The Merchistonian Magazine 2021-22

MERCHISTONIAN

HEADMASTER’S WELCOME, AUGUST 2022

“Unprecedented”; “unusual”: both are words with which I opened my introduction to last year’s edition of The Merchistonian. If a week is a long time in politics, a year is an epoch in post-pandemic education. Much has changed, from teaching methods to the examination landscape and from wellbeing support to communications; and yet there is also much that is refreshingly familiar and to which we have been able to return with renewed fondness. “Ballast to the mind adrift on change", as Thomas Hardy put it, a quote which Mr Rowlands often references to me.

A return to more familiar House routines, to socials, to full sporting calendars, to trips both near and far, and to our traditional occasions of celebration on-site, which we are once again able to share in person with our whole community: these are our “ballast,” and the novelty which

attends the familiar when it has for so long been absent only adds to our delight in heralding its return.

And yet, in returning to ‘normal’, we are compelled to question what our ‘normal’ is. Perhaps we are differently normal here at Merchiston, or perhaps we are normally different, but there is something – something intangible and yet pervasive – which sets us apart. It can be sensed here on our wonderful late-summer campus and it seeps into every single one of the contributions in this publication.

I hope you enjoy reading this edition of The Merchistonian. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the contributors and, as ever, a special ‘thank you’ to Mr Philip Rossiter, editor and curator extraordinaire!

Jonathan Anderson, Headmaster

COMMON ROOM

TEACHING STAFF ARRIVALS, AUGUST 2021 – JULY 2022

During the period covered by this magazine, August 2021 – July 2022, we have been pleased to welcome the following as new members of the teaching staff at Merchiston, all of whom have quickly become valued members of our community:

EWEN DOBBIN: August 2021 - Teacher of Physics

JOHN BUTTERFIELD: August 2021 - Teacher of Mathematics

PETER GOLDEN: January 2022 - Teacher of Economics

KIRSTY WHITTLE: February 2022 - Primary Classroom Teacher

TEACHING STAFF DEPARTURES, AUGUST 2021 – JULY 2022

During the period covered by this magazine, August 2021 – July 2022, we have been sorry to bid farewell to the following members of staff, thank them whole-heartedly for the important contribution which they have made to Merchiston life, and wish them every happiness in the future:

WILL DONKIN

When Will arrived at Merchiston in August 2018, he came from working in an international school in Singapore. I was not entirely joking when I said later that good Economics teachers are hard to find, and that we had to go to the far side of Asia to find one as good as Will! He came as the second teacher in the Economics Department, but after a year he joined the Faculty of History & PPE when Economics joined forces with History and Politics. Will was always selfless in his support for the move to a faculty structure, and he was always keen to find ways in which our subjects could work together fruitfully. He taught some junior History, but was also instrumental in pioneering the new BTEC subject of Entrepreneurship, becoming Lead Teacher of Economics and Entrepreneurship in his final year at Merchiston. He was Assistant Housemaster in Laidlaw North, first by himself and then with the support of Helen, his wife, and also a coach of many sports throughout the School. He left to take up a post in Hilton College, South Africa, his homeland, and we wish him all the best as he moves on to this new challenge.

Simon Thompson, Faculty Head of History & PPE

FRASER NEWHAM

Fraser joined us in September 2013 as a teacher of History and Politics. He immediately distinguished himself as a person of voracious academic curiosity, as well as a highly gifted classroom teacher. His background teaching in China brought an Asian perspective that the department had previously been lacking, and Fraser was able to broaden our horizons on the Pacific sphere of A Level Politics, in addition to teaching the subject of Chinese Culture to our Second Formers. It was thanks to Fraser that we piloted teaching Global Politics at A Level, a subject that he championed and imbedded into the School. It became enormously popular with our boys and it now seems unthinkable that we did not offer it before his arrival. He also brought enthusiasm and expertise to teaching the American Revolution in A Level History, something that can be seen by any visitor from the flags that festooned his classroom. He moved on to become Assistant Head Academic in September 2017 and brought to the role a deeply enquiring mind as well as a lively curiosity. He also pioneered the Cecil Stagg Society for our more able students and Oxbridge applicants, and his were the brains

behind the decision for History and Politics to join forces to form the Faculty of History & PPE. His heart for Asia and his unquenchable desire for a new challenge led him to take up the role of Deputy Head Academic at Harrow International School Appi, Japan. We will miss his dry humour, his ability to cut to the heart of an issue and his unique insights into what makes Merchiston work so successfully.

