Merchiston Castle School

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Merchiston Castle School

Motto	Ready ay Ready
Established	1833
Type	Independent all-boys Junior & Senior Boarding School
Gender	All Boys
Founder	Charles Chalmers
Headmaster	Mr Andrew R Hunter
Faculty	49 full time - 9 part time
Students	450 (approx)
Grades	J4-UVI (Year 4 - 13)
Location	Colinton, Edinburgh, Scotland
Oversight	Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education
Colours	Navy, Red & White
National ranking	12th[1]
Website	www.merchiston.co.uk

Coordinates: 55°54′42″N 3°15′13″W / 55.911729°N 3.253568°W / 55.911729; -3.253568

Merchiston Castle School is a private boarding school located in the village of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has approximately 450 pupils and is only open to boys between the ages of 8 and 18 as either boarders or day pupils; day pupils make up 35% of the school. It is the only male single sex school remaining in Scotland.

Academic standards are high and results consistently very good. The school has achieved an almost 100% A-Level pass rate over the last five years, with 82% at A and B grades in 2008. The GCSE pass rate is almost as good, with an 8% pass rate in 2008.[1] Also in 2008 87% of pupils achieved entry to their first choice University through UCAS. A wide range of sports and activities is available and the school has long had a reputation for excellence; particularly in rugby union with over 60 Merchistonians having played at full international level. The former 1st XV coach, Frank Hadden, who was at the school from 1983-2000 was the head coach of the Scottish national team from 2005-2009. The school has won the Scottish Schools' Rugby Cup several times, including in 2007. In addition to rugby, Merchiston pupils have received international recognition in the past few years in the following sports: athletics, fencing, skiing, cycling, cricket, shooting, tennis, basketball and squash. A number of structural additions have been made to the school over the past twenty years including a music school, technology block and library. In January 2009 Merchiston were excited to introduce a new Sixth Form Boarding House, welcoming current Sixth Form boarding pupils at the start of term. The House challenges the perceptions of traditional boys’ boarding, offering 126 en-suite spacious bedrooms, with storage, shelving, trouser press, desk and study area complete with inspiring views. There are modern kitchens and large open plan social areas on every floor, with floor to ceiling glass walls that create a feeling of space and light. On the top floor of the House there is a café area where boys come together to relax, socialise and watch TV on one of the plasma screens. There is also a multi-gym in the basement, seminar and study rooms, plus internet and network access in every bedroom. Headmaster, Andrew Hunter, commented: “At Merchiston we aim to be as flexible as possible to suit parents' work and social arrangements. The House epitomizes our boarding ethos of providing a supportive yet independent living experience in first class accommodation.”

History

In May 1833, Charles Chalmers took a lease of Merchiston Castle, (the former home of John Napier of logarithm fame) - which at that time stood in rural surroundings - and opened his academy, starting with some thirty boys.

Like his brother, Dr Thomas Chalmers, mathematician, physicist and theologian, Charles was also interested in Mathematics and Science so he included these subjects in the curriculum at a time when secondary education in Scotland was focussed more on the study of the classics.

Over time, the pupil number at Merchiston swelled to over 200 and the Merchiston Castle became too small to accommodate the school. In 1930, the governors decided to move the school to Colinton House and the ruins of Colinton Castle, four miles south-west of the Edinburgh in the village of Colinton. The school opened its doors in Colinton that same year.

Three years later, in 1933, Merchiston celebrated its centenary, attended by the Duke and Duchess of York. Fifty years on, in 1983, at a time of further expansion and with 350 boys on the roll, their daughter, Queen Elizabeth, in turn visited the School and honoured its 150th anniversary with her presence.

Progression through the School

The horizontal house system used by Merchiston allows a year group to remain together throughout their time at school, as opposed to the vertical system which splits up year groups. The names of the houses are as follows:

• Pringle House
• Chalmers West
• Chalmers East
• Rogerson
• Evans
• Laidlaw

In the final year, boys who are appointed prefects are spread throughout the Houses, as they have responsibilities with the younger year groups.

Middle School

At the end of the Third Form (S1), boys leave Pringle and move to the Middle School where they are joined by other pupils entering the School for the first time, many from prep schools. The Fourth Form (S2), house is called Chalmers West House, which, along with all the other Houses, is located at the heart of the Senior School. Historically, there have always been more boarders in the Senior School than in the Junior School. However, as was the case in Pringle, the day boys continue to be fully integrated with the boarders by having study and recreation areas allocated to them in the residential accommodation. At the end of this year a decision is made regarding the subjects taken forward to GCSE.

The year in Chalmers West sets the pattern for most of the rest of his school career in that a boy will stay for one year in this House with the Fourth Form Housemaster before moving on again to the adjacent House, Chalmers East House for his first year of the GCSE programme, with a new Housemaster. At Merchiston, this is known as his Shell year. The advantages of this system are that the boys get to know each other very well, the Housemaster is able to construct a full social and co-curricular programme which suits the needs of the year group, and the House itself can have spaces and furnishings which are appropriate for the boys at each stage of their development.

