Fettes College is more than a school
A Place to Live. A Place to Learn. A Place to Grow.
About Fettes College
Fettes College is one of the UK’s leading co-educational schools for boarding and day students aged 5-18 years.
Known as ‘Eton of the North’, Fettes College was founded in 1870 and today offers A Level and IB to students of over 30 nationalitieswho thrive in a community that prizes curiosity, creativity and kindness. Fettes College is recognised as ‘sector-leading’ by the national inspectorate body for the quality of its child-centred approach.
Fictional links include being the school of the secret agent character James Bond, and the castle-like main building is often compared to Harry Potter’s Hogwarts.
Our Values
We are a kind community where curiosity and creativity are prized.
Our values are embedded throughout school life and underpin everything we do.
Aim High
Our mentored students are stretched beyond the confines of examined material through a bespoke academic enrichment programme. We seek to create learners who are intellectually reflective, resourceful and resilient; who are adaptable, comfortable in a multinational environment and at ease collaborating in a team.
Give Back
The legacy of our founder, Sir William Fettes, guides our approach to community engagement. Our alumni have a strong track record in making a positive contribution to society including former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Nobel prize winner Sir Angus Deaton. IB World School since 2005 Top 10 UK IB School Top 25 UK School
Visionary Leadership
A graduate of Cambridge University, Helen Harrison has devoted much of her career to Fettes College.
Shortlisted for Best Head of a Public School in the Tatler School of the Year awards in 2023 and 2024, Helen’s inspirational leadership is widely recognised.
“It is a privilege to lead the Fettes College community all around the world. I am immensely proud of our strong heritage of visionary development and see expansion of Fettes International as a key part of my strategy for Fettes College Moving Forward.”
Our Heritage
Fettes College was established over 150 years ago through the generosity of Sir William Fettes, a successful and benevolent Scottish businessman. Today the school has a strong reputation for delivering personalised education founded on academic rigour and a commitment to developingthe whole person.
"Study is not a toil but a recreation to the great" Sir William Fettes
For over 150 years our students have embraced the school motto, industria, which is Latin for ‘hard work’ .
Today this sits alongside our values of Aim High, Give Back.
“The values which have characterised Fettes College go back to the first headmaster. His humanity, his powerful sense of duty and his inspirational teaching shaped a tradition that has been carried on in a remarkable way.”
Alumni and former British Prime Minister, Sir Tony Blair
Our Identity
Our striking visual identity is a valuable brand asset that stands out on the world stage.
As one of Scotland’s finest buildings and sitting in a green 100 acre campus, Fettes College is an iconic landmark in the city of Edinburgh.Our distinctive striped and tartan uniform is an important part of our story. Our comprehensive style guide ensures the Fettes College brand value is preserved.
Our Product
Our premium product is multi-faceted and can be tailored to different markets with authenticity. Strands include boys and girls, boarding and day, IB and A-Level, junior and senior.
Child centred approach
We understand that effective learning happens when children are happy so we implement a expansive programme of personal, social and emotional education whilst nurturing a strong, welcoming and inclusive community. We have developed bespoke communication and monitoring systems to underpin the human relationships that characterise our learning environment, including sophisticated pastoral tracking to allow us to deliver tailored and proactive support. Students at all stages benefit from individual mentoring by staff who are dedicated to knowing them as a whole person, encouraging each child to make the most of the opportunities available to discover their unique talents. We are a national training hub and all staff commit to ongoing professional development. Several of our senior staff hold executive roles in the wider sector.
“The school that places kindness at the core of its curriculum.”
The Times Newspaper, May 2024
Strong boarding culture
“Students at Fettes are known, Fettes staff notice and Fettes staff care. Our values and standards matter deeply to everyone and are reinforced in how we live. We work in partnership with families to build integrity, humility and kindness and ensure everyone feels represented in an inclusive, caring community.”
Helen Harrison, Head UK Independent School
Our strong House spirit provides valuable opportunities to develop loyalty, camaraderie, and competition in a healthy, safe and supportive environment.
Bespoke and rigorous academic pathways with high calibre teachers and innovative practices
38
Average IB points 55% A*-A at A Level or 7/6 at IB
97%
Go on to higher education with 82% securing their 1st choice institustion
2022-2024 combined results
#1
National award-winning Student University and Careers Guidance Programme
1:6 Teacher to student ratio
>15
Offers from Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Princeton & Penn
"Fettes taught me to give everything a go, to do my very best and to think for myself, but most importantly to think of the future".
“Our ethos of all-round nurturing enables each child to grow and become the person they were meant to be”
Our Alumni
Our alumni are bold, visionary and compassionate.
“I doubt if anyone ever had a better education than Fettes College gave to me.”
Alumni and Noble prize winner, Sir Angus Deaton
Sir Tony Blair (1966-71) Statesman, British Prime Minister 1997-2007
Sir Angus Deaton (1959-64) Nobel Prize in Economics winner (2015), Professor of Economics at Princeton University
Sir David Ogilvy (1924-29) Advertising pioneer, founder of Ogilvy, Benson & Mather, known as the ‘Father of Branding’
Sir Richard Lambert (1958-63) Former Editor Financial Times, Director General of the Confederation of British Industry, Chairman British Museum and Bloomsbury Publishing
Lord Wolf: (1946-51) Former President of the Court of Appeal in England and Wales, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
"A sense of independence, the ability to talk confidently to any age group and communicate your ideas effectively are life skills uhich set Old Fettesians apart."