Simon Thompson, Faculty Head of History & PPE

NATHAN LUNDY

Nathan Lundy left Merchiston at the end of the Summer Term for a new challenge, after being a part of the School community for fourteen years.

Nathan joined Merchiston in 2008, moving from the Northumberland Tennis Club, where he was assistant professional. During his time here, his contribution to our Tennis Academy programme has been immeasurable, from its very beginnings, working alongside Richard Charman, to overseeing its rise to become the Number 1 school in both British and World tennis. As Head Coach, Nathan has masterminded the development of many of our brightest tennis prospects as they move through the School tennis programme and transition onto the US and ATP tour pathways: players such as Jacob Fearnley and Johannus Monday are just two examples of players who have benefitted from his support, time and wisdom. It is clear, therefore, that we will all miss Nathan’s wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise from our School community.

We wish Nathan, his wife, Colette, and daughter, Olivia, all the very best for the next chapter in their lives.

Simon Pender, Tennis Academy Director

SHARON TWYFORD

Sharon joined our Merchiston community in 2002, as a fulltime teacher of Physics, after an extensive programme of study and career as an engineer. She completed a Ph.D in Experimental Physics at the University of Glasgow, and went on to work as a Project Engineer for Mitsui Babcock. In 2006, after four years at Merchiston, she gained the promoted post of Junior Curriculum Co-ordinator, and had the responsibility for liaising between Pringle and our senior academic departments to ensure academic continuity between the significant transition years. It was then that she introduced InCAS testing to junior year groups, which is still in place sixteen years on. Sharon went on maternity leave in 2007, to have her daughter, and

returned in 2008 as a part-time teacher of Physics.

Over her twenty years at Merchiston, Sharon has been involved in many aspects of our community, including teaching, tutoring, and our activity programme. As a teacher, she has been greatly involved in designing the Junior Science curriculum, delivering revision clinics and extension classes, preparing students for the British Physics Olympiad, introducing the CfE Higher Physics course, implementing long-term science fair projects and leading academic scholarship tutorials, along with many other projects. She has also been our Support for Learning departmental link, has been a member of the Scholarship and Awards Committee, and has been part of our Science outreach initiative. She has had many years of great memories when accompanying A Level Physics students on educational and cultural trips to CERN. In a different capacity, she has been an academic tutor for both the Sixth Form and Junior years. Sharon has also contributed strongly to our activity programme, including being the instructor to the Junior boys for Scottish country dancing, taking the Science Club for many years, and taking Senior boys to squash and tennis.

Sharon’s contributions to the Merchiston community have been endless. She has been dedicated throughout her time here and is someone who you will always find evaluating and improving areas of her work, even when she has perfected it countless times before! She leaves us after two decades at Merchiston as she moves on to continue her career as a Physics teacher at St George’s. She will be missed by our community but we wish her all the best in the next stage of her career and look forward to seeing her at our joint School events in the future.

Hannah Williams, Faculty Head of Science

JOHN BUTTERFIELD

John Butterfield joined the Maths Department in 2021 with a variety of educational experience, having taught at Highgate School, The Perse Cambridge, Manchester Grammar School and George Watson's College. Although part time, he settled comfortably into the rhythm of School life, and brought a wealth of experience in teaching both the GCSE and A Level courses. He has proved to be a very popular teacher, whose lively lessons and real-world applications of the material keep boys engaged; his expertise was particularly appreciated by the UVI Further Maths students, to whom he taught the Mechanics course. John’s enthusiasm for Mathematics is evident to all pupils he teaches and his lessons are full of challenge, balanced with warmth and encouragement.

