Fernhill School Prospectus

Prospectus Scotland’s Top Catholic School

Cor Unum et Anima Una

WELCOME TO FERNHILL SCHOOL, WHERE SMALL CLASS SIZES BREED ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.

CONTENTS

Fernhill School is an independent Catholic school in Rutherglen, Glasgow. We are renowned for our academic excellence, which our pupils achieve through small class sizes and tailored teaching.

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SMALL CLASS SIZES

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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Children aged 3-18 years are educated at Fernhill School. Our nursery and primary school are co-educational and our secondary school is exclusively for girls.

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SPORTS

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MUSIC AND THE ARTS

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FERNHILL FAMILY

All of our pupils from nursery through to secondary level benefit from the knowledge and expertise of our highly skilled teachers and enjoy full access to our well-resourced, nine acre grounds.

Our prospectus aims to give you a flavour of our school, but we encourage you to visit us so that you can truly experience what life is like as a member of the Fernhill Family. Please email admissions@fernhillschool.co.uk to arrange a visit.

We hope to hear from you soon!

Theresa Hayburn, Head Teacher

7 NURSERY 11 PRIMARY 15 SECONDARY

NURSERY FERNHILL SCHOOL NURSERY IS THE PERFECT START TO YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION. Fernhill School Nursery cares for boys and girls aged 3-5 years and operates in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council, allowing us to offer government funded places.

Our experienced nursery team ensure that nursery pupils’ days are filled with activities that make learning exciting. These activities are designed to help develop your child’s skills and build confidence and self-esteem – and are also lots of fun!

We aim to instil independence and curiosity in our pupils and they enjoy full access to Fernhill School’s secure nine-acre grounds, where they participate in nature walks and learn about the world around them.

As a pupil of Fernhill School Nursery, your child will follow the Curriculum for Excellence – the very same curriculum that they will follow throughout primary school.

This means that by the time children reach the transition stage, they are already accustomed to a “classroom” environment and have developed a consistent learning style – making the transition seamless, simple and stress-free.

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Fernhill School Nursery has such a welcoming, happy and safe environment.

Parent

Fernhill School Nursery’s stimulating, child-centred environment is the perfect place for your child to learn, play and grow.

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PRIMARY OUR PRIMARY PUPILS FOLLOW AN ENRICHING CURRICULUM AND BENEFIT FROM SMALL CLASS SIZES. Pupils of Fernhill School’s Primary Department follow the Curriculum for Excellence, which is designed to develop children so that they can become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.

Our highly qualified primary school teachers ensure that traditional values such as kindness and compassion are maintained alongside up-to-date teaching strategies - meaning that your child has the best opportunity to become a well-rounded and well-educated individual.

Enhancing children’s learning and increasing academic achievement are our small class sizes, which lie at the core of Fernhill’s philosophy. Being a member of a small class forms solid foundations for future development and ensures that children receive the high standard of education they deserve.

In addition, Fernhill Primary School pupils benefit from lessons in Physical Education, Modern Languages, Music, ICT and Science - all from our specialist staff at Fernhill Secondary School.

Fernhill School helps children develop a strong and consistent learning style at primary level and ensures that children are confident and well-prepared when the time comes to make the step to secondary school.

Fernhill School’s small class sizes and specialised curriculum give children the opportunity to flourish.

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SECONDARY AT FERNHILL SCHOOL, YOUR DAUGHTER HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD, ACHIEVE AND SUCCEED. Girls who attend Fernhill School’s Secondary Department are given the opportunity to flourish in a caring and inclusive learning environment with small class sizes.

Many Fernhill Girls want to enter university courses that demand outstanding academic results.

They need all the help and support that their parents and school can provide if their dreams are to be realised. Accordingly, Fernhill School has developed a model that gives girls the best chance of realising their academic potential.

There are two important factors that make Fernhill Secondary School different from any other school in Scotland and together, these factors make up the formula for academic success.

The first factor is our small class sizes, which afford pupils in Fernhill School’s Secondary Department the attention and high standard of education they require to succeed academically.

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My daughter has blossomed since she joined Fernhill and for that you have our heartfelt thanks and admiration.

Parent

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The second is the all-girl advantage. All-girl secondary schools like Fernhill School constantly outperform co-educational schools and we believe that this is partly due to the combination of a caring and inclusive community and rich culture that all-girl secondary schools like Fernhill School offer.

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SMALL CLASS SIZES OUR SMALL CLASS SIZES ALLOW CHILDREN TO RECEIVE THE ATTENTION THEY DESERVE. For many parents choosing a school for their child, class size is one of the fundamental factors taken into consideration when making their decisions.

Small class sizes are essential for good learning and can hugely influence the level of academic excellence achieved by pupils. The increased academic success of pupils who are members of small classes comes from teachers being able to spend more one-to-one time with pupils as well as having more time to spend planning and marking work - two key opportunities which are not easily accessible for teachers of regular sized classes.

As a consequence of small class sizes, pupils are also better behaved and are more engaged in the learning process. Pupils in small classes ask more questions, discuss subjects with teachers and are more inquisitive than their regular class size peers.

