-scale alumni network currently includes more than 13,000 professionals. Every year, the school produces educated, well-rounded, competitive students with a solid base of knowledge and skills who take places in the best universities in the UK, USA, Canada, UAE, Germany, France and other countries.

Some of the higher institutions that college seniors enroll in are:

• University of British Columbia, Canada,
• Marist College, NY, USA,
• University of Cambridge,
• Cardiff University,
• Imperial College London,
• Oxford University,
• Royal Holloway, University of London,
• The University of Warwick University of Westminster,
• Birmingham City University,
• Glasgow Caledonian University,
• University of St Andrews.

The school expects a completed application form and the following documents from candidates:

• Personal documents: birth certificate, passport, health insurance, visa or residence permit,
• School reports for the last two school years, scorecards.

Knowledge of the English language is very important, as all subjects at Robert Gordon's College are taught in English. Upon admission, the applicant can submit a certificate of one of the registered international tests, for example, IELTS, TOEFL or PTE. In the absence of test results, future students will have to take an entrance exam on the school campus, take short tests in mathematics.

All documents must be translated into English and certified by the responsible authorities.

Robert Gordon College offers various financial assistance and scholarship opportunities to support students and families in different ways:

1. Sibling Discount: Families with multiple children enrolled at the school receive a 30% discount on tuition fees for the third and subsequent children in the same family. This discount does not apply to kindergarten students.

2. Junior Foundationer Awards: These awards provide financial assistance for fees to junior high school applicants. Recipients receive a 25% premium on the annual tuition cost until the end of Grade 7. These awards aim to create an inclusive and supportive community for students, regardless of their background or financial situation.

3. Free and Reduced-Price Seats: Scholarships are available for secondary school students based on a combination of academic merit and financial need. These scholarships are specifically for families with an annual household income of less than £80,000.

4. Burnett Scholarships: Offered to fourth- and fifth-grade students from other schools, these scholarships provide discounts of up to half the cost of tuition. They are awarded to students who demonstrate outstanding talents in academic subjects, music, or sports.

5. Early Childhood Education and Childcare Funding: Robert Gordon College partners with Aberdeen City Council to fund early childhood education and childcare. Parents of kindergarten children who are eligible for the Early Childhood and Childcare Grant receive funding to cover these costs. Additionally, the school accepts vouchers that can be used for payment of daycare services and care services outside of regular school hours.

These financial assistance programs and scholarships demonstrate Robert Gordon College's commitment to providing accessible and inclusive education to students from diverse backgrounds.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision