Aberdeenshire schools, Aboyne and Banchory area

[SweetPea593]

Can anyone give any insight into any of the primary and secondary schools in the Banchory and Aboyne area please, particularly if anyone has any experiences with special needs provision at all? thanks!

I think Banchory Academy has a very good reputation. Don't know about Aboyne. My NDN moved to Banchory in order to be in catchment for her Downs child as it was so highly thought of. This was a few years ago but still think it's up there in the league tables

Thanks 3dogdnorth. From what I've read, both secondaries are well regarded. Struggling to find any info on the primaries though and what they offer for children with SEN.

Hi

I have name changed for this but am a regular on Scotsnet.

My DCs go/went to Banchory Academy and Banchory Primary School.

Banchory Academy overall seems a great school and gets good results (most years in the top ten in Scotland for Higher results)

It offers a good selection of Advanced Highers and Highers. Aberdeenshire Council only allows you to take a total of 6 Nat 5s, where many LEAs offer up to 8 subjects. It seems to suit high achieving students well and has moved towards encouraging more vocational/alternative pathway options for less academically able students.

Banchory Primary School is another story. To be fair, my DCs were there a few years ago and things may have changed for the better but the school was disorganised and hit and miss with the quality of support and teaching.

There are a few small schools around which are a good option. It's possible to attend one of these although you may live out of zone.

Hill of Banchory Primary also has a good reputation.

Any other questions, fire away.

Thanks Switchname, this is really helpful and I appreciate your honesty!

I do like the sound of a smaller primary school, possibly one of the rural ones with composite classes - my child is at a large primary just now and can be a bit overwhelming. We have no diagnosis but heading that way I think.

We've been to the area many times and it seems like a great place to live, though we may have to start saving to afford the property prices!

My DC did actually switch to a small school from BPS for two years which really suited him and he flourished there. It just meant I had to commit to drive him in and back every day. It's more common than you think.

Also, there is a glut of houses for sale ATM in the area (failing oil industry) so there is a bargain to be had.

That's good to hear, thanks so much for this. Feel encouraged now...will need to have a closer look at some of the websites of the local primaries to see what they offer, as I guess visits will be out of the question at the moment!

Do you happen to know what the situation is with placing requests if out of catchment? I know some areas are stricter than others on this.

When my DC changed school mid way through primary and mid way through the year, I phoned the small school and spoke to the head and arranged to go in and visit. My DC then had a taster day before deciding. I think they sorted out all the paperwork.

If you look just outside the towns of Aboyne and Banchory the houses there may be cheaper but more remote

Thanks both. I know villages like Finzean, Tarland, Kincardine o Neil and Torphins look very nice and have some amenities without being too remote, but it's just a case of finding out what these primaries are like and whether they cater well for special needs. The school my child is currently at gets a good name academically but their extra support is pretty non existent to be honest and teachers seem pretty clueless!
There seem to be a fair number of houses on the market just now, but seem to be selling pretty quickly in many cases.

Banchory Academy may have capacity for out of zone requests. They are certainly not full at the moment and some of the current pupils come from out of zone. There is a public bus that runs from Aboyne to Banchory.

That is good to know, thank you! the league tables only tell you so much, so it's good to hear from locals what the area is really like. Hopefully we can find somewhere to suit us.

Banchory - Ugh!!!

Horrid unfriendly place, full of grotty kids, avoid like the plague.
Academy well known for bullying, alike Primaries.
Through long experience , best avoided.
Academies best reputation is from 50 years ago…full of vile bullies & entitled folk.
Banchory used to be a small Village in Countryside, nowadays full of trashy folk who are hateful and unfriendly.
No Community whatsoever, boring place with nothing to do.

Did you ever move to the area? Truly hope not! Awful place x