Perth / Central Scotland secondary school recommendations

[Triliteration]

I’m considering a move to the Perth area in Scotland. I have a not-very-academic (maths learning difficulties) child who will soon be fourteen.

Does anyone have any recommendations of good schools in the area please? I would consider both state and independent, though can’t afford the likes of Glenalmond.

Just beginning the planning stage, so no set area to live yet, but needs to be within commuting distance to Perth.

I posted in Secondary Education, but someone recommended I might get more response here.

High School of Dundee is great. They have buses that run from Perth.

By all means PM me if you want more info.

Or go Perthshire,places like Auchterarder, Blackford, Dunning are close enough to placement request to Dunblane. Places very well in tables for state schools.Dollar also has some Perthshire pupils - though maybe from Kinross.

Friend who lived/lives in Doune was very happy with the catchment secondary that his kids went to (they've now completed their Uni degrees - one was at Glasgow Uni and has just finished his degree, can't remember where the other went to).

Sorry - meant to say Scone - don't know where the Doune came from

I liked the look of Auchterarder. The school website seemed to indicate it was small and friendly, which might well be suitable. Also Morrison’s Academy looked quite appealing.

I’d be happy for people to PM me if anyone would prefer not to comment here. And thanks for the replies.

Dunblane is commutable to Perth so would recommend looking there. I know people with DC in Morrison’s Academy who are v happy with the school. If you are looking at those schools or Auchterarder then I’d look to live somewhere with easy access to the a9 for commuting- not sure what the A85 would be like on a daily basis from Crieff.

I think Perth High Schools are also ok but have no experience of them.

As your son is soon turning 14 I assume would be eligible to join S3 if moving after these summer hols? Be aware that some schools do nat 5 exams over two years - so starting in S3 others over 1 starting in S4. It’s further complicated by the fact that some schools move pupils into the next academic year shortly after the Easter holidays. So for a school following a 1 year nat 5 programme it would make sense for your DC to join before their cohort moves into the S4 academic year.

Good point about schools starting the following year's timetable before the school holidays - sometimes the beginning of June, sometimes even earlier. And also be aware that Scottish schools re-start in mid August.

The cut-off dates for the school year is March so if your ds is soon to be 14, he will be the amongst the oldest in the year (with even some January and February birthdays who are older, if they had been deferred) rather than at the young end of the English school year.