Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Scotsnet

Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

Schools in Dunfermline

89 replies

Squicknick · 28/04/2021 23:20

Hello. We're moving to Dunfermline and looking for primary and secondary school recommendations, ideally Catholic. Can anyone give me any insight into St Margaret's primary or St Columba's High School, which would be our catchment I think. Thanks!

OP posts:
dementedma · 29/04/2021 19:57

I went to St Columba’s….40 years ago. It’s still the same building and extremely run down and shabby now. It is in dire need of being knocked down but can’t comment on the standard of teaching.

St Margaret’s has a good reputation as a primary (or did) but that may have changed.

if the Catholic thing can be overlooked, Queen Anne is a very good secondary I think and a modern building.

Further out, Kinross High is excellent - I sent my dcs there instead of St Columbas and haven’t regretted it

Skyeheather · 01/05/2021 09:25

There are plans to rebuild St Columba's in the next couple of years so don't worry about the state of the building if you don't need a secondary school straight away.

It will be located on a "super campus" along with Woodmill High School (currently next door) and Fife College. If you Google it, there's plenty of info on the proposals.

Squicknick · 12/05/2021 21:36

Thanks both. I had seen those proposals to relocate St Columba's. Would make it far more awkward for my DCs to get to school under their own steam (walk or bike), I think. Some thing I need to bear in mind...

OP posts:
CombatBarbie · 12/05/2021 22:01

Where are you moving too exactly, just trying to understand the comment about being awkward for kids getting there once St C is relocated?

As a PP said consider Queen Anne, I went there so am clearly bias... Left in 97, my art teacher is still there teaching!

Squicknick · 12/05/2021 22:27

Thanks Combat, I will look into Queen Anne too. I'm probably overstating the inconvenience, not knowing how it would be to cycle, but from where we are moving to, St Columba's is currently about a mile away whereas new site will be about 2.5 miles, so definitely a bit more of a trek.

OP posts:
CombatBarbie · 13/05/2021 01:29

That is a fine distance, especially on bikes. Sure you won't be on a bus route?

BlueVelvetStars · 13/05/2021 02:28

I went to Queen Anne High School.. fantastic school ..

I lived in Saline then Dollar

Redglitter · 13/05/2021 03:58

I went to.Queen Anne when we lived in Saline. Loved it, but that was many moons ago. So probably not helpful 😕

@BlueVelvetStars. I've never 'met' anyone from Saline before 😁

BlueVelvetStars · 13/05/2021 04:14

@Redglitter

I went to.Queen Anne when we lived in Saline. Loved it, but that was many moons ago. So probably not helpful 😕

@BlueVelvetStars. I've never 'met' anyone from Saline before 😁

yes I lived on Upper Kinneddar lol
CombatBarbie · 13/05/2021 10:26

Ooh I lived in oaklea....

BlueVelvetStars · 13/05/2021 13:24

@CombatBarbie

Ooh I lived in oaklea....

omg Im 51 .. 52 in June .. Im maybe way older than you..

there was a lad in my year lived in Saline too.. he was a riot.. obvs couldn't say his name on here but no matter what chaos was going on .. in school.. on the bus.. at the bus stop.. the lunch hall.. he was firmly in the middle of it 😂

I often wonder what became of him.. such a funny lad

Redglitter · 14/05/2021 20:02

@BlueVelvetStars. I lived in Upper Kinneddar too!! No 32. I'm a year older than you

BlueVelvetStars · 14/05/2021 22:41

[quote Redglitter]@BlueVelvetStars. I lived in Upper Kinneddar too!! No 32. I'm a year older than you[/quote]

omg this is too bizarre 🥰😂

I lived at number 6 🎉

Redglitter · 15/05/2021 00:58

@BlueVelvetStars

😲😲 That was directly across the road from us. Are you one of 2 sisters???

