Scottish Council of Independent Schools
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The Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS) is a registered Scottish charity which represents the independent school sector in Scotland. Its membership includes mainstream fee-paying independent schools and a range of schools for young people with complex additional support needs.


Background

Independent Schools in Scotland are inspected by the national school inspectorate,
Education Scotland Education Scotland ( gd, Foghlam Alba) is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, tasked with improving the quality of the country's education system. Origins The creation of the Agency was announced by Scottish Government Education a ...
; pastoral services including nursery and boarding are regulated by the Care Inspectorate. The majority of Scottish independent schools are registered charities, as their purpose is the advancement of education. As such, their charitable activities are overseen by the
Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) is a non-ministerial department of the Scottish Government with responsibility for the regulation of charities in Scotland. OSCR is the independent regulator and registrar for more than 24,000 Scottish cha ...
which is responsible for confirming independent schools' public benefit by means of a charity test required by the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. SCIS was founded in 1978 and became a company and charity in 1990. SCIS represents over 70 member schools in Scotland. As of 2016, there were 29,647 pupils in SCIS independent schools. 1,455 of those children are in nurseries, 10,416 pupils are in primary schools and 17,786 are in senior schools. The overall number of
boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...
pupils in Scotland in 2013 was 3,072. A SCIS sub-brand, Scotland's Boarding Schools, details the boarding sector in Scotland.


Structure

The organisation has a small staff team of six, and provides a range of Professional Learning and Development (CPD), communications and marketing for the independent sector, advice and guidance to parents and families, and liaison with the Scottish Government,
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
, public and education bodies. It is governed by a Board composed of elected Heads, Chairs and Bursars of independent schools in membership. The current Director of SCIS is John Edward (Scotland). SCIS works in association with the
Independent Schools Council The Independent Schools Council (ISC) is a non-profit lobby group that represents over 1,300 schools in the United Kingdom's independent education sector. The organisation comprises seven independent school associations and promotes the busin ...
on UK-wide matters.


Functions

The main functions of SCIS are: * To promote, advance and support education in schools in Scotland at which full time education is provided not being schools maintained by a local education authority. * To act as a means of communication between Independent Schools and any government department or any public or private authority or body connection with matters relating to the advancement of education, the development of curricula, the training of teachers and the development of teaching skills, methods and aids,. * To provide advice and assistance to schools on all aspects of educational policy and the advancement of education, the development of curricula, the training of teachers and the development of teaching skills, methods and aids. * To provide facilities for the training of teachers and development of teaching skills. SCIS's key aims are to deliver the following specific services through CPD, regulatory and legal guidance, and additional events and publications: Service to Schools: * to support member schools in delivering a high quality, values-based education for all pupils * to provide up-to-date guidance and advice to schools on key political, educational, pastoral, special and additional support needs, legal and financial issues * to make information accessible to parents and young people, the media, political and community figures and the general public * to support Governors, Heads, Bursars, teaching and support staff through the SCIS CPD programme * to provide research to help schools with their education choices, forward planning and marketing strategies. Promoting the Sector: * to represent the sector at national, regional and community events concerned with the education, well-being and care of children and young people in Scotland * to promote the sector to members of the Scottish and UK Government, the Scottish and UK Parliament, the media, national educational and other bodies, in order to foster a better and more informed understanding of the sector * to highlight and support the particular educational and pastoral responsibilities of special schools * to promote the sector to parents, challenge misconceptions, to encourage participation and widen access to the sector * to secure, market and enhance the global reputation of the independent sector – including the promotion of Scotland's boarding schools. Service to Education: * to contribute to the development of education in its widest sense for children and young people aged 3–18 in Scotland * to promote excellence in academic and all-round achievement * to support highly qualified and well-resourced teaching and support staff * to defend the independence, autonomy and founding principles of individual institutions * to engage constructively with employers, further and higher education to ensure the widest choice of positive learner destinations * to demonstrate the sector's breadth and excellence in curricular and qualification development * to support quality improvement with proportionate, informed and responsive inspections.


