Why Gordonstoun

Why Gordonstoun?

Senior

The original character education

At Gordonstoun, we believe our unique curriculum broadens not only minds but opportunities.

This belief has served our students well for over 80 years and made us the world leader in character education.

Plus est en Vous

‘Plus est en vous’ - the Gordonstoun motto - means ‘there is more in you'.

Dr Kurt Hahn, our founder, believed that young people flourish when their horizons are broadened alongside academics. So he set out to develop other qualities too, to prepare his students for exams and for life.

The approach combines inspiring classroom learning with an exciting range of experiences. All students take part in outdoor education and sail training, explore sports and the performing arts, and participate in one of our nine community services. This develops their understanding of the wider world, instils a can-do attitude and gives them essential life skills.

“There is more to us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.”

- KURT HAHN

Senior School Students laughing as they slide down a wet slippy mat on the grass.

Gordonstoun students on expedition in canoes on a loch in the sunshine.

Senior School Students aboard Ocean Spirit of Moray, Gordonstoun’s 80ft boat used for senior school sail training.

A student performs during the annual dance showcase featuring pupils from all of the years at Gordonstoun.

A student cooking on a trangia during an expedition in the Scottish Highlands.

Gordonstoun’s fire service rolling out hoses in front of the main house.

“Gordonstoun is a real one-off.”

- TALK EDUCATION

Our students live in a supportive community, diverse in culture, faith, aptitude and background, and we take pride in the understanding and richness this brings.

Our location also sets us apart - a 200-acre woodland campus in Moray, Scotland, just moments from the sea and hills. Peaceful, yet accessible, we’re just 31 miles from Inverness and 65 from Aberdeen airport.

Gordonstoun is one of the UK’s last remaining full boarding schools, dedicated to delivering an ethos which stretches, challenges, nurtures and develops every child, so they grow into all they can be.

Come and see for yourself.

Teamwork
Encouraging students to work together achieves better results for everyone, both inside and outside the classroom.
RESPONSIBILITY
It’s not something to be taken lightly, which is why at Gordonstoun we give students the opportunity to take up a variety of responsibilities.
Resilience
By embracing new experiences students understand how much they are capable of. Coping with disappointment gives them the resilience to become a success.
achievement
At Gordonstoun we are committed to helping every student reach the pinnacle of their academic potential.
SERVICE
We believe it is very important to give students a willingness to put the needs of others ahead of their own.
internationalism
One of our fundamental aims at Gordonstoun is to give students a global perspective.
compassion
We know that developing tolerance, understanding and compassion are essential parts of living in a happy, vibrant and caring multicultural society.