REFLECTIONS ON THE FIRST YEAR AS HEADMASTER OF FETTES PREP SCHOOL

Charlie Minogue (Staff 2022–present)

Charlie Minogue became Headmaster of Fettes College Preparatory School in August 2022, succeeding former Headmaster Adam Edwards (Staff 2003–2022). We asked Charlie to reflect on his first year in office.

I write this as the sunlight bathes the emerald arena of Turf and the sound of leather against willow and excited cheers drift through my window. A timeless scene and soundscape and yet Fettes doesn’t stand still.

I am coming to the end of my first year as Headmaster of Fettes College Preparatory School and have loved every minute of it. I was of course aware of the rich history of the College before arriving but sensed from my interview process that I was joining a vibrant and forward-thinking organisation at an exciting moment in its history. I thought it might be interesting for OFs to read some reflections on this last year in the hope that it might give an insight into the Fettes of today whilst providing some nostalgia as no doubt very familiar scenes are described.

Fettes still stands proud on its hill, dominating the view north from the centre of Edinburgh. The impression could be one of aloofness or even arrogance and I was interested to see whether the culture matched the first impression. Nothing could have been further from the truth. People in this school are warm and welcoming and both Senior School and Prep School have a culture of kindness at their heart. Schools should be moral institutions first and foremost and it has been heartening to be welcomed into a community that values this dearly.

Helen Harrison is fond of saying that young people are known here, and I can see exactly what she means. This does not only come from carefully curated systems and protocols; more important is the culture that exists amongst staff who genuinely take the trouble to understand each individual child. It has been a joy to discuss children with the staff at Fettes Prep. They know them from every angle and never lose sight of this knowledge amongst the occasional frustrations of shepherding young people through the vagaries of early life.

Tradition is important. It can support culture and a sense of belonging and Fettes has some wonderful traditions that I am enjoying getting to know. Regular moments during each week and in the course of the Prep School year will, in due course, become like old friends: Chapel services, Burns Night, Founder’s Day, the First and Second Form production are special moments. That said, no school should use its traditions to anchor it in the past and I have been delighted to join Fettes at a time when it is demonstratively moving forward.

The school I inherited from the remarkable Adam Edwards is a kind school with an exceptional staff. They care deeply about their school, each other, the children and their craft. I have watched them all teach and have also enjoyed the conversations after each lesson, the crucial skill of any teacher being the ability to self-evaluate. Teachers at Fettes Prep are interested in innovating and leading educational thinking outside of the confines of our iron railings. We have indulged in debate, studied research and thought creatively about what this could mean for our own teaching. This is only possible when you have a group of emotionally intelligent and skilled practitioners and I have been delighted to discover exactly this in the Prep School. This enables us to move this school forwards in interesting ways, particularly in the classroom which is the core business of any school.

Boarding is still very much part of Fettes life and the structure of the school day and week revolves around our boarding community. Although only 25% of pupils in the Prep board (we are near capacity, particularly in Arran, the boys’ House), these are all full boarders, and the day children benefit hugely from the length of day and the space this gives us to create the widest possible range of experiences. Not every child can be good at everything, but every child can be good at something and it is our job as a Prep School to find something for every child. Boarding at Fettes Prep provides an unparalleled experience for young people and an ideal preparation for the Senior School. Children move on knowing themselves, their strengths and weaknesses, having been given every opportunity to find an area that they can be passionate about. A boarding structure, whether a child boards or not, provides the ideal conditions for this to happen and it is clear that Fettes Prep provides exceptional breadth.

Most importantly, Fettes Prep is a fun place to be! I have very much enjoyed getting to know all of the children by name whilst getting involved as much as possible. Whether it be being beaten at table tennis in Arran to baking in Iona House or simply chatting to them at lunch, our young Fettesians, and their teachers, are fun to be around.

We have exciting plans for the next few years. This school is rooted in healthy and established values but is also determined to innovate and lead. This is right and proper, and it is a privilege to be part of such a special community. Please keep in touch and I look forward to expanding on our plans in the future as Fettes Prep moves forward.