Prospectus - Merchiston Castle School

We are a community in which boys are inspired to learn and develop into young men who are fully prepared for the future ahead of them.

JONATHAN ANDERSON Headmaster

Merchiston has been a huge part of my life over the past ten years. Through being here, I feel I have grown in confidence and have learnt to deal with responsibility. If I was to describe my Merchiston journey using three words, they would have to be ‘rewarding’, ‘enjoyable’ and ‘exciting’!

If you come to Merchiston, you will be joining a caring community that treats you as an individual, unearths and nurtures your talents, and encourages you to pursue excellence in everything you do.

What makes us different? It is a combination of things: our size, our relentless focus on you as an individual, and the fact that we really understand boys and how to get the best out of you.

Why does this matter? It is what makes for meaningful and connected conversations. It is how we get to know you really well. It is why we can support and motivate you in just the right way. It is what helps you strive for the highest standards and be the very best version of yourself you can be.

Why not start your conversation? Come and tell us all about you.

Merchiston prides itself on preparing young men to flourish in a complex and rapidly changing world where they will need to have excellent qualifications alongside belief in their skills, confidence, and independence.

JONATHAN ANDERSON Headmaster

Respect

CONVERSATIONS

Your wellbeing is central; without it,  you will never achieve your best.

Wellbeing underpins everything we do. It is why we discuss with you any obstacles you might encounter. It is why we have conversations. There are hundreds of them, every day: with your parents, with you, and between staff. We tease out details and put in support. We check in, ensure schedules are not overloaded and tweak timetables. We share knowledge and ways to motivate you. We understand your decisions and help you make better ones. We work out what makes you tick, discuss where you want to go next and make sure you get there.

MERCHISTON LIFE

Imagine being surrounded by your friends: studying, playing and relaxing. Imagine facilities and activities on tap, teachers on hand for prep and activities planned with your age group in mind.

Whether you board or go home at night, you will join all the other boys of your age and move through the houses with them. This means that you will have a wide circle of friends; like-minded boys are easy to find. Together you will learn how to cope with life’s highs and lows. Your house team will be with you every step of the way and get to know you really well. Each day they offer the right combination of support, challenge, advice, humour and care to ensure that you are happy and make the most of your time at Merchiston.

Happiness

When I joined Merchiston as a 12-year-old, I was slightly apprehensive about the whole idea of boarding and being away from home. However, I quickly realised that homesickness was not going to be an issue as the school immersed me in its welcoming environment. One of the first things that became apparent to me was that there was a real buzz around the boarding houses throughout all age groups and that it was so easy to jump straight into school life as there is always someone you can speak to for help whether it is a pupil, prefect or member of staff.

Confidence

We know how boys operate and how to motivate and inspire you. You will still mix with girls at our sister schools at Combined Cadet Force, dances and other socials, or when treading the boards in a joint drama production.

This is a kind community where you can be yourself. There is no mould to fit and no pressure to conform to stereotypes. Differences are accepted and celebrated here; you can forge your own path.

You will be the centre of our attention. We understand boys and how you learn best: variety within lessons, plenty of opportunities to move about, hands-on learning.

I’d say to any boy considering coming here, to grab the opportunities you are given with both hands as Merchiston offers so many. It will help build you into a confident all-rounder.

The School aims to help you be the best that you can be and will push you to achieve your personal goals – even things you never thought you could achieve.

MERCHISTON JUNIORS

If you join us between the ages of seven and twelve, your home will be Pringle.

As a boarder, your home will be Pringle House. We say home because it really does not feel like school: rooms for relaxing and playing games; areas for model-making; cosy spaces to curl up with a book; enormous sports fields for outdoor fun; and a secret garden for campfires.

Whether a boarder or a day boy, lessons are initially in the Pringle Teaching Centre, but as you get older, you will be taught by senior teachers and use more of the senior school facilities. You will be able to try everything on offer because we are small enough to fit around you. We will encourage you to make the most of every opportunity, for we believe that this makes for the best start.

Winner, “The Best Of The Best Preps”, THE WEEK MAGAZINE 2019

MIDDLE YEARS

It is important to get the teenage years right. You will want more responsibility and need some help navigating adolescence from people who really understand teenagers.

From the ages of 13-16 you will move through the three Middle Years' Houses: Chalmers West, Chalmers East and Rogerson. Your academic tutor will follow you through the houses and work closely with your houseparent to support progress ahead of public exams. Each year will bring greater independence and personal space. If you are stuck with studies or need a confidence boost, the house team is always on hand to support you. When you are ready to switch off, you can prepare snacks in the kitchen, relax in the games rooms and make the most of the sports facilities. At weekends, you and your friends can enjoy activities designed with your age group in mind.

The camaraderie has been an exceptional aspect of the School and has helped me develop crucial social skills.

Being a prefect gives you the unique opportunity to give something back to the school.

SIXTH FORM

The Sixth Form is designed to bridge the gap between school and your next step into adulthood.

In the Sixth Form, your base will be in Laidlaw House, whether a boarder or a day pupil.

Laidlaw is a modern and exceptionally well-furnished boarding house. All rooms are en-suite, and there are several common areas including tv areas, study seminar rooms, kitchens and a gym.

You will have to work hard, and the onus will be on you to take responsibility for your learning. But there is real flexibility in the English and Scottish Curriculums we offer, and you will have more support than you ever imagined possible.

There is an expert team on site helping you get where you want to go. The Sixth Form may seem daunting at the outset, but it will also be exciting and full of opportunities. If you do not know where you want to go, we will help you work it out. When it comes to opportunities to develop your leadership potential, there are plenty; you will be equipped with the life skills required for university, the workplace and beyond.

