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Albyn School

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Coordinates: 57°08′29″N 2°07′55″W / 57.1414°N 2.1319°W / 57.1414; -2.1319
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Albyn School
Address
Map
17-23 Queen's Road

Aberdeen
,
Aberdeenshire
,
AB15 4PB

Scotland
Coordinates57°08′29″N 2°07′55″W / 57.1414°N 2.1319°W / 57.1414; -2.1319
Information
TypePrivate day school
MottoVigor et Juventas
(Vigour and Youth)
Established1867
FounderHarriet Warrack[1]
HeadmasterDavid Starbuck
GenderCoeducational
Age2 to 18
Enrolment800
HousesGordon   , Stuart   , Douglas   and Forbes  
Colour(s)Green  
HMIE report5 September 2006
SEED number5281938
Head of Lower SchoolNathan Davies
Websitehttp://www.albynschool.co.uk/

Albyn School is a coeducational private day school, founded in 1867 in Aberdeen, Scotland. Albyn was originally an all-girls school before becoming co-educational in 2005. The school has a nursery, primary school and secondary school; pupils can attend from 2 years old to 18 years old.

History

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The school was founded in 1867 by Harriet Warrack as a private school for upper-middle-class girls. Following her retirement the running of the school was passed on to Alexander Mackie.[1][2] In 1886 the school moved into premises at Nos 4-6 in a terrace diagonally opposite St Margaret’s School for Girls and was officially known as the Albyn Place School for Girls, but most people knew it as "Mackie's", because of the reputation of principal Alexander Mackie. It was also known as the Union Place Ladies' School for a period. In 1967, the school celebrated its centenary. Under the direction of Headmistress Dorothy Kidd, a volume was produced outlining the school's history. For much of its history, Albyn was a boarding school and only recently became a day school.[3]

In 2016, the school reintroduced boarding. However, in 2021, the school announced that it would discontinue boarding again due to COVID-19 restrictions.[4]

Buildings

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The building at 21 Queen's Road, the former boarding house taken over by the school in 1920, dates from 1884 and is a listed building. It was originally built as a villa for one of the owners of a paper mill. The listing notes that the "grand interior ... is remarkably complete".[5]

Funding for expansion of the school buildings was agreed in 2011.[6]

School performance and inspections

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Albyn School in 2020

In 2009 and 2010 consecutively, Albyn School received the best Higher exam results among the schools in Aberdeen.[7]

In 2015, Education Scotland inspected the school; they were critical of the school's child protection policies, governance and plans for development of leadership.[8][9] They also commented that some children had recently been distressed by letters stating that they had under-performed and might not be able to continue attending.[9][10]

As of 2020, Education Scotland most recently visited the school in 2016, when they found that it was continuing to improve and that achievement of and support for pupils was good.[11]

As of 2020, the most recent inspection of the school's boarding provision by the Care Inspectorate was in 2018; the provision was graded as Very Good on all measures.[12] The nursery provision was also inspected in 2018, and graded as Good on the two measures which were assessed.[13]

In 2020, the school was reported as having bought more consultancy services from the Scottish Qualifications Authority to analyse pupils' work and improve grades than any other school had done.[14]

Charitable status

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The school's charitable status was reviewed and confirmed in 2013 by the Scottish Charity Regulator.[15] The report noted that "In 2012-13 the school spent 1.6% of its gross income on means-tested bursary provision; this is one of the lowest proportions of income spent on such provision which we have seen among the independent school charities reviewed so far".[15] 16 pupils, 2.4% of the number on roll at the school, were receiving means-tested bursaries.[15] However, it also noted that both the proportion of income spent on means-tested bursaries, and the numbers of pupils receiving bursaries, had increased for the 2013-14 year: to 5.1% of projected income, 40 pupils.[15]

Notable former pupils

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See also: Category:People educated at Albyn School

References

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  1. ^ a b "History". Albyn School - Aberdeen, Scotland. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  2. ^ Moore, Lindy (23 September 2004). "Warrack, Harriet (bap. 1825, d. 1910), headmistress". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/53692. Retrieved 9 March 2019. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  3. ^ "Redevelopment Information | Albyn School | Independent School | Aberdeen, Scotland". Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  4. ^ Proctor, David (12 November 2021). "Aberdeen school to close boarding due to pandemic impact". Press and Journal. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  5. ^ Historic Environment Scotland (1992). "21 QUEEN'S ROAD, ALBYN SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, INCLUDING ANCILLARY STRUCTURE, GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS (LB20718)". Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  6. ^ "HSBC back Albyn School expansion". Insider. 7 June 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Private school pupils attaining record level of A-grade Highers". Heraldscotland.com. 29 August 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  8. ^ "Albyn School chairman apologises over 'mosquitoes' comments". BBC News. 25 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  9. ^ a b Denholm, Andrew (24 June 2015). "Scottish private school "distressed" pupils with academic demands". The Herald. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  10. ^ Walsh and Jaffray, Stephen and Chris (26 February 2015). "Albyn School accused of threatening to "bin" under performing pupils". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  11. ^ Monaghan, Aileen (2016). "Albyn School, Aberdeen" (PDF). Education Scotland. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Albyn School - Boarding School Care Accommodation Service". Find a care service. Care Inspectorate. 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  13. ^ "Albyn School Nurseries - Day Care of Children". Find a care service. Care Inspectorate. 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  14. ^ McEnaney, James (5 January 2020). "Revealed: the private schools that buy in exam help from government body". The Ferret. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  15. ^ a b c d "Notice of decision on individual review of charitable status SC008392 Albyn School Limited" (PDF). OSCR. Scottish Charity Regulator. 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  16. ^ Terry, Roy. "McDougall, Grace Alexandra (1887–1963)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/59610. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  17. ^ Murray, Leanne (8 July 2019). "Aberdeen-born actress tells of life on BBC drama Years and Years". Evening Express. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  18. ^ "Mary McMurtrie". Scotsman. 10 November 2003. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
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