Alongside School, John is the first Merchiston Maths teacher to run a successful hospitality business; he claims this was started by accident, but it has grown to comprise three restaurants, with a hotel to be added shortly. Indeed, it is this commitment that has gradually reduced his teaching time over the past years, but it is evident that he finds the parallel experiences of business and teaching enriching for both his pupils and himself. We hope that John will be able to contribute to some Maths teaching with us at some point in the future but, in the meantime, we wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

Hannah Williams, Faculty Head of Science

PETER KILN

Peter Kiln joined us as a primary classroom teacher in October 2019 from London, moving up with his wife, Kirsty. Initially, he was resident on campus, but prior to the birth

of their baby in February of this year, the couple moved into town. On his arrival at Merchiston, he was immediately thrown in at the deep end as we entered a prolonged period of distance learning, but his students responded to his informative lessons and clear love of Maths, History and Philosophy. Once back in the classroom, it was clear that Peter was an excellent classroom practitioner, meticulously planning lessons and teaching topics in an enormous amount of detail. One student described him as ‘the teacher who knows everything’. Another, asked to describe him in three words, said that he was ‘energetic, interesting and factual’. Outside the classroom, subjects were brought to life with trips to the Colinton Tunnel Mural, Lindisfarne and the Robert Louis Stevenson themed poetry walk. One of the boys’ favourite memories was of him dressed as Tintin on World Book Day. In other areas of the School, Peter helped with tennis, squash, football and cricket.

Alexandra Torrance, Pringle Centre Lead

INTERVIEW WITH MR DANNY ROWLANDS, DEPUTY HEAD WELLBEING

After a number of years as Housemaster of Laidlaw North, in September 2021, Mr Danny Rowlands took up the position of Deputy Head Wellbeing. Ptolemy R, Lower Sixth Former, interviews him about his new responsibilities at Merchiston.

Please can you talk a little about your career background and why you decided to work in the education sector? Coming from a long family tradition of teaching, I was

initially determined to stay away from schools at all costs! After university, I therefore spent a few years as a Police Officer in Lothian and Borders Police before the educational vocation seemed to catch up with me (as many people had warned me it would!). I then went into teaching at the King’s School, Canterbury, spending five very happy years in Kent and gaining my teaching qualification along with a broad range of experience before the opportunity arose to come back north and join Merchiston.

What decided you to work at Merchiston, and in what capacity did you originally join the School?

As a climber and a lover of hills and the outdoors, and as a Cumbrian lad originally, I was always keen to move back north. Though not generally a city dweller, I have also always loved Edinburgh. The chance to move to Merchiston, with its wonderful location, sense of community and sporting prowess appealed hugely. I was also at a stage in my career when I wanted to become a Housemaster, and so the whole package was a perfect fit.

What has been the highpoint of your time at Merchiston so far?

The highpoint, for me, is always the end of the Summer Term. It probably sounds a little tongue-in-cheek to say that the highlight is seeing the UVI leave the School, but in a strange way it is, because that is often the time when the pupils truly realise what Merchiston has given them and what they have achieved here. The true meaning of this place dawns on many of the Leavers at that stage and it is a special moment.

What motivates you in your work at Merchiston?

Helping people. It really is that simple. There are always less desirable aspects to any job and, for me, that is the paperwork, but I always just have to remember that the crux of my role is to help people, whether academically or personally, and that is hugely rewarding.

Why did you decide to move into housemastering and what did you find to be the rewards of working as Housemaster of Laidlaw North?

In my time in Canterbury, I had always enjoyed the pastoral side of my role above all others. I also grew up as a Housemaster’s son and so, in that sense, I am a bit of a ‘chip off the old block’.

The rewards of the role are huge, but above all it is a huge honour to be – hopefully - such an influential part of pupils’ lives. To see them in a completely different environment from the classroom or sports field allows a far fuller understanding of who they truly are and that is both a privilege and an opportunity.

What are the key skills needed in your new position as Deputy Head Wellbeing, and how did your work as a Housemaster prepare you for taking on this new role?

The three Ps: Patience, Perspective and Perseverance.

Patience is certainly the single most important quality as the role comes with so many different strands and demands, some of which sometimes come into conflict. Housemastering was the perfect preparation for this - the demands are different, but they are just as varied.

