Prep school switches to national curriculum

AN EXCLUSIVE private school where classes as small as 12 are taught in a converted Victorian castle has given its backing to Scotland’s national curriculum after scrapping its traditional exam structure.

Lathallan School near Montrose has traditionally been a feeder for the likes of Gordonstoun and Fettes, but has moved from being a prep school to one which also provides “all through” education for all ages.

Its headteacher, Richard Toley, said he had “nailed his colours to the mast” by endorsing the Curriculum for Excellence and abandoning the Common Entrance Exam.

Introduced by the Scottish Government in 2010, Curriculum for Excellence had a controversial start after it was delayed by a year due to concerns from teachers that they were ill- prepared for its arrival.

Last week, researchers at Stirling University’s school of education said the new curriculum was still causing “considerable anxiety” for the profession.

But Lathallan said that, despite taking initial claims about the new curriculum with a “large pinch of salt”, it was now working well for its pupils.

Mr Toley said that, with 95 per cent of the school’s pupils now staying at Lathallan rather than leaving for the likes of Eton, Harrow or Gordonstoun, there had been a need to ditch the Common Entrance Exam, which can involve around ten exams in total and two years’ of work for P7 and S1 pupils.

He said: “The Common Entrance Exam no longer fitted with our identity. What I like about Curriculum for Excellence is the focus on individuals.

“It also gives flexibility to pupils and schools. I think it’s working well. It’s still early days, but the early signs are good as far as I’m concerned.”

Alasdair Allan, the minister for learning, said: “Since the introduction of Curriculum for Excellence, schools, teachers and pupils have adapted very well to a new way of working.”