Anderson High School (Shetland)
Encyclopedia
The Anderson High School (A.H.S.) is a comprehensive
secondary school
in Lerwick
, Shetland
.
The A.H.S. is the largest school in Shetland with about 752 pupils from age 11 to 18.
Pupils transfer to the AHS from both local primary schools and remote island primary schools. Pupils also transfer from Junior High Schools after S4 (age 16), leading to more pupils in S5 than in S4. Until recently, Scottish Qualifications Authority
statistics based S5 exam results as a proportion of the S4 roll, leading to statistical anomalies.
In 2005, the school was awarded Schools of Ambition
status.
Head Teacher Valerie Nicolson was the youngest female headteacher in Scotland when she was appointed in 2003.
and officially opened in 1862. The school has had four different names;
After the beanfeast, the 5th and 6th year pupils traditionally hold a separate "after-party", funded by the pupils themselves.
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Lerwick
Lerwick
Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 100 miles off the north coast of mainland Scotland on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland...
, Shetland
Shetland Islands
Shetland is a subarctic archipelago of Scotland that lies north and east of mainland Great Britain. The islands lie some to the northeast of Orkney and southeast of the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total...
.
The A.H.S. is the largest school in Shetland with about 752 pupils from age 11 to 18.
Pupils transfer to the AHS from both local primary schools and remote island primary schools. Pupils also transfer from Junior High Schools after S4 (age 16), leading to more pupils in S5 than in S4. Until recently, Scottish Qualifications Authority
Scottish Qualifications Authority
The Scottish Qualifications Authority is a non-departmental public body responsible for accreditation and awarding. It is partly funded by the Education and Lifelong Learning Directorate of the Scottish Government, employing 750 staff, based in Glasgow and Dalkeith...
statistics based S5 exam results as a proportion of the S4 roll, leading to statistical anomalies.
In 2005, the school was awarded Schools of Ambition
Schools of Ambition
The Schools of Ambition programme was a political education initiative for secondary schools in Scotland run by the Education and Lifelong Learning Directorate....
status.
Head Teacher Valerie Nicolson was the youngest female headteacher in Scotland when she was appointed in 2003.
History
The school was founded by Arthur AndersonArthur Anderson (businessman)
Arthur Anderson was a Scottish businessman and Liberal politician. He was co-founder of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company .-Career:...
and officially opened in 1862. The school has had four different names;
- LFPS Lerwick First Public School
- LCPS Lerwick Central Public School
- AEI Anderson Educational Institute
- AHS Anderson High School
Beanfeast
Every year, the 6th year pupils of Anderson organise a traditional "beanfeast" at the end of December, the day before closing for the Christmas break. All pupils and teachers dress up in gowns and suits, as it is a formal party. There is a different theme each year and the 6th years put on small drama productions to mock events which happened months before. The acts also mock some notable teachers. The beanfeast for each class is on different days;- S1 and S2s together
- S3 and S4s together
- S5, S6 and teachers attend the final one.
After the beanfeast, the 5th and 6th year pupils traditionally hold a separate "after-party", funded by the pupils themselves.