Fernhill School believes in maintaining small class sizes from nursery level all the way through to secondary school, meaning that your child will receive a consistently excellent standard of education throughout their entire time at our school.

We want our pupils’ questions to be listened to and answered, and in a small class, no hand goes unseen and no voice unheard.

The evidence in favour of small class sizes is overwhelming and there is no better place for your child to flourish in a small class than Fernhill School.

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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FERNHILL SCHOOL HOLDS AN OUTSTANDING RECORD OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. Fernhill School follows its own Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) from nursery to secondary level, which was designed with the aim of developing children aged 3-18 years so that they can become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.

We strive to ensure strength and consistency in learning and development and aim to instil confidence in our pupils from a young age.

Fernhill School works hard to deliver the highest standard of Catholic education and quality of teaching is enhanced by our small class sizes, which are at the core of Fernhill’s philosophy throughout the school.

At Primary level, small class sizes coupled with strong and consistent learning and teaching strategies create the best opportunities for your child to learn, develop and excel.

In our Secondary Department, girls are provided with all the resources they require to grow, thrive and lead.

We give all of our pupils all of the opportunities, support and care they could wish for to realise their full potential. Many of our pupils go on to study courses at university which have demanding entry requirements.

At Fernhill School, pupils thrive in an inclusive Catholic community where excellence is encouraged, success is celebrated and achievement is awarded.

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SPORTS WE BELIEVE IN HEALTHY BODIES, HEALTHY MINDS AND HEALTHY COMPETITION. Sports are an integral part of life at Fernhill School for our nursery, primary and secondary pupils.

We strive to improve the health and wellbeing of all of our pupils and we firmly believe that teaching children about sports and active lifestyles in an enthusiastic and stimulating manner will encourage our pupils to maintain healthy habits into adulthood.

At Fernhill School, this learning begins early, with our nursery pupils receiving teaching in Physical Education from our qualified Secondary staff.

Our Physical Education Department aims to provide all children with the opportunity to improve their practical performance in sports while developing their knowledge and understanding of the human body and educating them on how to lead a healthy lifestyle.

We aim to cultivate a sense of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing within children and all pupils are encouraged to participate fully in our sports programme, which contains a variety of activities including hockey, rugby, gymnastics, dance, netball, athletics, tennis, swimming and much more.

Pupils at Fernhill School are given the opportunity to participate in a wide range of inter-house and inter-school sports fixtures as well as local and national competitions every year.

Fernhill School allows children to thrive in a close-knit community which celebrates ambition and gives them the opportunity to realise their full potential.

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MUSIC AND THE ARTS AT FERNHILL SCHOOL, TALENT IS CULTIVATED AND CREATIVITY BLOSSOMS. Fernhill School aims to inspire and motivate young people to become creative and confident individuals. We strive to deliver lessons in both Music and Art and Design that are enjoyable and based around practical activities that encourage self expression.

Many curricular and extra-curricular activities in music and the arts are available at Fernhill School, allowing pupils to develop their talents, express their creativity and form foundations for lifelong learning.

Our Music and Art Departments cover a wide range of topics to ensure depth of learning and allow excellent cross curricular opportunities that contribute to personal, intellectual, social and cultural growth.

Instrumental lessons in piano, saxophone, clarinet, violin, guitar, singing and more are available to pupils on a one-to-one basis with professional musicians who are experts in their field.

There are many opportunities for pupils at Fernhill School to join extra-curricular musical and artistic groups. One example of such groups is The Fernhill Senior Choir, which performs regularly in support of local charities and has also performed in The Vatican.

Through music and the arts, Fernhill School aims to provide an authentic mode of expression for our pupils, promoting self-directed learning and giving children a sense of achievement and confidence in their own abilities.

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FERNHILL FAMILY INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITIES HAVE THE CHANCE TO SHINE IN A CARING COMMUNITY KNOWN AS THE “FERNHILL FAMILY.” Fernhill School is an independent Catholic school which is anchored by its commitment to the Catholic faith.

We believe in traditional Catholic values such as compassion, kindness and sharing whilst recognising the challenges of the modern world - this is reflected in our teaching and ethos throughout the entire school.

We welcome children of all denominations to join the Fernhill Family and are proud of our caring and inclusive Catholic ethos.

At Fernhill School, your child’s spiritual, emotional and intellectual aspirations will be realised in a caring and supportive environment founded in the values of our shared Catholic faith. We are committed to an integrated education and aim to develop your child academically, emotionally and spiritually while working in close partnership with you.

LIVING THE FAITH

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To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children.

Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others.

Pope John Paul II

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Preparation for the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation is an integral part of the Primary curriculum at Fernhill School.

We equip children with strong moral foundations, positive and distinct identities and a keen sense of personal responsibility. A strong commitment to charity and a belief in the principal that everyone should and can make a positive and lasting contribution to society is instilled in every child.

Children are more than just “pupils” at Fernhill School; we are all part of the Fernhill Family and respect each other as such.

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Scotland’s Top Catholic School

Fernbrae Avenue, Burnside, Glasgow G73 4SG T: 0141 634 2674 F: 0141 631 4343 e: admissions@fernhillschool.co.uk

www.fernhillschool.co.uk