Membership

SCIS represents over 70 member schools in Scotland, including: Al Qalam Primary School, Glasgow Albyn School, Aberdeen Ardvreck School, Crieff Basil Paterson Middle School, Edinburgh Beaconhurst, Bridge of Allan
Belhaven Hill School Belhaven Hill School is an independent, co-educational preparatory school for boarding and day pupils aged 5 to 13 in Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland. The current headmaster is Olly Langton. Notable former pupils * Hugh Buchanan (artist), S ...
, Dunbar Belmont House School, Glasgow Cargilfield Preparatory School, Edinburgh Cedars School of Excellence, Greenock
Clifton Hall School Clifton Hall School is an independent day school located near Newbridge in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is divided into the Nursery, Junior, and Senior Schools and educates pupils from nursery to Senior 6. Buildings The school occupies a 19th-cent ...
, Edinburgh The Compass School, Haddington
Craigclowan Preparatory School Craigclowan School & Nursery is a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private day Preparatory school (United Kingdom), preparatory school for boys and girls aged 3 to 13 in Perth, Scotland, Perth, Scotland. History Craigclowan School and Nurs ...
, Perth Craigholme School, Glasgow
Dollar Academy Dollar Academy, founded in 1818 by John McNabb, is an independent co-educational day and boarding school in Scotland. The open campus occupies a site in the centre of Dollar, Clackmannanshire, at the foot of the Ochil Hills. Overview As of 20 ...
The
Edinburgh Academy The Edinburgh Academy is an Independent school (United Kingdom), independent day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, which was opened in 1824. The original building, on Henderson Row in the city's New Town, Edinburgh, New Town, is now part of the Se ...
Edinburgh Montessori Arts School Edinburgh Steiner School ESMS Junior School, Edinburgh Fernhill School, Glasgow
Fettes College Fettes College () is a co-educational independent boarding and day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, with over two-thirds of its pupils in residence on campus. The school was originally a boarding school for boys only and became co-ed in 1983. In ...
, Edinburgh
George Heriot's School George Heriot's School is a Scottish independent primary and secondary day school on Lauriston Place in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. In the early 21st century, it has more than 1600 pupils, 155 teaching staff, and 80 non-teaching staff ...
, Edinburgh
George Watson's College George Watson's College is a co-educational independent day school in Scotland, situated on Colinton Road, in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh. It was first established as a hospital school in 1741, became a day school in 1871, and was merg ...
, Edinburgh
The Glasgow Academy The Glasgow Academy is a coeducational independent day school for pupils aged 3–18 in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2016, it had the third-best Higher level exam results in Scotland. Founded in 1845, it is the oldest continuously fully independent ...
Glenalmond College Glenalmond College is a co-educational independent boarding school in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, for children aged between 12 and 18 years. It is situated on the River Almond near the village of Methven, about west of the city of Perth. ...
Gordonstoun Gordonstoun School is a co-educational independent school for boarding and day pupils in Moray, Scotland. It is named after the estate owned by Sir Robert Gordon in the 17th century; the school now uses this estate as its campus. It is locate ...
, Elgin Hamilton College The Hamilton School, Aberdeen
High School of Dundee The High School of Dundee is an independent, co-educational, day school in Dundee, Scotland, which provides nursery, primary and secondary education to just over one thousand pupils. Its foundation has been dated to 1239, and it is the only priv ...
The
High School of Glasgow The High School of Glasgow is an independent, co-educational day school in Glasgow, Scotland. The original High School of Glasgow was founded as the choir school of Glasgow Cathedral in around 1124, and is the oldest school in Scotland, and the ...
Hutchesons' Grammar School Hutchesons' Grammar School is a co-educational independent day school for pupils aged 3-18 in Glasgow, Scotland. It was founded as Hutchesons' Boys' Grammar School by George Hutcheson and Thomas Hutcheson in 1641 It is a selective school, ...
, Glasgow International School of Aberdeen
Kelvinside Academy Kelvinside Academy is an independent day school in Glasgow, Scotland, founded in 1878. It has a capacity of over 600 pupils and spans two years of Nursery, six years of Junior School (primary school), a transition year of Senior Preparatory, and ...
, Glasgow Kilgraston School, Bridge of Earn
Lathallan School Lathallan School is a co-educational all-through independent school at Brotherton Castle in Scotland, UK. It also offers outdoor learning programs on its 60-acre campus and an on-site farm. History Lathallan School, founded in 1930, was ...
