Education in Auchtermuchty & Dunshalt

What's New?

Cutbacks in music funding Fife Council plans to shed a quarter of the Kingdom's 75 extra curricular instrumental teaching posts in 2011-12. If you disagree with this, here are some actions you can take.

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Pre-school Education

Muchty Monkeys Pre Nursery Club is an active supervised playgroup that runs 2 mornings a week in the Auchtermuchty Community Centre. 

You can also share a coffee with other parents and join in the fun at the Auchtermuchty Tots and Toddlers group, also at the Community Centre. 

The Dunshalt Toddler Group meets every Thursday in the Dunshalt Village Hall.

There are a number of private childminders in Auchtermuchty & Dunshalt (please search the directory below for contact details), or visit Scottish Childcare for more on local area childcare, events and activities.

Primary Education Auchtermuchty Primary School dates from 1900. It serves Auchtermuchty and its surrounds, including Dunshalt.
Alternatively St Columba's RC Primary School serves the Catholic community of Cupar and the Howe.

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Secondary Education Children completing primary education usually choose to go to Bell Baxter High School in Cupar. Alternative options include Madras College in St Andrews, or St Andrew's RC High School in Kirkcaldy.
Note: Auchtermuchty children & Dunshalt children travel on different school buses to and from Bell Baxter. **Download school Bus timetables**

Help for parents

• Sign up for school closure alerts and receive SMS text or email alerts when your school is closed due to severe weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
• Check out the 2009/10 & 2010/11 school holidays and in-service days.

There are a number of fee-paying schools in Fife as well as in neighbouring Perth & Kinross and Dundee. Visit the Scottish Council for Independent Schools for a comprehensive list.

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Community Education

Auchtermuchty is home to the Howe of Fife Learning Centre, a community education initiative managed by Elmwood College. The excellent new centre based at Auchtermuchty Primary provides equipment and tuition for 10+ people and enables people in rural communities to study close to home and at convenient times. There are a wide range of courses available, from computer basics to creative writing. For an up to date course brochure call Linda on 01334 658868.

Further & Higher Education Local colleges include Fife's Elmwood College in Cupar and Adam Smith College in Glenrothes/Kirkcaldy. Carnegie College in Dunfermline and Perth College is also a 30 minute drive away. University education is provided at nearby St. Andrews (Fife's only university and Scotland's first), Dundee and Abertay (Dundee).

Alternatively the Open University of Scotland provides flexible support, tailored to the needs of the individual student and their area of study and is ideally suited to those based rurally.

Lifelong Learning

The Adult Basic Education Service in Fife provides free tuition for adults wanting to improve their basic skills in reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic and basic maths. But learning doesn't just have to be about formal qualifications, you can develop a personal interest or hobby, learn new skills like how to use the internet, or just have fun too!

Elmwood College run a series of ongoing Evening & Leisure classes on subjects as diverse as hair, horticulture, multimedia and languages. Check out their 2010 guide here: Elmwood College Evening & Lesiure Classes: Jan to Jun 2010.

Auchtermuchty Library and Auchtermuchty Community Centre also offer a range of adult learning opportunities and Community Education Officer Dave Manderson is always keen to hear from enthusiastic participants. Check out this page regularly for updates on learning opportunities in the area.

Online Learning

On-line learning means using computers instead of books or teachers to learn about a subject. Digital Fife run a series of free courses for community groups, in computing and using the internet. You can learn at your own speed and go back at any time to brush up on a subject.