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Stromness Academy

From 2nd to 12th June 2025, we’re quietly marking the Empathy Festival—a celebration of how stories help us see the world through other people’s eyes. Research shows that as well as improving literacy and attainment, reading can help build empathy. When we read, we step into someone else’s experience—feeling their fears, hopes, challenges, and joys. It can stretch our perspective and reminds us that every life is complex, valuable, and worth understanding. In a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming, reading offers a moment to slow down and connect—with ourselves and with others.There is also an opportunity for pupils and staff to send ‘Empathy Messages’ to other pupils or staff in the school with message slips and ‘post boxes’ available in the library and foyer. This can be to thank them for being kind, caring and helpful towards them, or for something nice they did. It is an opportunity to show appreciation.On Empathy Day, Thursday 12th June, there will be a low-key event in the library at lunchtime: a space to reflect, discover books that promote empathy and wellbeing, and maybe find a story that speaks to you in just the way that one might need.Our Empathy Collection reading list can be found here on OLIVER, our Library Catalogue: tinyurl.com/26qmna7u #EmpathyDay #ReadForEmpathy #WellbeingThroughReading #EmpathyFestival

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S1-3 BGE

S1-3 – the Broad General Education phase (BGE)

The BGE (Broad General Education) curriculum at Stromness Academy aims to give a foundation in a wide range of subjects. It meets the national requirements of Curriculum for Excellence[1] which requires that pupils follow a broad curriculum covering eight areas of study:

  • Expressive Arts
  • Languages (including English, Gaidhlig/Gaelic and Modern Languages)
  • Health and Wellbeing
  • Mathematics
  • Religious and Moral Education
  • Sciences
  • Social Studies
  • Technologies

It also meets the entitlements to language learning set out in the “1+2 approach”.[2]

Our S1 and S2 curriculum focuses on breadth: pupils study a wide range of subjects, to give them a core set of skills and allow them to discover which areas they enjoy and do well in.
As pupils move into S3, they are able to begin to make choices to structure their time in school to suit their strengths and interests. The curriculum remains broad, but pupils can use choices to begin to specialise in some areas.

For more detail of the curriculum structure, please see Stromness Academy Curriculum Rationale

For details of subjects offered, please see the relevant course choice brochures here

[1] Curriculum for Excellence

[2] 1+2 Approach

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Stromness Academy seeks to ensure that the information published on its website is up-to-date and accurate. However, the information on the website does not constitute legal or professional advice and Stromness Academy cannot accept any liability for actions or consequences arising from its use. Stromness Academy cannot be held responsible for the contents of any other website accessed through a link on our site. Stromness Academy provides these links as a convenience and inclusion of a link does not imply endorsement by Stromness Academy of an external site.