Redglitter · 15/05/2021 01:02

Just looked at Street View - they were no 8😂😂😂

Thats crazy though what a small world

I lived there 1978 - 1983 I think

BlueVelvetStars · 15/05/2021 01:15

We were next door to two sisters.. very quiet demure girls ... 🤔

I cannot believe this.. its amazing 😂

BlueVelvetStars · 15/05/2021 01:23

my Father was RN lieutenant commander at Rosyth at the time, we moved to Dollar 1982/3.

Redglitter · 15/05/2021 07:50

So you must have been there when we lived there. Our house was the second one on the left - next to the Lawlors.

BlueVelvetStars · 15/05/2021 13:58

@Redglitter

So you must have been there when we lived there. Our house was the second one on the left - next to the Lawlors.
yes definitely, we moved a lot frustratingly, but I did like Saline.
Redglitter · 15/05/2021 15:07

We moved a few times with my Dads job too but Saline was really special

BlueVelvetStars · 15/05/2021 18:41

@Redglitter

We moved a few times with my Dads job too but Saline was really special

it was.. we used to go in fantastic rural walk 🥰

PrimalLass · 15/05/2021 20:58

My kids go to Inverkeithing. It gets the best results out of the Dunfermline cluster but not by loads - and isn't in Dunfermline. It is moving to a new building in Rosyth in 2026.

graceandmercy · 10/03/2022 20:57

oh I am having a similar concern now as I plan to relocate from London to Dunfermline with my son who shall sit GCSE this summer. How about Dunfermline High School? I am interested in a property but falls out of this school's catchment area, and is Queen Anne good for boy who is talented in art? As I am completely unfamiliar with Scot's educational system, would anyone enlighten me as to how can I get a place for my Son? he is now 16 and how can He get entry to further education I mean after secondary school in Scotland? thx all.

ChocolateDeficitDisorder · 10/03/2022 21:12

Both my kids have been through Dunfermline schools and I've worked as a TA in a great many of the.

There are only 2 Catholic schools in Fife, St Columbas for the Dunfermline/West Fife cluster and St Andrews in Kirkcaldy for the East Fife cluster. I probably wouldn't send my kids to either of them at present, although the new building might change that as the current building is old and depressing.

Woodmill - is a weird one. It's almost two separate schools - the local population from Abbeyview council estate who went there themselves and now send their children there, and the kids of the new influx of Edinburgh commuters who bought big new houses in Duloch and are more educationally ambitious. I don't hate Woodmill - it has heart and a real sense of community. It's going to be rebuilt in the new community campus along with St Columbas, which may change the feel of it.

Dunfermline High is a great building, modern, light an airy. The management and discipline are not great though. Similarly with Queen Anne, very poor senior management and lots of discipline issues.

Now, the schools in the surrounding areas....

Inverkeithing High - Currently in an old building with a very mixed bunch. Some good staff and some terrible behaviour issues. I would probably avoid.

Beath High School - A modern building again, a school for the local working class community. Their exam results aren't great but there is a nice vibe and sense of ownership from the staff and pupils.

Lochgelly High School - Similar to Beath, maybe slightly less desirable.

As for primaries, St Margarets RC Primary is definitely the better of them with a really high standard of teaching, of the rest I would go with Canmore - it's very friendly and warm with lovely grounds to play in. I only spent a day there but I would send my children there in a flash.

Happy to answer any more questions.

ChocolateDeficitDisorder · 10/03/2022 21:19

Scot's educational system, would anyone enlighten me as to how can I get a place for my Son?

At 16 he would be applying to go into 5th year and sitting Highers at the end. You would probably have your choice of schools as there are spaces in the upper years. Queen Anne does have a good art department and they hang the pupil's work prominently around the building.

As for leaving school, the local college is Fife College which has a large campus in Dunfermline as well as others in Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes. It covers most subjects and has links with several universities. The schools will help with the application process or he could apply directly if he doesn't go to school.

He could also skip going to school and go straight to college to sit just a course made up of Highers, although it is a more limited range than the schools offer. Alternatively he could just go straight onto a Level 6/7 college course at 16 and start working on his chosen career.