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Welcome to Charleston Academy, a six-year secondary school in the west of Inverness. With 800 pupils and over 100 staff, seventy of whom are teachers, we are able to offer a broad and engaging curriculum supported by an unparalleled diversity of courses and qualifications.

Our catchment area, covering the City of Inverness to the west of the Caledonian Canal towards the shores of Loch Ness and the entire southern shore of the Beauly Firth, is regarded as one of the most scenic, varied and impressive areas of Scotland. The landward area covers the Aird past Aigas and Struy as far as Glen Strathfarrar, and from there towards Abriachan, Lochend and the shores of Loch Ness. Our rural communities include Beauly, Belladrum, Dochgarroch, Kirkhill, Kiltarlity, Teanassie, and Tomnacross.

Our pupils extend their developing skills and knowledge through a huge range of interesting and challenging activities beyond the classroom. We are particularly proud of our partnership with the Highland Football Academy and we are a SFA accredited School of Football. Our Home Economics Department has been adopted by the Chefs Adopt a School Scheme through which we work in partnership with none other than Mr Albert Roux himself.  Mr Roux visits the school regularly throughout the year and also assists our pupils plan and host our annual Albert Roux Dinner. Our partnership with Columba 1400 on Skye allows many of our staff and young people to participate in their Leadership Academies. The latest group to attend used their developing leadership skills to introduce our new House System, our Pupil Council and our Year Group Committees. In doing so they have embedded a solid foundation of pupil leadership across the school.

Excellent international links with schools in Botswana, South Africa and Sweden provide our pupils with opportunities for meaningful foreign exchange trips. Staff and Pupils from Lotsane Senior Secondary School in Botswana visited in March 2013 as a result of our partnership with the British Council’s Connecting Classrooms programme. Thirty pupils and six staff from Charleston Academy will take part in the school’s third visit to Botswana in 2014, with visits to Belgium, France, Italy and the USA also being planned.

We have a relaxed and welcoming ethos; a strong sense of shared responsibility amongst pupils and staff; and an active and engaged Parent Council. The quality of the education and experiences we offer our young people means we are held in high regard by parents and the wider community.