Convenient City-Centre Location & Dedicated Bus Services
Our main campus is located in the heart of the city. It is well served by public buses and the Dundee Train Station is a 10-minute walk away. Around half of our pupils travel to school from outside the city of Dundee, with many taking advantage of our dedicated bus services which offer safe and convenient travel in the company of friends.
The school currently operates six Dedicated Bus Services covering key catchment areas.
Please note: Friday afternoons all buses depart 30 minutes earlier.Â
We have a new pick-up and drop-off on the Perth Dedicated bus at Errol. The Drumoig pick-up and drop-off has been moved from the St Andrews Dedicated bus to the Glenrothes Dedicated Bus. Please ask our Admissions Team for a copy of the timetable.
The Dedicated Bus Services operated by the school currently run to:Â Brechin/Forfar; Coupar Angus/Blairgowrie; St Andrews (via Newport); Colliston/Arbroath; Bridge of Earn/Perth; and Glenrothes. Moffat & Williamson are the providers for all six Dedicated Buses. As we continually review the destinations which will assist current parents with transport, please note that the stopping points are subject to change from time to time – please contact our Admissions team for the most up-to-date details.
Our Dedicated Bus Services are timed to arrive at School at around 8.45am and depart at 4pm and 4.10pm. Younger children finishing school at 3.10pm are cared for free of charge until departure time.Â
Dedicated Bus Routes Tubes Map - June 2024
Click map to enlage
As we continually review the destinations which will assist current parents with transport, please note that the stopping points are subject to change from time to time – please contact our Admissions team for the most up-to-date details.
Bus service information
For enquiries regarding the Dedicated Bus Services, please email School Transport at transport@highschoolofdundee.org.uk
Supporting Your Child's School Journey
To allow your child to make the most of their time at school and to support you as busy parents, we offer wraparound care from 7:45am to 6pm every day for Junior pupils as well as a number of co-curricular opportunities for Senior pupils.
Junior Years
Both before school and after school care is available for Junior Years children (P1-P7), enabling us to provide wraparound care from 7:45am to 6pm every school day.
There is a place for every Junior Years child with no need to book ahead! An invaluable service to be able to call on if you have a rota or shift change, are held up at work or stuck in traffic.
Before School Care is available for a small charge from 7:45am – 8.30am each morning, and pupils may go to their classrooms from 8.30am onwards.
After School Care is available free of charge until 4pm each day, and for a modest charge between 4pm and 6pm. Pupils may attend on either a regular or a casual basis.
Current charges can be found on the Fees page.
Senior Years
A range of co-curricular opportunities take place before and after school each day for Senior Years pupils. The majority of the after-school clubs are related to Sports training, Music practice and Drama rehearsals. Â
The library has access to over 30,000 resources via our online catalogue and E-books and provides a great place to go first thing, at lunchtimes or after-school if you are looking for a quiet place to study. The library is open from 8.30am until 5.00pm (except Fridays 8.30am to 4.30pm).
Co-curricular activities play a vital role in the holistic development of your child, offering immense added value to their overall growth and well-being
Whilst the wide range of curricular subjects in Junior Years gives your child a breadth and depth of learning, it is the choice of co-curricular opportunities and trips that help to ensure they have a richer experience, learning new skills and becoming fully rounded individuals.
Many activities take place at lunchtime such as Junior Choir, Tutti Strings, Construction Club, Digital Leaders and Table Tennis and you can arrange individual Music lessons during the school day too. Musical concerts are held at Trinity Hall and Dundee’s Caird Hall throughout the year and we have a Junior Years Musical every two years. Trips can be local for pupils in L1 to L5 or further afield when you are in L6 and L7.
The personal, social and health benefits of taking part in
sporting activities are well recognised, so we give our pupils in the Junior
Years plenty of opportunity to get involved in sport in the co-curriculum.
From L4 upwards, opportunities include badminton, netball,
hockey and rugby. In netball, hockey and rugby, our teams play competitive
fixtures against other schools and clubs. From L6 onwards, pupils also have the
opportunity to join the Dundee Junior Curling Club.
We know that many of our parents work full-time so it is important that the majority of our co-curricular activities take place during the school day. By joining these activities in school this may also replace the need for you to find external classes in the evening and weekends.
In Junior Years we create an environment that nurtures intellectual curiosity and fosters a love of learning to bring out the best in your child
Our Junior and Senior Teachers work together to provide a varied and exciting Junior curriculum using their expertise in many subject areas to engage and motivate young minds.
While the school ensures that the pupils have plenty of fun, the children follow a timetable to give structure and planned progression to their learning.