In Chalmers West and Chalmers East, dormitories are sub-divided into semi-private areas for 3-4 beds. After Chalmers East comes Rogerson (Fifth Form). This is the year in which the pupils take their first public exams: the GCSEs. Here, the boys are provided with indiviual bedrooms enabling boys to enjoy more independence and the opportunity to manage their own time, increasing their sense of personal responsibility.

Senior School (Sixth Form)

Following Rogerson, pupils will enter the Sixth Form. In the last two years in the Sixth Form, spacious individual study bedrooms with en suite facilities are provided for each boarding pupil in Laidlaw House. Day boys have their own base in Evans House, an area within the School for both Lower and Upper Sixth Form day boys. The House offers boys an individual study space with desk, wardrobe, and bed providing flexible options for study and prep. The House has a day room and kitchen, and all Sixth Formers can access the facilities within both Evans and Laidlaw.

In the final year, elected Heads of Houses or Prefects, who are boarding and live with the younger boys, are provided with recently upgraded individual study bedrooms.

Whatever a boy’s age, a proportion of the day will be spent in the Boarding House. In each there are common rooms where boys meet and relax together, games rooms, and kitchens, where snacks can be prepared. Quiet times are provided, but students are expected to take responsibility for managing their time and organising their studies. In all Houses staff are always on hand to deal with any problems that may arise. This is done by the Housemaster and a team of tutors. In addition, each pupil has an Academic Tutor who works closely with the Housemaster. As well as spending his leisure hours in and around the House, a pupil does his homework here each evening, under closely supervised conditions until the end of the Fifth Form. Day boys usually take advantage of this provision.

Lower Sixth Form and Upper Sixth Form non-prefect students will come under the care of the Head of Sixth Form. Life in Sixth form is different from that in the rest of the school. School uniform is no longer worn, rather a suit with the Sixth Form tie. Also, responsibility for academic work and the organisation of free time will lie with the student rather than the Housemaster. Socially, opportunities for overnight leave, general leave outs, and in the Upper Sixth, late leaves, become part of the package of opportunities and responsibilities.

Links to other schools

Although Merchiston is an all boys school, there is a wide range of curricular, co-curricular and social links with girls’ schools, in particular St George’s School for Girls, St Margaret’s School for Girls, both in Edinburgh, and Kilgraston School, in Perthshire.

These links include inter-departmental initiatives, such as Modern Language events, careers conventions and fun days for the Junior School. Joint drama and music productions are undertaken and there are many social functions, from Burns Suppers and Scottish Country Dancing to discos.

Notable former pupils (Merchistonians)

• Sir Donald Acheson - Chief Medical Officer to the Government from 1984-1991
• Sir Peter Burt - Governor & Chief Executive of Bank of Scotland from 1996 to 2001, now Chairman of ITV
• John James Cowperthwaite - Financial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1961 to 1971.
• James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon, the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from 1921 - 1940
• Samuel Cunningham, businessman and Senator of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, 1921–1945
• Gordon Roddick - co-founder of The Body Shop.
• Lord Laidlaw - Scottish businessman, and a member of the House of Lords.
• The Right Honourable John MacGregor - UK Cabinet minister
• Sir David Milne-Watson, 1st Baronet, Businessman
• William Grant Stairs - Canadian explorer, soldier, and adventurer.
• Charles Wyville Thomson - professor of zoology and chief scientist on the Challenger expedition.
• Sir James Wilson Robertson, former Governor-General of Nigeria.
• The Hon. Lord Robertson TD, a Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland, 1966-87. He was also chairman of the Merchiston Board of governors between 1970 and 1996.
• Danny Bhoy - Comedian
• George Baillie Duncan, evangelical minister and conference speaker
• Sir James Marjoribanks, career diplomat who presented Britain's successful application to join the European Community in 1967

International rugby union footballers

Merchiston has produced 63 international rugby union footballers – 56 for Scotland, 4 for Ireland and 2 for England. These include Roger Baird, Ronnie Eriksson, Iain Fullerton, Phil Godman, John Jeffrey, Craig Joiner, Jamie Mayer, William Neilson, and Peter Walton.

Notable former staff

• Frank Hadden - former head coach of the Scottish national rugby union team 2005-2009
• Kenneth Houston - International rugby union player for Ireland
• Arnold Spencer-Smith taught here at the beginning of the twentieth century. He lost his life exploring the Antarctic.

Notes and references

1. ^ "The Top 20 Boys Only Senior Boarding Schools by A Levels". The Top 20 Boys Only Senior Boarding Schools by A Levels. best-schools.co.uk. http://www.best-schools.co.uk/league-tables/boys-only-boarding-schools.aspx. Retrieved 2008-10-31. 

External links

• Merchiston's Official Website
• Merchiston Castle School's page on Scottish Schools Online