I feel strongly that Merchiston helped me to achieve much better grades than I would have done elsewhere. During my time at Merchiston, I have taken part in many academic activities outside the curriculum, such as the UK Maths Challenge, the Physics Olympiad, essay writing competitions and numerous academic trips.

ACADEMIC

Our excellent exam results and the destinations of our leavers speak for themselves. How it happens is much more important, for that is at the very heart of our success.

We will get to know you: your strengths, and areas for development; your challenges, and how to help you overcome them; your areas of interest, and what motivates you. We will talk to you, encourage and stretch you. We will identify opportunities and discuss options. Together we will make and refine plans until we get it right. Our structure really helps: one individual might coach you on the pitch, teach you a subject and chat with you in the house. That all-round knowledge of you really helps us to support you academically and to ensure you are equipped to succeed to the very best of your ability, to achieve your personal excellence.

SPORT

You can choose from up to 20 sports at Merchiston. Sport is genuinely for all.

We have a long and successful sporting tradition. You can play for fun and fitness or compete at the highest level. You may play for your clan, your School or your country. Under the guidance of some of the country’s leading coaches, you can try something new, go on tour with your team or just use sport to relax with friends. What matters to us is that you find your sport, learn our values of resilience and teamwork, stay healthy and participate long after you have left. If, when you leave, you cannot imagine a life without sport, we know we have done our job well.

Flourish

CO-CURRICULAR

There are probably things you have always wanted to do: drum in a rock band, try the bagpipes, perform in a play, go mountain biking, sing in a choir, attempt to ski, play rugby, compete in Robot Games, learn to cook...

You might not be good at all of them, but you will not know unless you try. When you first join, we will encourage you to explore as many options as possible and gain as much from these experiences as you can. The lessons and skills learned outside the classroom are just as valuable and highly transferable. When you find the activities that you really enjoy, we will help you excel. After all, this could be the start of a lifetime passion or career path. If you are someone who finds it hard to narrow down your options, we will keep a watchful eye to make sure you are managing to balance work and play.

My top tip; get stuck into as much as you can and do not be afraid to try something new as there will definitely be something you have never done before!

At such an important stage in a boy’s development, where could provide a better opportunity for a boy to incorporate both schooling and sport at the highest possible level than Merchiston.

Talents

ACADEMIES

Our elite Golf and Tennis Academy programmes mean you can pursue your sporting ambitions without compromising your education.

You can study with your friends and enjoy world-class coaching, expert strength and conditioning training and appropriate tournament travel. Merchiston is consistently classed amongst the highest-ranking Golf and Tennis Academies in the UK.

Merchiston’s Tennis Academy is based within our 100-acre campus. Our new indoor tennis facility provides year-round access for coaching and practice. The Golf Academy’s base is at Edinburgh’s renowned Kings Acre golf course.

The elite programmes are entirely tailored to your personal goals, and your academic programme will be specially adapted to sit alongside your Academy schedule. Being a boarding school enables us to offer flexible support and individual tutoring to facilitate your training and competition commitments.

Compassion

LOOKING OUTWARDS

There’s a reason the phrase ‘No man is an island’ has stood the test of time. It sums up our need for community and connection.

Whether you are Scottish, British or one of the twenty-plus nationalities that give our School its global outlook, you will be joining a community that believes in outreach: willing to look outwards and walk in other people’s shoes; ready to give time to help. We hope you will take the lead in making a difference: in School, in Edinburgh and elsewhere in the world. Our community service and mentoring programmes are one way. Raising funds for important causes is another. You can give back through the Sixth Form Helper scheme or apply to be a role model to boys in the younger houses as a prefect. Whatever you choose, it is important you learn to think of others, contribute and connect.

Fulfilment

LOCATION

Would you rather score tries on pitches with epic views of the Pentland Hills, or admire art exhibitions in Scotland’s world-leading capital city?

You don’t have to choose at Merchiston. In fact, you can switch from one to the other in fifteen minutes. You can soak up the green space and freedom of our 100-acre campus, the culture and diversity of Edinburgh, and the best of Scottish fresh air and adventure. You can reach the international airport in fifteen minutes and major road networks even sooner. It is easy to see why Edinburgh has been voted the best city in the world to live so many times. You really can have the best of both worlds. Come and see for yourself.

Scotland is famous for its first-class education and is one of the most highly educated countries in Europe.

INVEST EDINBURGH

Edinburgh voted Best City in the World.

AFTER MERCHISTON

It is always a wrench to leave your friends, but you will stay in touch. Merchi boys always do. It is both exhilarating and daunting to step into the unknown: gap year, university or work, in the UK or overseas. But we have been educating young men for nearly 200 years; we know you are ready. We will have seen your confidence grow, watched your skills develop, and guided you onto the right path. You will be ready for life in an increasingly global and dynamic world.

When you leave, you will automatically join the Merchistonian Club, which offers sports fixtures, social events, career guidance and networking: here, elsewhere and abroad. This was your home for your formative years; you will always be welcome back. You may even come back as a father to the next generation.

When you leave Merchiston, you will probably experience the same mixture of excitement, sadness and trepidation felt by generations before you.

The highpoint of my Merchiston career has been (not to sound too clichéd) being amongst a great set of people. This includes my friends and my teachers. They have made Merchiston an unforgettable memory which I will always carry with me. I must thank them for the person I have become, and for everything I have learnt. For this, I will always be indebted to them.