Teacher wanted for remote Scottish school with just 15 pupils

Rare job in “vibrant” Highland community is advertised with salary of £52,800

For teachers jaded by the daily grind, a rarely advertised job in the west Highlands could be a breath of the freshest air.

Kilchoan Primary on the Ardnamurchan peninsula is looking for a principle teacher – and up to £6,500 could be paid to the right candidate to help them relocate to the most westerly part of mainland UK.

The post comes with a salary of £52,800 and a chance to live in one the most beautiful parts of Scotland, with the peninsula blessed with mountains and views over the Sound of Mull.

Sanna Bay on the west of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, where a new teacher is being sought for Kilchonan Primary, which has a roll of 15. PIC: Darren Brown/CC.

Parents are so proud of their school and their “vibrant” community the job advert has gone viral on social media.

Kilchoan, which sits on the south coast of the peninsula, has a population of 150, with the school having one class that serves children of all primary ages.

It is around two hours in the car to the nearest large town of Fort William, with residents usually taking the ferry to Mull to get their shopping.

In recent years, Ardnamurchan has attracted new residents with the school roll increasing as a result. After summer, the classroom will gain a new pupil.

Local resident Kirstie Shirra told BBC Scotland the vacancy was more than a job. "It's an opportunity to be part of a brilliant, small, vibrant community,” she said.

Ms Shirra, who runs a small bakery, added: "It has so much to offer if you are into the outdoors – things like kayaking and walking – and wildlife. From my office window, looking out, I have seen dolphins and eagles."

Olivia Wyness, a mother-of-two who runs the Puffin Bakery, added: "We live on the very edge of west coast of Scotland on this peninsula. We love it here, love the outdoors and the views we've got.

"We have a shop, a pub, a restaurant with rooms, a coffee shop and a community centre that really sustains the community."

Ardnamurchan is home to wildlife cameraman and 2022 Strictly Come Dancing Winner Hamza Yassin. He moved there 13 years ago to pursue his career and initially slept in the back of his van. Residents gathered every week at Kilchoan Community Centre to watch him perform in the show, with Yassin receiving a ‘hero’s welcome’ after his victory.