Clifton Hall is a happy, safe and confident school. It is fundamentally founded in the belief that learning should be enjoyable and that teaching should be dynamic.

There are no greater obstacles to learning than pressurising children to succeed or creating in children a fear of making mistakes.This approach is not part of the Clifton Hall ethos. Our success in realising children’s potential is a direct result of our ability to engage children fully in the learning process.

Our aim is to provide educational excellence in every area of our curriculum. Furthermore, we strive to instil positive values of confidence, responsibility, honesty, tolerance and compassion. Our children have positive relationships with staff and with each other.They learn to interact with and value those younger or older than themselves. Our small classes and the genuine sense of an extended family encourage personal and collective responsibility.

By the end of Primary our pupils are fully prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.They are courteous, well-rounded individuals who display confidence without arrogance, have high self-esteem, a compassion for others and go forward with a strong sense of values. Clifton Hall pupils move on with a high standard of academic attainment behind them and those children continuing an independent education find places at the very best of Secondary Independent Schools. Indeed, over 90% of our Primary 7 children gain entry to the senior school of their first choice.

Situated in fifty acres of its own delightful countryside grounds on the western outskirts of Edinburgh, Clifton Hall School has been educating children for over 75 years.

Completed in 1857, the main building is Grade A Listed and many impressive original features complement modern educational facilities, which include a sports’hall and an indoor swimming pool, together with extensive outdoor playing fields.

As a co-educational day school, with around 150 pupils, Clifton Hall provides an environment within which each child is encouraged and enabled to realise his or her full potential across a wide range of academic, cultural and sporting opportunities. The school’s policy of keeping class sizes to a guaranteed upper limit of 24 ensures a considerable amount of individual attention for each pupil. Indeed, at Primary 1 and Primary 2, we also employ classroom assistants to ensure the ratio of adults to children is increased even further.

We are blessed by the quality of our natural environment too.We have a stunning countryside setting and children are given many opportunities to learn about the countryside and wildlife by exploring, with their teachers, the woodlands that surround us.

Nursery children share all the first class facilities of the school including our own swimming pool, sports’ hall, grounds and catering, as well as benefiting from specialist teachers of PE and Modern Languages.

The Nursery, which is an active member of the Pre-School Partnership Scheme, offers five full days or a combination of mornings and full days. Lunch is provided without additional charge. Four year olds swim each week and have time with the French teacher.All of the Nursery children have opportunities for dance, music and movement and, of course, learning through play in their beautiful garden, as well as taking their first steps in literacy and numeracy. Our approach to Nursery Education ensures that each child is ready to make the best possible start to Primary One.

In the Primary School we fully cover Scottish Curricular Guidelines and children enjoy a lively, balanced programme of study.The curriculum focuses on the important areas of numeracy and literacy. Indeed, around 50% of our timetable is devoted to these crucially important areas. Beyond this, children’s learning is enriched by coherent and progressive programmes of study in Geography, History, Science, Modern Languages, Religious and Moral Education, Music, PE and Games, Swimming,Art, Drama, Outdoor Education, Health and Well-being, ICT and a myriad of other pursuits within the curriculum itself and beyond.

Throughout the year all classes go on three educational trips outside of school. In Primary 7, this culminates in a week-long trip to an Outdoor Education Centre where children are given the opportunity to climb, sail, kayak, abseil and orienteer.

We aim to encourage children to develop a sense and knowledge of their own particular learning style.We attempt to ensure that children have the ability to analyse, problem solve, reflect, debate, question as well as being numerate, literate and articulate.

Autumn Term 2007
Thursday 23rd August	Inset 1
Friday 24th August	Inset 2
Monday 27th August	Pupils return
Friday 12th October	Half-term starts at 3.30 pm
Monday 29th October	Pupils return
Wednesday 19th December	Term ends at 1 pm after Carol Service
Spring Term 2008
Monday 7th January	Inset 3
Tuesday 8th January	Pupils return
Friday 8th February	Half-term begins at 3.30 pm
Monday 18th February	Pupils return
Thursday 20th March	Easter weekend starts at 3.30 pm
Friday 21st March	Good Friday
Monday 24th March	Easter Monday
Tuesday 25th March	Pupils return
Friday 28th March	Easter break starts at 3.30 pm
Summer Term 2008
Monday 14th April	Inset 4
Tuesday 15th April	Pupils return
Monday 5th May	Bank Holiday (May Day)
Thursday 22nd May	Half-term begins at 3.30 pm
Tuesday 27th May	Inset 5
Wednesday 28th May	Pupils return
Friday 27th June	Term ends at 1 pm following Prizegiving

We seek to provide unparalleled opportunities for children to create and cooperate

Throughout the school, we have excellent provision for music. A music specialist teaches the subject. Numerous peripatetic staff also provide individual instrumental tuition to enhance musical opportunities at the school.

All children learn to play the recorder from Primary 3. In addition, there is an active instrumental ensemble as well as a school choir.The children are given opportunities to perform publicly at formal and informal concerts throughout the year. In combination with drama, we stage a vibrant musical production every year involving all of the senior children.

At Clifton Hall we provide a variety of sporting opportunities which enable children to develop their individual skills but which also develop team skills. Inter-school fixtures are arranged in team sports such as rugby, hockey, netball, football and cricket. Individual pursuits also feature in sports such as cross-country running, swimming and judo.We attempt to instil a positive and competitive spirit in our children, which is underpinned by good sportsmanship and courtesy to our opponents.We can not stress enough the importance we place on a healthy and active lifestyle for all of our pupils. Regardless of individual ability, pupils are encouraged and supported to take a full and active part in all sporting pursuits and to have fun whilst doing so.