Please can you talk a little about what you see as the most significant challenges and rewards in your work as Deputy Head Wellbeing?

The two are one and the same, as meeting a challenge is its own reward. The single biggest difference between housemastering and my new role is the increased need to work with larger groups of staff, rather than just pupils. Being able to help to shape and direct people’s careers, as well as trying to ensure that the conditions are right to get the very best out of all members of staff, is hugely rewarding.

Have you had to develop new skills and qualities in your new role at Merchiston?

A thicker skin! In any management role, it quickly becomes apparent that you cannot please all of the people all of the time and, as someone who naturally wants to do so, this has been a challenge!

Do you find it is possible to maintain personal co-curricular interests alongside the demands of your new work, and what interests do you wish to pursue?

It is sometimes difficult, particularly in term-time, but even just a short run in the Pentland Hills can be incredibly revitalizing. When I have a little more time, I love to go climbing, mountain biking or kayaking. Exploring some of the islands in the Firth of Forth in my sea kayak has been great fun over the last couple of years and it is one of the few places locally where I truly feel that I can ‘get away’ for a few hours.

What are your goals in your work as Deputy Head Wellbeing?

To help to steer the School through the rapidly changing world of wellbeing, from Covid recovery to mental health and online safety. But my biggest goal is what we call, at Merchiston, the “universal promotion of wellbeing”. I don’t want to just be reacting to problems and wellbeing ‘issues’ - I want Merchiston to be somewhere where the 12 Happiness Habits are completely embedded and where pupils are given maximum opportunity to be truly happy.

What aspect of your work have you enjoyed the most over the past academic year?

When you are new in a role, everything has a certain interest and excitement and so I can honestly say that I have enjoyed it all. As I gain further experience, I have no doubt that the most rewarding part of my job will continue to be the contact with the pupils.

Thank you, Mr Rowlands

ACADEMIC REVIEWS

ACADEMIC OVERVIEW 2021/22

Excited…. Hopeful…. Thankful…. Nervous…. Given what 2020-21 had thrown at us, every student, parent and member of staff returning for the academic year 2021-22 would have been feeling some combination of these alongside other emotions. The desire to get back to normal, in most ways, was palpable and the growing vaccination programme gave us all greater confidence that we could achieve it this time around. Although it was a far from smooth journey, I can reflect on the last year with real pride. We often talk about the strength of our community, and this was at its most visible over the past twelve months. The students are routinely our primary focus, but I want to comment on the staff first, both teaching and nonteaching. The adaptability and energy that they showed across the year to ensure that the School did not miss a beat was incredible: supporting students in the face of readjusting to a greater degree of normality, teaching lessons on Zoom when isolation demanded it, covering for colleagues when online teaching was not possible, and simply maintaining a positive, constructive approach throughout a busy and challenging year was all very impressive. It has affirmed that a skilled and energetic staff body is key to making this fantastic community tick. The individual departments will give detail on the year from their perspective, but I know that all have relished being back to formal external examinations this year. This has meant that teachers can focus on what they do best in supporting students, rather than setting assessments for formal grading purposes. This was certainly a welcome return to one aspect of normality.

Of course, the return to external examinations has led to challenges and opportunities of a less familiar nature for our students. Whilst we have built in many mock assessment opportunities to provide comparable experiences, there is nothing quite like the nerves of the first exam paper! I have been very impressed by the way in which the Fifth Form, Upper Sixth, and a smaller number of Lower Sixth tackled the external exams. Nervous, yes, but also recognising that these are opportunities to show the results of all their hard work, and keen to make the most of it. Although these exams are very much focused on grades ultimately, we still try to stress that they are also learning opportunities which do not necessarily shape the rest of your life. If something does not turn out as positively as hoped for, it is important to reflect on the reasons why and consider what could be done differently (better) next time. In a wider sense, it has been great to see students from across all year groups having fun whilst learning, and supporting each other in this endeavour. Work in classrooms has been really positive, and educational trips have helped, once again, to bring this to life: more of that to come in the following pages…..

So, 2021-22 has been really positive and we all now wonder what 2022-23 will bring our way. The resilience developed in our learning community over the past two years has us ready to tackle almost anything, but I hope for a boringly routine year, in which the only excitement and challenge comes from the fantastic opportunities we continue to provide for our students!