Over and above its extensive primary school curriculum, every week the School’s Secondary teachers deliver lessons in Junior Years too. P1-5 have Music and PE and P6 and P7 also have Drama, Computing, Mandarin and Health and Food Technology specialist lessons.
- Music
- PE
- Health & Food Technology
- Computing Science
- Drama
- Mandarin
Happy, confident, thriving!
We are an all-through school, welcoming children from age 3 to 18 years. This allows us to provide the very best support as your child progresses through each stage of their school years and beyond. Our pupils form genuine friendships for life and continue to stay in touch, coming along to support events year after year, long after they have left the school.
With small class sizes, dedicated teachers and an excellent curricular and co-curricular programme, your child will have all the support they need to see them thrive. Our goal is to nurture individual talents, creating choice and opportunity to inspire every child to find what makes them tick.
A supportive and nurturing environment, building strong foundations
Located on the main campus, our Junior school provides a supportive and nurturing environment for children aged 5-11.
Our focus is on teaching and learning that gives our pupils a strong foundation, setting them up for their further education and for life. As their horizons grow, our children are given all the support they need to thrive.Â
It’s a place where learning and development really takes off!
A very warm welcome awaits
We understand that choosing a school for your child is one of a parent’s most important decisions.
We know that you’ll want to find out everything you can about our school, and get a real sense of what we can do to bring out the very best in your child.
We welcome new pupils throughout the school year and our admissions process is designed to make joining the School as straightforward as possible. If you have any questions on your journey, please just get in touch with us – we’re always delighted to help.Â
Your admissions journey with us
Have a look at our website and social media pages, and download our prospectus.
We know you are busy and may just be thinking tentatively at this stage. So why not have a quick chat with us – ask us any questions you have; we’d love the chance to answer them.
We can arrange an in-person chat, a call or a Zoom chat with our Rector, our Head of Junior Years, our Pastoral Head, our Curriculum and Co-curricular Heads, our Head of PE and Sport, or other members of staff. Want to find out specific things e.g. our transition arrangements, our sector-leading innovation programme or our unique High Performance Sport programme? Just let us know and we’ll make the arrangements.
Want to hear first-hand experiences of our school? We can also put you in touch with current parents.
The best way to get a real flavour of our school is to come and see us.
Book a tour or taster day using the form below.
Or sign up for one of our Open Days or Open Events: we host these regularly and you can find details on our Visit Us page.
During a tour you’ll get to see our Junior and/or Senior Years on a school day, speak to staff and pupils and ask us any questions you have.
A taster day is the perfect chance for your child to experience pupil-life at HSD. Accompanied by a buddy, they’ll get to spend the day as one of our pupils.
Complete our online application form to join us for either the start of the school year in August or during the school year, if there is a place available.
Our Admissions team will be in touch to confirm receipt and the next steps.
Once we’ve received your application, we’ll be in touch with you to organise an assessment visit.
Our assessments for Junior & Senior (Primary & Secondary) Years are age and stage appropriate and designed to ensure that we have everything in place to give your child the very best experience.
Once the assessment process is successfully completed, we will be in touch to offer your child a place.
We’ll ask you to confirm the acceptance of the place.
We’ll then ask you to confirm the acceptance of the place and provide you with transition arrangements and a handy toolkit with all the information you need to prepare for your child’s first days at High School of Dundee.Â
We know that a warm, friendly, seamless transition is what you are after, and that’s exactly what your child will receive!
We have new families joining us all the time and our buddy system ensures that every pupil who joins us has a friendly face by their side as they get to know their new classmates and teachers.
In advance of day 1, our admissions team will have shared our parent toolkits with you, containing all the information you need to know about the school, as well as any arrangements for the day.
The only thing left to do is get ready for your child to thrive!
Book a tour, taster or arrange a chat
To make an initial enquiry or to book a tour or taster visit, please complete our enquiry form below or contact us by phone or email using the details below. We look forward to meeting you soon.
Download our Prospectus
Our Prospectus is packed with information about our classes, co-curricular clubs, sports facilities and everything else we have to offer. It’s the best place to start if you want to know more about HSD.
Click here to read it for yourself!
Nursery Admissions
Junior & Senior Years Admissions
You can apply today through our simple online application process
The School session starts in August but where spaces are available, your child is also welcome to join the school at any point throughout the year.Â
Junior Years (aged 5-10)
Senior Years (aged 11-18). NB If your child is joining F4, please contact our Admissions Team before applying as we do not usually recommend direct entry into F4.
