Our school

Gordonstoun is one of the leading full boarding schools in the UK.

Our buildings are set in a safe and beautiful 200 acre woodland campus, walking distance from the expansive beaches of the Moray Firth, and within easy reach of the stunning Scottish Highlands. This location means we can deliver a uniquely broad curriculum of indoor and outdoor learning which brings out the best in our pupils, both academically and personally. Our curriculum is based on the educational philosophy of the school’s founder, Dr Kurt Hahn, who believed students should develop their life skills at the same time as they reached their full academic potential. His ambition is summarised in the school’s motto : ‘Plus est en vous’ – ‘There is more in you’.

Our culturally diverse community of students from over forty nationalities includes over 500 girls and boys aged 4½ -18. The physical heart of the school is Gordonstoun House which is our administrative hub and a boarding house for senior boys.

There are seven other boarding houses for students aged between 13 and 18 - three for girls and four for boys – plus the Junior School. We offer a smooth transition from Junior to Senior School when pupils reach 13 .

The famous Round Square, home to a boys’ house, the Gordonstoun library and archives, also gives its name to the global organisation of schools which was founded by Dr Kurt Hahn from this building. The association shares our belief in preparing pupils for more than just exams and university by giving them the skills they need for life itself.

As we have expanded over the last 80 years these historic buildings are now complemented by a range of outstanding facilities. Recent additions include a state-of-the-art Sports Centre and a Performing Arts department which includes a studio theatre, drama rehearsal spaces and dance studios.