Glasgow secondary private schools?

[user1474145159]

Does anyone have any experience with Glasgow secondary private schools, especially Glasgow Academy, Kelvinside Academy, Hutchesons, and Belmont House? How selective are they? And excuse my ignorance, but do they follow the Curriculum for Excellence, or do they set their own curriculum? Are there any drug problems, bullying etc.

Hutchesons will claim to be selective (as, I think, will GA and KA) but I know of one year where Hutchie accepted every pupil who had sat the entrance exam. I worked in Belmont for a time and it definitely isn't selective; when I worked there it had an amazing SEN teacher who specialised in dyslexia but at the same time over half the S5s attained 5 As in their Highers so it's a very mixed bag.
They all follow CfE , although may offer A levels as well as AH in S6. Every school has issues with bullying and drugs.

Just wondering why is the Curriculum for Excellence so controversial? Is it considered worse than English curriculum?