To apply for a place in our Junior or Senior Years, please complete our online application form below. A non-refundable registration fee of £100 + VAT is payable at the time of application.Â
Notes about completing the Application Form
When completing this form, it is important that you provide any relevant information in support of your child’s application. Please upload a copy of your child’s latest school report either into the form itself or by separate email to: admissions@highschoolofdundee.org.uk.
Under ‘Special Circumstances’, any information you provide will help us to determine how best to meet your child’s needs and will not affect consideration of your application. Failure to disclose information at this stage may affect our ability to support your child’s teaching and learning.
By returning information in the completed application form, you agree and understand that all data will be held securely by High School of Dundee in line with our Privacy Notice and will be treated confidentially. Your data may be used to contact you by mail, email, or telephone for the purposes of Admissions and relevant School events that may be of interest to you.
NB If you require to make an additional application for bursary support please firstly complete the application form below no later than 31st October in the year before you are looking for entry e.g. applications for entry in August 2025 must be submitted by 31st October 2024. Please note there is no guarantee of bursary support.Â
International applications:
We can offer Child Student Route places in our Junior and Senior Years for non-British applicants who require a visa to study in the UK. In addition to completing the Application Form, please also complete our International Applicant Supplementary Form
Nurturing and inspiring your child to thrive in the real world.
We are passionate about discovering the things that really make our pupils tick and we believe this is the key to them finding joy in all aspects their learning.
Our recipe for success is a ‘real world’ learning environment built on outstanding Pastoral support which builds confidence and excellence across all areas of learning.
This is our approach from the moment our pupils join us, and it is built on a profound belief that when young people are valued, supported, known, and engaged in their learning, they can achieve amazing things. Our whole community share a genuine eagerness to learn, we embrace failure as a learning tool and we celebrate individual success collectively.
Our location at the heart of our city is a major strength, helping us create fully grounded young people who are connected to this real-world environment and understand the importance of being themselves and finding their passions.Â
We are proud that our young people are confident but not arrogant and we believe that this is a ‘superpower’ that will be the key to their ongoing success and ability to change the world for the better.
There is an urgency for us to nurture young people who can tackle pressing global issues head on. We aspire to nurture our pupils to make informed decisions based on our shared core values and to foster emotional intelligence, empathy and kindness at the heart of everything.
We would love to welcome you to HSD to experience our exceptional learning experience for yourself and to consider how we can bring out the very best in your child.
I look forward to meeting you in person and welcoming you and your family into the HSD Family.
Lise Hudson, Rector
Ready for the real world
Why should I choose the High School of Dundee (HSD) for my child? It’s a natural question to ask.
When your child joins HSD they are welcomed into an inspiring environment which seeks to produce exceptional, real world-ready pupils.Â
Our school was founded in 1239 and we’re very proud of our history and traditions. But we’re a forward-looking school and our whole approach is built on a profound belief that if young people are valued, supported, known, and engaged in their learning, they can achieve amazing things.
Our track record of exceptional exam results comes from a rigorous approach, expertise built up over many years and the focused learning that small class sizes and the dedication of our inspiring teachers combine to provide.
Subject choice in the Senior Years (S1-S6) is paramount. In S3 our pupils continue to be able to choose eight subjects, while in S5 they can select from 24 subjects at Higher level. At Advanced Higher, 24 subjects are available.
In our Junior Years (P1-P7), we are proud of shaping happy young learners who – through nurturing care and positive challenging – are truly able and ready to thrive! Every day, the children spend time working on the crucial building blocks of literacy and numeracy and every week the School’s Secondary teachers deliver lessons in key areas in the Junior Years too.
Emotional intelligence is a crucial capacity in the world in which our young people are growing up and we believe passionately in the central importance of the pastoral dimension. Getting pastoral care and well-being right enables our pupils to flourish, allowing them to develop the confidence and resilience to discover who they are and excel.
A vast co-curriculum – around 80 activities extending right through the Junior and Senior Years – means the opportunity to discover new talents and interests extends far beyond the classroom.
An innovative Sports Development programme provides talented sports stars with the expert coaching and all-round guidance they need to reach the next level, while performance opportunities abound in Music and Drama.
Our unique location in the heart of the city helps our pupils feel connected to the real world, creating fully rounded and grounded young people. And ours is a friendly, welcoming environment.
But we are committed to ensuring our pupils will thrive in the real world. The timetabling of exciting new interdisciplinary STEM Innovation and Business Enterprise courses, in addition to computer science for all, has embedded Future Skills into our curriculum. With ground-breaking robotics courses, and a new lecture series allowing pupils to hear from practitioners and experts in fields like Artificial Intelligence, Engineering and Games Development, HSD is an exciting place to be!