Dale Cartwright, Deputy Head Learning and Teaching

As a predominately practical subject, it has been good to return to teaching in the Art studios and to see the boys enjoy using a greater range of mediums. This has also allowed work to be carried out in a more engaging manner and on a larger scale. Many of our pupils have appreciated being able to explore working three-dimensionally, in the darkroom and using our printing press. We have also welcomed the return of exhibiting pupils’ work on the Headmaster’s easels outside the Memorial Hall. This is an exciting showcase to share with others the creative work carried out in the Department. From the First Form’s study of animals and Harry Potter wands through to the Upper Sixth Artists’ interpretation of the theme of Café Society, this year’s varied mix of work has taken us through the Second Form’s work on portraiture and Cubist faces and the study of perspective; Keith Haring figures were tackled by the Third Form; and the ever-popular theme of Graffiti

and Free Form sculpture with our Fourth Form. The Shell and Fifth Forms have explored the more traditional themes of Impressionism and Pop Art in their work, whilst the Lower Sixth Form artists started to follow their artistic journey along the theme of expressionistic portraiture. Other highlights of our year were the montage faces of Queen Elizabeth by the Second Form. These striking images were very well received at the Jubilee garden party. The Department has also benefited from the expertise of our Artist in Residence, Charlie Yuille. Charlie’s training at Savannah College of Art & Design and recent experience working in the world of graphic design in New York have been a great inspiration for our A Level pupils. The academic year ended with a vibrant display of the current GCSE and A Level coursework.

Jason Cordingley, Head of Art

V Form Art

CAREERS DEPARTMENT

The Careers Department has had an exciting year, with several new initiatives and developments - a welcome revival after the pandemic-affected period.

As a School, we have joined the Careers Development Institute (CDI), which is the single UK-wide professional body for careers education, guidance and management. Benefits include access to resources, publications, webinars and conferences, as well as offering the opportunity to keep up-to-date with developments / research within the sector, integrating theory into practice, guided by a professional Code of Ethics.

Over this academic year, the Careers, PSHE and Skills Departments have been working closely together to develop a comprehensive programme integrating all three areas, threading careers content into tutor time as well as PSHE slots, trialling this approach initially in VI Form, with a view to building it throughout the Middle Years. This has been very successful and we will continue to expand the integrated approach with Shell and LVI Forms next year. As part of this initiative, we are now introducing pupils to the very versatile Unifrog Careers Platform in IV Form as opposed to LVI Form, which enables them to familiarise themselves with the incredible resources available as well as building their profile throughout their Middle Years. In line with this, we are now using the Unifrog Interests and Personality Quizzes to aid in profiling possible future pathways rather than the My Futures Profile, again streamlining using one platform.

Other exciting news is that we have a dedicated Careers Hub situated within the new Laidlaw IT Suite, a welcome space where boys can browse a library of books, journals, prospectuses, research online and have a chat about their future pathways. There is also a selection of games, which are a fun way to engage Middle Years and, hopefully, some of our Pringle boys in thinking and talking about careers!

The Careers Cafes have continued throughout the Autumn and Lent Terms, providing an insight into a diverse array of careers, including Journalism, Entrepreneurship, Medicine, Surgery, Civil Engineering, Sports Science and life as a Royal Marine. These events offer a super opportunity to take a walk into a variety of careers, to ask questions, make contacts and, in an informal setting, to gather information to help make informed decisions about future choices.

In March, we hosted the 2022 Merchiston Careers Convention for the first time in two years, welcoming a range of exhibitors from different organisations with whom our boys engaged whole-heartedly. This is a major element of Careers Guidance and Education at Merchiston, and provides an opportunity to gain insight into different careers and pathways as well as to make useful contacts.

Careers presentations have also been woven into assemblies, including guest speakers from Raleigh International and Project Trust, giving an insight into the benefits, logistics and nuts and bolts of Gap years, whilst InvestIn delivered a participatory session on Making the Most of Work Experience, Perfecting Your C.V. and Job Applications.