Our highly engaged global community of over 6000 alumni remain connected to Fettes College, and to each other, long after they leave school.
We are equally proud of our younger alumni who each year leave school ready to forge impressive careers in a wide range of sectors.
Elizabeth Macneal:
(2000-2007) best-selling Scottish author whose work has been translated into 29 languages and made into a Paramount TV series
Conrad Irwin: (2000-2007) Co-founder of superhuman.com, Forbes 30 under 30 in 2019 for consumer technology
Jake Wightman: (2008-12) Olympian and 1500m Gold medal winner at the 2022 World Championships
Sunayna Best: (2001-2006) Wellcome Trust Clinical PhD Fellow and a Clinical Genetics Registrar in Leeds with strong academic interests.
Chang Ho Yoon: (1998-2006) Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Oxford and an International Clinical Fellow for Oxford University Hospitals.
"Fettes College provides a firm foundation for the future and a family for life."
Fettes College International
Fettes College International was created with the vision of building a family of world-class schools with a shared ethos and a commitment to delivering outstanding holistic education. Our proposition for collaboration is an exciting one and we have the experience of successfully taking our unique product to market.
Our Fettes College International Team
Representing commercial and educational areas of the school, our team are all long-standing members of the Fettes College community.
We are looking to build on the success of our first overseas school and are actively seeking partners in new territories who share our values and understand the transformative potential of excellence in education.
Yvonne Mitchell Director of International Education
Ryan Li
Alumni and Director of Fettes College
International
Peter Worlledge
Bursar and Director of Fettes College
International
Hugh Bruce Watt
Alumni, Governor of Fettes College and Director of Fettes College International
Roy Leckie
Alumni and Deputy Chair of Fettes
College Governors
John Lang
Alumni and Director of Fettes College
International
Our Offer
We understand that no two schools are the same, let alone no two countries, and so we begin any conversation by investing time in learning about each other. We are open to consider different business models, however, it should be assumed that funding and operational management lies with the partner.
The following is indicative of the support we can offer:
Pre-operational and early phase
School build: Involvement in Site selection, Campus design, Fit out.
Educational set up: Provision of policies & practices; Guidance on establishing a Fettes College ethos; Curriculum advice and support materials; Pastoral framework including boarding.
Staff: Guidance on staffing structure; Recruitment and induction of key personnel; Training support.
Marketing & Admissions: Development of vision statements; Brand identity style guide; Materials for immediate use and adaptation; Representation at key events and ceremonies.
Accreditation and licencing: Advice and active engagement.
Ongoing support
Governance and Quality Assurance: Membership of Advisory Board or equivalent with input on strategic planning, leadership support and brand oversight; Annual policy updates and review; Support visits from home Senior Management Team; Ongoing support with accreditation.
School ethos and engagement: Academic enrichment resources; Calendar of Fettes College events with materials; Exchange and camp opportunities.
Staff: Recruitment support for senior positions; Mentoring and induction for senior leaders including visits to Fettes College; Ongoing professional development opportunities.
Our Experience
Our valuable and demonstrable experience sets us apart in this increasingly competitive sector.
Over the last 5 years we have learnt how to distil the essence of Fettes College into a tangible form that is ready to share. This allows our ethos and practices to be adapted as appropriate for different cultures and contexts.
Demonstrable success since 2020 at Fettes College Guangzhou
Academic achievements and quality partnerships
100% acceptance at QS25 universities for first graduates including Cambridge, Oxford, Berkely School of Music, University of the Arts London.
Art Academy partnered with Cambridge School of Visual & Performing Arts
Accreditation and adherence to international Safeguarding standards
Accreditation by the Council of British International Schools, British Boarding Association, International Baccalaureate (PYP & MYP), Cambridge School for IGCSE and A-Level
Accreditation planned for 2024-25 include Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), Apple Distinguished Schools and Accreditation by Language for Results International for Excellence in English as an Additional Language by the Bell Foundation.
“There are strong links with Fettes College in Edinburgh with opportunities to build relationships through a calendar of events.”
Boarding Schools Association
World-class 33 acre campus
Shortlisted for British Chamber of Commerce Design Awards
On-site equestrian centre and aviation centre with flight simulator
Over 100 activities with facilities including 50m and 25m pool, FIFA football pitch, 700-seat auditorium, 400-seat theatre, 400m track, innovation and design hubs
Identifiably Fettesian in brand identity, ethos and practices
Active liaison programme including Student Exchange and online collaboration and competition
Reciprocal Strategic and Governance support visits
Fettes College curriculum in place to build values of curiosity, creativity and kindness
Commended British style boarding in small-scale houses staffed by teachers
“The extensive indoor and outdoor facilities at Fettes College Guangzhou are extremely impressive and support a rich all-round education.”
Council of British International Schools
Why Fettes College International?
Through experience we have the operational and strategic skills to deliver success. We know how to deliver a Fettes College education in different countries, cultures and contexts.
We have over 150 years of experience at delivering educational excellence for boys and girls aged 5-18 in a day and boarding setting studying a variety of curricular programmes.
We are proud to be recognised for the quality of our student care and dedication to fulfilling student potential through our replicable programmes of holistic education, student mentoring and staff development.
