Scottish Catholic Observer

A Catholic school in Rutherglen is celebrating its 40th anniversary by offering five full scholarships, worth a total of £250,000 to pupils.

Fernhill, one of the top independent schools in the country, is offering five free places worth £50,000 to each student.

Founded in 1972, after the order of the Sisters of Notre Dame declared its intention of closing the primary school it had run at Fernhill since 1953, the Rutherglen school is currently enjoying a year of celebrations marking its 40th anniversary.

The scholarships on offer are available to pupils who will be able to demonstrate high academic achievements and support the Christian values and ethos of the Catholic independent school for the length of their education at Fernhill.

The school, which runs with a board of governors, has a nursery, primary and secondary department. At secondary level it has a girls-only policy.

Scholarship offer

Tony Boswell, a member of the school’s board of governors, explained more about the scholarship offer.

“We are offering five places to highly academic youngsters who would benefit from education in one of Scotland’s top independent schools but cannot afford the costs of private education,” he said. “We are a caring, inclusive and sharing Catholic school and know there are many children who would greatly benefit from education at Fernhill School.”

Kathleen Boswell, also on the board of governors, said that the school community is ‘delighted to offer a number of scholarships at Fernhill this year.’

“They offer a fantastic opportunity for girls to join our school at the beginning of their senior education and to benefit from the outstanding teaching we have here,” she said. “At Fernhill School, we believe that every child has gifts and talents to be nurtured, and their success reflected in their academic results.”

Applicants for the scholarships should contact the school and will be required to sit an entrance exam and complete a financial application.

Fantastic opportunity

Headteacher Rod O’Donnell said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for five individuals to reach their full potential at one of Scotland’s top educational establishments.”

The Fernhill School scholarships are open to girls currently in primary six and primary seven to join Fernhill School in August 2012, in either Primary 7/Transitus or in S1.

The scholarships are available to any family who are unable to meet the costs of educating their daughter at Fernhill School and cover the cost of the fees during the time that the pupil remains at the school.

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