Keen to work throughout the School integrating a careers curriculum into all year groups, the Careers Department has been involved in the Pringle Careers Week, through talks as well as variety of games; engaging with the Middle Years through participatory games; Careers Cafe talks; 1:1 career discussion in V Form following completion of the Personality and Interests Quizzes; and in the Sixth Form assisting with work experience, C.V. writing, job applications, apprenticeships and university applications through Careers Drop-in sessions.

Karen Coyne, Head of Careers

CLASSICS

A sense of normality made a welcome return this year and was greeted with much enthusiasm in the Classics Department. There were excellent results from last year’s “lock down” A Level set, with a couple of boys going on to study Ancient History as part of their university courses; this is always very pleasing to see. Healthy set sizes at GCSE and A Level continue to see Classics thriving in the School this year, with a particularly enthusiastic UVI Classical Civilisation set, which has been a pleasure to teach.

Many of our regular activities were able to take place again this year, including our annual trip to Hadrian’s Wall with the GCSE Classical Civilisation set. This is a fun but also

very useful day out, which allows the boys to improve their knowledge in preparation for the War and Warfare GCSE module. They enjoyed visiting the Roman Army Museum and the archaeological site at Vindolanda, where they saw the remains of a real Roman fortress and learnt more about how the legion would have lived. Annual trips to the British Museum in London for both the GCSE and A Level sets will begin again next year, which the boys are very much looking forward to.

Matthew Hillier, Head of Classics

DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

A YEAR OF COMPETITIONS

CanSat I: November 2021 – April 2022

In March, a Merchiston Design and Technology team comprising four Fifth Form pupils and one Upper Sixth pupil visited Machrihanish Spaceport to compete in the Scottish Regional Finals of the European Space Agency’s CanSat Competition.

The team was challenged to fit all major subsystems of a satellite into the volume and shape of a soft drinks can. The CanSat was launched by a rocket to an altitude of approximately 1km, reaching a top speed of 230mph and, in under two seconds, it was over 200m in the sky. The CanSat successfully transmitted all of the data the team needed - altitude, air pressure, temperature, precipitation and lighting – and back on the ground, we received and were able to interpret and analyse all this data.

The 2022 MerchiCan team members were Callum R, Rohan R, Kit N, Logan Q and Richard Z, all of whom worked incredibly hard on this project, and overcame all the challenges with which they were faced. This was the first time Merchiston had competed in this competition, and it will not be the last. The team is already planning its next CanSat mission.

Sadly, the team did not win the Regional Finals, but it proved to be an exhilarating experience for everyone involved. It included the team’s first overnight trip since the Covid outbreak, watching a rocket (with the team’s satellite in it) get launched into the sky, fish and chips by the sea, and a trip to Cruachan Power Station.

Design Ventura I: Sept 2021 – Feb 2022

Design Ventura challenges students to design a new product for the Design Museum shop. This year, a Third Form team took part, comprising Fergus W, Hamish H, Sikai C and Anton S. The Design Museum’s flagship learning project is an opportunity for students to develop design thinking, creative and business capabilities and employability skills. The project was launched in 2010 in partnership with Deutsche Bank, as part of the bank’s global youth engagement programme, Born to Be, and has seen over 108,250 students participate.

This year, the challenge invited teams to be inspired by their senses, asking "What can you see, hear, smell, taste and touch around you? What ideas does that inspire?".

Teams were asked to submit a product idea which should improve everyday life by meeting the needs of a specific audience group or by addressing a social, educational or environmental issue. Entries were to be accessible and sustainable, and teams were asked to consider the environmental and ethical implications of their idea, who would use it and how, its accessibility and construction, using the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for reference.

The boys developed a product to relieve boredom and stress: a step-by-step Origami plant and vase product, made from paper with seeds in it. Once finished with, it could be planted and would become beautiful flowers. The product met the brief by improving family bonding time, as well as manual dexterity and hand-eye co-ordination, and, of course, the product would ultimately bloom into beautiful scented flowers.

Unfortunately, the team was not shortlisted in the finals of the competition, but received positive and constructive feedback from the judges. Well done to the whole team.

finalists in the 2021 #DigiInventorsChallenge.

