Dollar Academy
Dollar Academy
John McNabb established Dollar Academy, an independent coed day and boarding school in Scotland, in 1818. The 70-acre (28 hectare) open campus is located in the heart of Dollar, Clackmannanshire, at the base of the Ochil Hills.
By 2020, Dollar Academy will have more than 1200 students, making it Scotland's sixth-largest independent school.
The majority of day students come from the Dollar village or the nearby counties of Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire, Perth and Kinross, or Fife. The remaining group of students are boarders. Nearly half of the boarding students are foreign nationals, with the remaining students being British citizens. About 20% of all students come from other countries altogether.
Programs in Dollar Academy
On campus, The Dollar Academy Prep School (Preparatory School) has its own distinctive building. Two classes in each year group from Prep 1 (the youngest at around 5 years old) to Prep 5 are housed in ten spacious classrooms that are flooded with light from numerous windows (the oldest aged approx. 9 years). A wooden trim walk runs along one side of the building and connects to an astro pitch, which provides a safe, contained multi-activity and play area for Dollar Academy's younger students. The infant classrooms have direct access to their own gated garden area, which feeds on to a wider grassed area.
The robust and successful teaching of English and mathematics, health and wellbeing, science, social studies, and technologies are clearly prioritized at Dollar Academy Prep School, which combines the best traditional teaching methods with cutting-edge digital and interactive techniques. Achieving high quality education requires meticulous planning, innovative and inspiring instruction, and routine, thoughtful ongoing assessment. All Prep 1 students receive specialized instruction, materials, and facilities in art, music, and physical education (for instance, all students take swimming lessons every week in the 20-meter pool at Dollar Academy), and they also have access to senior school science labs and engineering workshops. Before beginning more official language instruction in Junior 1, Prep 4 and Prep 5 offer taster experiences in French, German, and Spanish.
Dollar Academy students in the Junior School experience a hybrid timetable that combines lessons in English, Mathematics, RME, PSE, and ICT taught in their own classroom by their primary class teacher with lessons taught in the larger school by senior subject specialists in art music, PE, modern languages, laboratory science, engineering and design technology, home economics, and computing. Older students at Dollar Academy are keen to study History, Geography, and Science in greater detail because they have already studied Social Courses through theme work in the Prep School. These "swap" subjects are taught by subject specialists on the Junior School staff. Additionally, Junior 1 students take a Life Skills course that covers topics like Personal Finance, Careers and the World of Work, and Sustainability that are relevant to today's society.
The super-curriculum at Dollar Academy is far more diverse and contemporary than you may anticipate, and it offers more SQA test courses than any other school in Scotland. Form VI offers elective modules in a variety of topics, including microbiology, astronomy, philosophy, and Italian, to name a few. This variety benefits students at lower levels of the school as well, and all students take classes in coding, robotics, debating, culinary, and classics.
In Form I and Form II, Dollar Academy offers a wide selection of studies to help developing brains discover their areas of interest. Before moving on to Highers in Form V, students in Form III choose seven or eight subjects and start the two-year National Qualifications program. This year, higher exams are taken in five disciplines, and Form VI students have a variety of options, including Advanced Highers. Students at Dollar Academy are understandably ambitious, and according to freshly compiled data, they complete more Advanced Highers than students at any other school in Scotland. Project-based Advanced Highers are a great way to get ready for university and beyond. We go on a linguistic journey unlike any other with ancient Greek. The language of some of the greatest writers in history, including Herodotus, Plato, and Sophocles, is introduced in this module. It also offers some background information on the origins of the English language. The course emphasizes grammar and translation, giving students the chance to study the ancient authors' original works and learn about the societies that produced these literary masterpieces. Two translated passages of Greek will be used as the form of assessment.
An internationally accepted IT credential that allows individuals to show their proficiency with computers is the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL). The ECDL curriculum is made to address important IT ideas as well as real-world computer usage in the workplace and in society. It can be applied to make it crystal obvious to colleges and future companies that a certain degree of IT proficiency has been attained.
It is divided into seven modules that can be completed in any order and over a three-year period. Prior to receiving an ECDL certificate, all modules must be passed.
The course will be timetabled for one period per week and is skills-based. The goal is for students to complete the full qualification by the end of Form VI, but they can work at their own speed and start at different levels based on their current IT skills and ability. They can improve on the IT abilities they acquired in Forms III and IV, and some students entering Form VI only need to finish one or two more modules to earn a full certification.
Additional mathematics instruction is geared toward students who want to apply to universities for programs that require math-based admission exams (all Sciences, Engineering and Maths based courses). It will cover subjects that may be tested on but aren't currently covered in the Scottish Mathematics Curriculum.
Students will have the chance to improve their problem-solving abilities in order to get ready for the STEP exams (if applying to Oxbridge), as well as other admission exams as needed.
School Life in Dollar Academy
For students considering a career in accounting, the BASE Competition is the perfect test of skill.
Students compete in the BASE National Champions competition, which is sponsored by the ICAEW, against teams from schools and institutions all throughout the UK. The competition gives students the chance to network with prospective future employers in addition to testing their business acumen.
During the winter semester, Dollar Academy gives boarding students the option to take evening cooking sessions. Students develop new practical skills and expand upon their prior knowledge to prepare wholesome, nutritional meals.
The school's six book clubs cater to students of all ages and interests. The wonderful library at Dollar Academy and the visiting author program both provide additional motivation.
Chess Club gives Dollar Academy students the chance to test their brains against computer chess programs or in a social game with friends. Beginners receive coaching, and more seasoned players are encouraged to apply for team selection and the chance to represent the school at national competitions.
An informal gathering that is accessible to all Senior School students, regardless of whether they practice Christianity or just want to learn more. Students can talk about problems and share their ideas in a positive, judgment-free environment while also supporting and motivating one another in their religion. There is tea, coffee, and baked goods available.
All Form VI students may join the Critical Analysis group if they are interested in honing their analytical and critical thinking skills. The club hosts lively lunchtime discussions of a wide variety of literature, both ancient and modern, British and international.
A new club called Rainbow Alliance has been established so that everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, has a place to feel secure, supported, and included. The goal is to raise awareness of the LGBTQ+ community. A wide range of activities are scheduled, including cordial conversations and debates, learning more about the LGBTQ+ community, watching LGBTQ+ movies, taking part in events like Rainbow Laces, and setting up guest speakers.
Future Prospects after study in Dollar Academy
Students at Dollar Academy go on to study at a range of top American, Canadian, and European universities as well as at prestigious universities in Scotland and the United Kingdom. The network of support at Dollar Academy is there for students long after they graduate, and the school is always glad to welcome back past students for additional career and educational advice. Students from Dollar Academy apply to programs all across the world. Students will rapidly become familiar with the UCAS application procedure if they are applying to a British institution, and Dollar Academy UCAS Advisors are available to assist. Dollar Academy has a lot of experience in this area, from the initial discussions through submitting that carefully designed application. Students who plan to pursue careers in medical, law, the arts, dentistry, veterinary science, or who plan to go to Oxford or Cambridge will be paired with a specialist advisor.
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