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Thinking about sending your child to an independent school? Read this week's blog, brought to you by our Marketing department, to discover the benefits of independent education and what St Aloysius’ College has to offer your child.

Based in Glasgow City Centre for almost 160 years and as Scotland’s only Jesuit Private School, St Aloysius’ College embraces a style of Catholic education for boys and girls aged 3 to 18 which places the formation of the whole person at the centre of all learning.

Jesuit education is special in that it that focuses on the formation of the whole person whilst encouraging young people to become 'men and women for others.

Our aspirations for pupils are focused on the five principal concepts of Jesuit education; Faith and Values, Personal Excellence, Delight in Learning, Care and Respect and Make a Difference. These five values form the mission for staff at the College, and allow pupils to understand what is expected of them when starting their journey in the Green Blazer.

Our young people are taught in such a way that they are not only academically skilled, but they develop the ability to look onto the world with empathy and devote a proportion of their time, talent and energy to benefit others. All of our pupils are encouraged to take part in a variety of charity events and fundraisers throughout the school year. Whether this is the Arrupe Programme, the Caritas Award or simply acting as a helping hand in their local community.

Here are five reasons why we believe St Aloysius’ College is so special.

1: Extensive choice of subjects on offer

With a primary focus on providing pupils with the best education, we infuse the five Jesuit principles into both the pupil experience and the curriculum.

As well as teaching the core subjects of English, Maths, Science and Humanities, we pride ourselves on not being limited to a standard curriculum. There is an extensive host of other options for our pupils to choose from, giving them the opportunity to study the subjects that they enjoy. We believe that this tailored approach to learning is hugely beneficial for developing our pupils’ minds, enhancing their learning experience and allowing them to add value to their CV which can come in helpful later when applying to further education or for jobs.

From S3 onwards, we offer a flexible timetable for our pupils, meaning that they can study almost any combination of subjects. We believe that this gives them the best opportunity to enhance their skills and make the most of their individual talents and interests. So, whether it is Languages and Latin, or Music and Modern Studies, we are able to adapt our curriculum around their needs.

2: Class sizes

We recognise that no two children learn in the exact same way, so when a large group of children are combined in one classroom it may be difficult for everyone to benefit from the lesson taught. To combat this, St Aloysius’ College has an appropriate pupil to teacher ratio. Our class sizes take less of a “one size fits all” approach, meaning that our teachers have the ability to tailor lessons specifically to the pupils that are in their class. This facilitates a closer learning experience and allows teaching staff to adapt to pupils learning styles.

3: Pastoral Care

One of the most important aspects of life at the college is the culture of care. Every child is known and loved within the Aloysian community and staff go the extra mile for those in need of extra encouragement.

As part of the wider educational community, staff work in partnership with parents to ensure any barriers to learning or social and emotional difficulties are faced together, ensuring pupils have the support and encouragement they need to flourish.

In the junior school, teaching staff work closely with Heads and Assistant Heads of Section to meet the needs of each and every child, equipping them with, not only the academic ability to flourish, but also the social and emotional support to aid their development. This pastoral care programme ensures that children are supported by, and feel comfortable with, staff who listen with care and with whom they can share their joys, cares, and concerns.

In the senior school, we have an integrated Pastoral Care team, with two year offices for Lower school (S1 – S3) and the Upper school (S4 – S6). Each year group has a dedicated Head of Year, specialising in the knowledge of that particular age group, whilst each Assistant Head of Year follows a year group all the way from S1 to S6 in order to build up a true sense of the child. This new and innovative way of providing support for each child symbolises the essence of cura personalis – care for the individual.

4: Co-Curricular Activities

We understand that opportunity doesn’t stop in the classroom. This is why we have an extensive range of co-curricular activities on offer to enrich our pupils learning experience. To widen the range of these activities, we work with specialist teachers.

The College is the largest sole provider of the Duke of Edinburgh award on the West of Scotland, running Bronze, Silver and Gold awards throughout the year. Our Outdoor Education Department has a dedicated full-time Head of Outdoor Education, supported by a D of E administrator, specialist climbing and canoeing coaches and a highly qualified and experienced associate instructional team, that support the weekly co-curricular and curricular activities that the department runs throughout the year.

As well as our sport and languages programmes, our pupils can get involved in a range of different activities. The Schola is a choral programme unique to St. Aloysius’ College where pupils from P4-S6 get a chance to join some excellent choirs and are offered a varied educational experience. Members of the three auditioned choirs get the opportunity to receive free singing coaching, and members of the two junior choirs get subsidised instrumental lessons in an orchestral instrument. All choristers get the chance to learn using the Royal School of Church Music Voice for Life Scheme, and over 80 pupils have achieved awards.

By offering different co-curricular activities, it allows pupils the opportunity to try different disciplines and find something that they will really enjoy outside of the classroom.

5: Wraparound Care

We understand that our parents have busy schedules, which is why our school is open from 7.45am until 6pm to provide pupils with a safe, stimulating environment. For KG-P7 pupils we offer after-school care and for pupils from S1 and up, we offer afterschool clubs.

With friendship and fun at the centre of our varied activity programme, our after-school care offers opportunities for pupils from KG-P7 to play in a safe and caring setting. Miss Gemma Connelly, our out of school care manager, updates our OOSC Facebook page on a daily basis to share our varied activity programme. You can visit the Facebook page here.

From S1, our pupils can attend different afterschool clubs. The wide range of activities and clubs on offer reflects the diverse interests and talents of our pupils. From mental challenges to art, and technology to public speaking we have something for everyone. You can find a full list of Senior School clubs here.

Everyone behind the doors of 45 Hill Street has a Green Blazer story to tell.

We urge you to further ignite your curiosity and visit us at the College by booking in for a tour or taster day to immerse yourself, and your child, in the Aloysian community. This will provide you with invaluable experience when it comes to deciding if St Aloysius’ is a good fit for your family and you will soon discover what we mean by Great Things Happen in the Green Blazer…we can assure you, you won’t be disappointed!

For further information on tours or taster days, click here.