Parent Testimonials
Interested?
Then explore our website to find out more!
Or complete our quick form here to arrange a tour, a taster day or an initial chat with our lovely Admissions team.
We are a Community that inspires, empowers and supports our pupils to realise their potential
We deliver this through our creative, vibrant, challenging and aspirational Integrated Curriculum.
This joins together and integrates fully, in a consistent, co-ordinated and imaginative way, all areas of learning and teaching throughout the school. It interweaves our commitment to academic endeavour with our highly developed and supportive pastoral care system and a vast co-curriculum which offers genuine choice for every pupil.Â
Viewing each pupil as an individual we aim to identify and nurture their particular talents, and to encourage and help them to find their voice, while empowering them to take responsibility with confidence and resilience.
The High School of Dundee is a ‘family of learners’ which fosters a culture of mutual support, celebrates achievement in all aspects of learning and development and equips our young people to change the communities in which they live and work for the better.Â
Our pupils are positive realists who are intellectually inquisitive and confident to work with purpose and commitment to realise their potential.
Individual and collective well-being is at the heart of the School. This culture champions and celebrates difference and individuality as a means of enriching the community and puts the views and happiness of its pupils at the forefront. It is a community which delights in the success of others, acts with kindness at all times and values positive relationships and good humour as the basis for friendships for life.
Members of the High School of Dundee family value the unique education that the School provides. They promote and support their school, maintaining their connections and friendships and working together to enrich and develop the School moving forward.
Supporting your child right from the very start
Starting a new school is exciting but it is only natural for your child to feel a little anxious too. We aim to make the transition as smooth as possible regardless of whether you are joining us from Nursery or a little later in Junior Years, at the start of school or part way through a school year.
For children joining from Nursery into P1 we have an Early Years Transition Practitioner who supports your child’s move to school over the first 6 months. We arrange visits to school so that your child can get to know their teacher and classmates too.
Children entering P2 to P7 may have already had one or two taster days before applying to join the school. We also arrange an induction event so they can meet their classmates and class teachers and at this time you will also get an opportunity to meet key staff and other parents.
Once in school, your child’s Class Teacher is there to provide pastoral support supported by the Deputy Head and Head of Junior Years. When your child progresses into Senior Years there is a dedicated Pastoral Care and Support Teacher who will be with your children right through from S1 to S6.
Every child is placed into one of the 4 ‘Houses’ (Airlie, Aystree, Lindores, Wallace) giving them a sense of belonging and feeling part of the school community. Â
Before and After School, Buses and Holiday Camps
Before and after-school care runs from 7:45am to 6pm and there is no need to book in advance as we have a place for every junior child. We run dedicated buses to and from outlying areas and this service has become increasingly popular as more parents choose to work from home.
We run holiday clubs at our Mayfield Sports campus during the Easter and Summer breaks.
Support for Learning
Our Support for Learning (SfL) Team is committed to the provision of appropriate and effective support for all pupils who have an additional support need, to enable them to enjoy and achieve in their education.
For some pupils, this may be short-term support to overcome a specific barrier to their learning, whilst others may require ongoing support throughout their school career. In school you will hear our pupils and staff refer to our department as the ‘Learning Skills’ Department.Â
SfL staff work closely with the School Leadership Team and class teachers across Junior Years. The department also works in partnership with parents and pupils. Parents are always consulted before a child begins Learning Skills support and all pupils that receive timetabled support in the department have an individual Pupil Profile and Learning Plan which is collaboratively evaluated.Â
Types Of Support
In the Junior Years, the key focus of Learning Skills support is to reinforce literacy skills. All support programmes focus on using multi-sensory activities to reinforce learning. Children may be invited to attend the department to receive small group support with phonics, spelling, reading and comprehension. The amount and type of support a child receives will vary depending on their individual needs. We also provide social and emotional support to individual pupils. Learning Skills teachers may also provide in-class support with writing and comprehension for targeted pupils.
In the heart of the City of Discovery
Meadowside
Our Meadowside location – right in the heart of the city centre – is unique for a school and it connects our pupils to the real world.Â
People know our school, they pass it every day and our pupils are a very active part of the local community on a daily basis. We use this to reach out and make connections and build relationships with organisations across the city. This allows for opportunities for our pupils to give back to the local community, it provides chances for our young people to work with or hear from local enterprises. And ultimately it means that our pupils are fully rounded and grounded young people. Â
Our Nursery is located alongside our extensive Mayfield and Dalnacraig sports facilities on Arbroath Road. The site – just a short distance from the city centre – enjoys panoramic views across the River Tay to Fife. A fantastic place to play sport or take your first steps in education!