, Johnshaven by Montrose Lomond School, Helensburgh
Loretto School Loretto School, founded in 1827, is an independent boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 0 to 18. The campus occupies in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland. History The school was founded by the Reverend Thomas Langhorne in 1827. ...
, Musselburgh The
Mary Erskine School The Mary Erskine School, popularly known as "Mary Erskine's" or "MES", is an all-girls independent secondary school in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1694 and has a roll of around 750 pupils. It is the sister school of the all-boys Stew ...
, Edinburgh
Merchiston Castle School Merchiston Castle School is an independent boarding school for boys in the suburb of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has around 470 pupils and is open to boys between the ages of 7 and 18 as either boarding or day pupils; it was modelled ...
, Edinburgh Moray Steiner School, Forres
Morrison's Academy Morrison's Academy is a co-educational independent day school in Crieff, Perth and Kinross, in Central Scotland. The school provides nursery, primary and secondary school facilities. It draws many pupils from surrounding Perth and Kinross ...
, Crieff
Queen Victoria School Queen Victoria School (QVS) is a non-selective, co-educational, boarding school predominantly for children of Scottish Servicemen/women (but see full admissions criteria, below) aged 10/11 to 18. It occupies a Scottish Baronial-style building on ...
, Dunblane Regius School, Edinburgh Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen
St Aloysius' College, Glasgow St Aloysius' College is a selective fee-paying, independent, Jesuit day school in Glasgow, Scotland. It was founded in 1859 by the Jesuits, who previously staffed the college, and named after Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. Its strong Jesuit ethos emp ...
St Columba's School, Kilmacolm St Columba's School is a 3–18 mixed independent day school in Kilmacolm, Inverclyde, Scotland. It is split across two sites and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The school provides both primary and secondary ...
St George's School, Edinburgh St George's School is an independent girls' school situated in the Ravelston district of Edinburgh, Scotland, which was rated 'Excellent' by Education Scotland in its most recent inspection. In 2018 the school celebrated the 130th anniversary o ...
St Leonards School St Leonards School is an independent boarding and day school for pupils aged 4–19 in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Founded in 1877 as St Andrews School for Girls Company, it adopted the St Leonards name upon moving to its current premises, the ...
, St Andrews St Margaret's School for Girls, Aberdeen St Mary's Music School, Edinburgh St. Mary's School, Melrose
Stewart's Melville College Stewart's Melville College (SMC) is an independent day and boarding school in Edinburgh, Scotland. Classes are all boys in the 1st to 5th years and co-educational in Sixth (final) year. It has a roll of about 750 pupils. The school is twinned w ...
, Edinburgh
Strathallan School Strathallan School is an independent boarding and day school in Scotland for boys and girls aged 7–18. The school has a campus at Forgandenny, a few miles south of Perth. School roll The school has 73 full-time staff, and 18 part-time staff ...
, Forgandenny Wellington School, Ayr Special Schools Ardfern School, Johnstone Closeburn House and Maben House, Dumfries Common Thread schools, Dumfries Corseford School, Kilbarchan Daldorch House School & Arran House
Donaldson's School Donaldson's School, in Linlithgow is Scotland's national residential and day school, providing education, therapy and care for pupils who are deaf or who have communication difficulties. History The School's foundation, 1851 Donaldson's School ...
, Linlithgow Dunedin School, Edinburgh Falkland House School Harmeny, Balerno, Edinburgh Hillside School, Aberdour Moore House Care and Education, Bathgate The New School, Butterstone, Dunkeld New Struan School, Alloa Rathbone, Kilmarnock
Royal Blind School The Royal Blind School is a specialist day and boarding school in Edinburgh, Scotland that was established in 1793 and run by the charity, Royal Blind. The school caters for pupils aged 3 to 19 who are blind or partially sighted, and has faci ...
, Edinburgh Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments, Cumbernauld Seamab School, Rumbling Bridge Stanmore House School, Lanark Starley Hall School, Burntisland Troup House School, Gamrie


See also

* Independent school (United Kingdom): Scotland *
List of independent schools in Scotland The following is a partial list of currently operating independent schools in Scotland. Many of the schools are perceived to be heavily influenced by the culture, practices and ethos of English independent, or "public", schools. Author James Ro ...


References

{{Authority control Education in Scotland