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Our purpose at Glenalmond is to help make the world a better place. That aim hasn’t changed at all since our foundation way back in 1847, and we share Ralph Waldo Emerson’s definition of success:
“To laugh often and much…to appreciate beauty…to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better…to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived.”
We believe that an education based on values such as service, leadership, kindness, and integrity is at the heart of such a purpose. We aim to help our pupils learn what matters to them and what sort of person they want to be. Glenalmond has always existed to develop fine human beings and good citizens, confident, equipped, and ready to live healthy lives that are fun, fulfilling, and have a positive impact on people and places. We want them to leave here as responsible and effective activists.
We do this by setting high standards, by putting people and relationships first, by living our values, by taking the time to get to know and listen to every pupil, by gathering every day as a community, and by fostering a culture in which mutual support, a willingness to get stuck in, and a desire to do one’s best are paramount. We are predominantly a boarding school, and most staff live on site which helps embed these behaviours and values further.
The choice of location for the College was quite deliberate, and our inspirational 300-acre site in the heart of Perthshire has been described as ‘staggeringly beautiful’. We are lucky to live and work in one of the loveliest parts of Britain whilst still only an hour’s drive from both Edinburgh and Glasgow. Outdoor learning and a sense of adventure are at the heart of the Glenalmond Spirit, and there is a lot of emphasis on challenging but enjoyable experiences that develop resilience, well-being, independence, and an appreciation of the natural environment and sustainability. These experiences create life-long memories and, along with emotional intelligence, are as crucial to a happy and successful life, we believe, as academic qualifications.
Expectations and results are high, and we want every pupil to fulfil their potential. We also encourage an approach to learning that is creative and curious, and designed to help prepare the pupils for a complex and rapidly changing world. We want them to think for themselves, and be bold, ambitious, and entrepreneurial.
Above all, school has got to be good fun.
Here at Glenalmond we are proud of our long history and sense of tradition, but we are also forward-facing, innovative and ambitious for the future. Please come and see us and experience our spirit for yourself. I look forward to meeting you.
Mark Mortimer
Warden
We hope that this website will provide all the information you need about our school. You will find details of our academic programmes, information about our extra-curricular provision and the pastoral care we provide.
