Figure 1.--These children are students at Dollar Academy, one of several academies that continue to opersate in Scotland. This school continues to operate as a private school. |
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There are a number of private schools in Scotland. The history is somewhat different than in England. Public (state) schools developed in Scotland earlier than in England. This was in large partbecause of the reformation. The Protestant reformers believed tht every individuals should study the Bible while the Catholic Church discouraged Bible reading. But to study the Bible, an individual needed to be literate. Thus Scottish towns through the kirk began funding schools (16th century). This was well before state schools appeared in England. In fact, even in the 19th century there was resistance to state funding for education, but this came mpre from the landed aristoicracy than the Church. As a result, there were fewer private schools in England. And it was commin for boys from wealthy families to attend the local primary schools before entering secondary schools. There are both both day and boarding schools. The schools are quite similar to private schools in England, including both preparatoty and secondary schools. As in England, they prefer to be called independent schools, meaning independent from the state system. . The preparaory schools are very similar to those in England. AS in England, msny of the formerly all boy schools have shifted to coeducation and boarding roles have declined. The only real differences are minor curriculm differences and slightly different uniform items. The private secondary schools are somewhat different. They are not generally referredcto as public schools. Many Scottish public schools are called academies. They commonly are full-term schools with both primary and secondary sections. English public schools are private secondary schools. Britain's current prime minister, Tony Blair, attended Fettes College in Edinburgh which is comparable to an English public school.. In fact it is sometoimes referred to as the Eton of the north. . The English and Scottish private schools seem quite similar in many aspecs. Both have strong sporting traditions. There are differences in the curiculum. Normally examining photograsphs, it is not possible to tell if a school is English or Scottish, unless of course the boys are wearing kilts.
As in England, they prefer to be called independent schools, meaning independent from the state system.
The English and Scottish private schools seem quite similar in many aspecs. Both have strong sporting traditions. There are differences in the curiculum. Normally examining photograsphs, it is not possible to tell if a school is English or Scottish, unless of course the boys are wearing kilts.
There are a number of private schools in Scotland. The history is somewhat different than in England. Public (state) schools developed in Scotland earlier than in England. This was in large partbecause of the reformation. The Protestant reformers believed tht every individuals should study the Bible while the Catholic Church discouraged Bible reading. But to study the Bible, an individual needed to be literate. Thus Scottish towns through the kirk began funding schools (16th century). This was well before state schools appeared in England. In fact, even in the 19th century there was resistance to state funding for education, but this came mpre from the landed aristoicracy than the Church. As a result, there were fewer private schools in England. And it was commin for boys from wealthy families to attend the local primary schools before entering secondary schools.
There are both both day and boarding schools in Scotland. There were more not as many boarding schools in Scotland, in part because there were excellent local state schools. This changed somewhat in the 19th century when aind of romantic notion of Scotlabd developed in Victorian England fueld by romantic authors and Queen Victoria who was enchanted by Scitland. As prep schools developed in the 19th century, several were opened in both Scotland and northern Engkland. This was in part because of the lower cost, but also the idea of toughening boys in the bracing weather of the north. And boarding expanded as it did in England with trhe creation of new public schools. In more recent years, boarding in Scotland has been affected by the same forces affecting private schools in Englnd. Some schools had to close as aresult of economic down turns. And many modern parents began to questiin the valie of boarding for younger children. Interesting, some educators have begun to see some value for state-funded boarding schools for troubeled youth.
The schools are quite similar to private schools in England, including both preparatoty and secondary schools. . The preparaory schools are very similar to those in England.
As in England, many of the formerly all boy schools have shifted to coeducation and boarding roles have declined.
There are some curriculum differences between Scottish and English schools and this includes privare schools.
British boarding schools at one time had a uneviable reputation as austere, affectionless institutions. This was not only for the public (secondary) schools, but also for the preparatory schools for the younger, primary-age children. Such an atmosphere seems especially disturbing for these younger children. And Scottish boarding schools a=had an even more austere reputation, in part because of the isolation and cooler climate. In all too many instances, this was a well-deserved reputation. And in many instances this was what the parents, especially the fathers wanted, thining it important to toughen up the children. This seems to have been the situation as late as the 1950s. Then things began to change at the schools. Parents began to question the efficacy of boarding children, especially the younger children. And if they did dedcide on boarding wanted a more comfortable humane setting. This is probably a consequnce of the mother's greater influence. Also the experience of the children became increasingly important. Parents were less likely to keep a child in a school if he was unhappy. Thus a school had to cater to the children as never before. As a result of economic problems, quite a numbers of schools had to close in the 1970s. Those schools that continued to operate had to assess operations. One of the changes made at anumber of schools was coeducation. Parents with boys and girls found it easier to juggle their scheduls if the chikdren were at the same schools. And this meant that the schools had to upgrade faciluties. Biys seem to have been willing to tolerate relatively spartan accomodations. In talking to the headmasters, gthere seems that this was not just changes on the part of the chikdren and parents, but in the outlook of the staff as to how these schools should be operated. Girls and their mothers were less willing. This he schools have amde a notable transitiin to much more humane institutions.
Uniforms are worn at private schools in Scotland, just as they are in England. The uniforms are very similar. There are, however, some minor differences.
The private secondary schools in Scotland are somewhat different. They are not generally referred to as public schools. Many Scottish public schools are called academies. They commonly are full-term schools with both primary and secondary sections. English public schools are private secondary schools. They are characteristic to Scotland. Americans think of academies as military schools, but this was not the case in Scotland. The word "academy" has several meanings in the English language. The primary definition is a school with a specialized academic program. This is the sence that academy was adopted by American military schools, meaning a school with a specisalized military program. Schools specializing in the arts are also often called academies. This as not the sence in which academy came to be used in Scotland. We do not yet have details on when academies first began to appear in Scotland. We do not know what individual or group adopted the term. We do know that it was adopted because of its clasical connotations. The classical Academy was of course was the classical school of philosophty based on Platonic thought. It was name after a grove of trees in Athens where Plato thought. We do not know when the first academy was founded in Scotlsand. We do know that academies were well established throughout Scotland by the late 19th century. Britain's long-term primeminister, Tony Blair, attended Fettes College in Edinburgh which is comparable to an English public school. In fact it is sometimes referred to as the Eton of the north.
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