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Belhaven Hill, Dunbar

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Belhaven Hill details

Address:

Belhaven Hill
Belhaven Road, Dunbar, East Lothian EH42 1NN

Telephone:

01368 862785

Fax:

01368 865225

Email:

secretary@belhavenhill.com

Website:

www.belhavenhill.com

Authority:

East Lothian

Gender of entry:

Mixed

Age range:

7-13

Number of students:

120

Affiliation:

IAPS

Last inspection:

November 2005. Read the full inspection report.

General information

Headteacher: Michael Osborne, appointed in September 1987.

Staff: 15 (men 8, women 7).

Background: Opened in 1923; close to towns of Dunbar and West Barns, set in 18 acres of attractive grounds with extensive playing fields and walled garden. Boys sleep in main building and girls sleep in newly-built house. Recent developments including separate classroom block, outdoor swimming pool and two computer rooms. It is traditionally less formal than other schools. Curriculum is largely based on Common Entrance and scholarship examination. Computer room and library accessible in and out of school hours; music, art, carpentry and PE covered by timetable and outside lessons. Sports activities include rugby, hockey, cricket and cross-country; girls play netball, hockey and rounders; pupils also play tennis, table tennis, football and golf and take part in riding, athletics, skiing, and swimming. The school achieves good results and wins many awards. Games are well coached and teams at all levels enjoy much success, but emphasis is on getting as many children as possible to take part in teams. Activities include local visits, or cultural trips, judo, pop lacrosse, roller-blading, debating, gardening, model making and fly-fishing. Charity fundraising. The school prides itself on its 'relaxed, happy, family atmosphere'. Ethos: 'The school has warm and supportive environment to enhance the learning of pupils.' .

Approach to discipline: The school is based on good sense and respect for others.

Uniform: Boys: blue sweater, grey trousers, checked shirt. Girls: blue sweater, blue kilt, and blue shirt.

Special needs: The school provides learning support provision.

Inspection: November 2005: 'Staff and pupils had created a very positive and welcoming ethos in the boarding houses. There was a notably strong sense of community. Pupils were very well behaved, courteous and friendly. They were very supportive of each other. The school provided a warm welcome to parents and visitors. Staff kept parents and guardians well informed of pupils? personal development and academic progress. There were regular opportunities for parents to communicate with staff, including by email and when attending sports events and school performances. Senior pupils assisted with sports day activities in a local nursery. Pupils were provided with a very good level of support and care from house staff. Staff were deployed appropriately to ensure at least two members of staff were on duty at all times. Staff were approachable and responsive to the individual needs of the pupils. Staff worked together very effectively to monitor and support pupils? personal and academic progress. They held regular meetings to discuss pupils? progress. The support for learning teacher provided very good support for pupils? welfare and academic progress. Where appropriate, there were individual programmes of support in place. These were reviewed and revised regularly. There was regular, effective communication between the support for learning teacher and teaching staff. Teaching staff supervised prep sessions which were often an extension of class lessons. They had high expectations of pupils? academic attainment and set clear guidelines for study. During their final year, pupils were assigned a tutor to assist them with specific educational issues.'

Secondary schools: Leading independent senior schools in England and Scotland, including Eton College; Glenalmond College; Harrow School; Ampleforth College; Radley College.

Boys' age range: 7 to 13.

Girls' age range: 7 to 13.

Day pupils: 20.

Full boarders: 100.

Average class size (Year 5): 12.

Subjects taught at 11: 11.

All teachers hold teaching qualifications?: Y.

Subjects taught in addition to national curriculum: Music, choir, orchestra, bagpipes, drama.

Sports offered: Rugby, hocket, cricket, netball, rounders, cross-country, swimming, gymnastics, pop lacrosse, badminton, Judo.

On-site sports facilities: Outdoor heated swimming pool, two grass tennis courts, sports hall.

Off-site sports facilities: 18 hole golf course at Winterfield, dry ski-slope at Hillend.

Pupils sit SATs?: N.

Common entrance?: Y.

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