Dundee is an exciting place to be. From the £1.6 billion redevelopment of the city’s waterfront, the inspiring V&A museum and Dundee’s status as the UK’s first-ever UNESCO City of Design, to the thriving computer games industry, world class life sciences and healthcare sector and countless cultural highlights, inspiration abounds in our city.Â
For directions, travel and parking information, please head to our Contact page.
Facilities
Our main Meadowside campus, which was established in 1834, has adapted and grown to ensure the very best learning environment to meet the needs of pupils today while constantly evolving to take account of evolving technologies so we can prepare them for the industries of tomorrow too.
As a result, pupils benefit from facilities such as dedicated Advanced Higher laboratories for each of the 3 Sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics); a dedicated library; computing suites; dedicated social spaces; a dedicated Drama studio; multiple performance spaces; and a Wellbeing Room.
Our sports facilities at Mayfield include extensive grass pitches and a purpose-built sports centre, comprising a large sports hall, gymnasium, dance studio, fitness centre and classroom areas. Our top of the range all weather pitches and cricket pitches are adjacent to Mayfield at Dalnacraig.
Alongside our sports facilities sits the Mary Lily Walker Building, the purpose-built home of our Nursery. Featuring open-plan, bright playrooms and providing access to all of the indoor and outdoor facilities in place at Mayfield, our nursery provides a secure, nurturing and inspiring setting in which children can learn, develop and play.
Facilities for Hire
First class sports facilities for public hire
If you’re looking for top quality sports facilities to hire, you’ve come to the right place.
Located on Arbroath Road, Dundee, our facilities include:
- 2 all-weather floodlit playing fields
- Large games hall
- Dance studio
- Gymnasium
- Fitness suite
We can accommodate a huge range of sports and activities including:
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Cricket
- Football
- Futsal
- Hockey
- Netball
- Volleyball
- Dancing
- Trampolining
- Gymnastics
- General fitness/sporting activities
Our games hall is also available for hosting large tournaments and competitions.
In addition, we have facilities which can be booked for meetings and events, including our Glass House, a multi-purpose lounge overlooking the River Tay, which is suitable for meetings, social events and functions.
What are you waiting for?
Look at our facilities and availability, or call us on 01382 306221.
Enquire now
Availability
During school term time, our facilities at Mayfield are available to book during the following times:
| Sports Centre facilities (Indoor) | Times |
|---|---|
|
Monday to Friday |
6pm – 10pm |
|
Saturday |
9am – 5pm |
|
Sunday |
9am – 5pm |
| Outdoor astroturf pitches | Times |
|---|---|
|
Monday to Friday |
6pm – 9pm |
|
Saturday |
1.30pm – 5pm |
|
Sunday |
11am – 4.30pm |
During school holiday periods, the Sports Centre facilities and the astroturf pitches are potentially available at different times. Please enquire for details.
Monday to Friday, the Centre and grounds are closed to the general public until 17.30. Access to the Main Building and external and internal changing rooms is only available from 17.45.
Access to the external and internal changing rooms on a Saturday is only available from 12.45.
Requests for use of changing rooms must be made at the time of booking.
Our facilities
Dance Studio
Gymnasium
Fitness Suite
Games Hall
Games Hall 2
Water & Sand Astro Pitches
Glass House
Classrooms 1 & 2
Make a booking
Fun-filled sports and activity camps which are open to all
Our Multi-Sport and Activity camps offer fantastic, fun-packed sessions for children throughout the Easter and Summer holidays. They are open to P1-P7 children from any school!
Our dedicated coaching staff will lead your child through a variety of sessions, including Team, Racket, and Body Management sports and activities.
A typical day runs from 9 am until 4 pm with 3 morning activity sessions, followed by 3 afternoon sessions. And with our Fun Day Fridays rounding things off, we guarantee that your child will have a week to remember!
BOOK YOUR EASTER CAMP PLACE NOW! – click on the poster below, which will take you to our booking form
!STOP PRESS! Dates for your diary! Please scroll down to see our summer camp dates.Â
Summer camp 2025 dates
Week 1: 30 JUNE – 4 JULY
Week 2: 7-11 JULY
Week 3: 14 – 18 JULY
Week 4: 21 – 25 JULY
The Summer Camp booking form will be available on this page after the Easter Camp has taken place.Â
For further details of our camps, or if you have any questions, please contact: sportscamp@highschoolofdundee.org.ukÂ
Stay informed with our latest news
The operating entity of Mayfield Sports Centre is:
Euclid Trading Limited,
High School of Dundee, Euclid Crescent.
Registered in Scotland No. SC357247