The #DigiInventorsChallenge, in association with Glasgow Warriors and the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), asks young people to identify health and care challenges that could be helped by a digital solution. The finalists take part in a 2-day virtual bootcamp and present to a panel of expert judges during the final. The winners get the opportunity to develop their idea into a Minimal Viable Project. This year, the challenge went global and a parallel #DigiInventorsChallenge took place in the United Arab Emirates. Both the Scottish and UAE winning ideas will be showcased at Expo 2020 Dubai in 2022.

Out-smarting the smart watch, 'Find Your Feet' is an insole that keeps track of users' fitness with sensors taking measurements such as step count and heart rate, as well as offering premium comfort and supporting good technique. The idea was developed by Fifth Formers Richard Z, Rohan, Kit and Logan.

‘Egg Shell’ was developed by Fourth Formers Yugi, Ghani and Torquill. It is a device to encourage and support children and young people to undertake tasks they do not feel motivated to do. The team attended a two-day bootcamp, where they listened to presentations from business and design experts, that allowed the teams to refine and develop their own product and final pitch. This included input from Ted X and the Scottish Tech Army. Both

#DigiInventors Challenge

I: Sept 2021 –Nov 2022

Back in November, we were absolutely thrilled that two of our Design Technology Activities teams were Scottish

teams were asked a series of questions from a panel of judges, in both Scotland and Dubai, and both teams performed incredibly well.

Unfortunately, neither of the teams’ products were picked as the overall winners, but it was a fantastic experience for everyone involved, not to mention the fantastic goodie bags that were supplied by #DigiInventors and their sponsors.

Well done to both teams!

Micro-Tyco Challenge

Micro-Tyco Innovate is a 30-day entrepreneurial training programme that teaches students about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The students are encouraged to create responsible business ideas that champion the SDGs in their school or local community. Teams that create the best ideas are invited to take part in WildHearts regional and national finals.

Micro-Tyco inspires an entrepreneurial environment that fosters creative thinking, resourcefulness and teamwork, as well as helping pupils to develop financial literacy, communication, leadership, project management and networking skills. By taking part in Micro-Tyco, our senior pupils learnt how business can be a force for good and gained experience that enhances their personal statement and CV. Students are also provided with the chance to secure work experience with leading employers.

This year's team consisted of two A Level Product Design students, Erik N and Lyle M. Together, they came up with a series of local community level proposals that would help to keep our seas free from debris. The United Nations SDG 14, Life Below Water, was their chosen goal, after seeing first hand some of the devastating pollution being caused in their local area, as well as whilst abroad on holiday.

Erik and Lyle put together a 20-minute presentation for the Regional Finals of the competitions. They later found out they were shortlisted in the National Finals and worked with their industry experts, Barclays, to help refine their idea and pitch it. Following two workshops with Barclays, Erik and Lyle pulled together a new 5-minute presentation which was been sent to WildHearts Group for judging. Unfortunately, they were unable to make the National Finals in person because of exams, but it was a fantastic experience for the boys nonetheless.

Industrial Cadets Bronze Project

The Industrial Cadets Bronze Project run by EDT (the Engineering Development Trust), is an exciting STEM challenge for teams of six pupils working over twelve

weeks on a project based around the digital world, circular economy and renewable energy, or the environment. They are tasked with finding a solution to the issue at hand and presenting this through a written report, model(s) and a virtual presentation. As well as graduating from the scheme as Bronze-level Industrial Cadets, national accreditation for STEM work, students gain valuable employability skills such as communication, problem-solving and project management.

Each team is supported throughout the project by industry mentor(s), STEM professionals from their partnering company who provide valuable subject-specific knowledge and insight into their organisation and career

REVIEWS

journeys. This year, we were paired with Leonardo, which proved to be a valuable resource to our team throughout the project. We thank them for all their help.

Massive congratulations go to six of our IV Form pupils – Yuqi C, Ghani R, Henry A, Eithan L and Murray B – who won the East of Scotland Regional Finals of the EDT Bronze Industrial Cadets Challenge. The team worked tirelessly on this project over a few months during their DT activities, as well as during prep. The Graduation Day took place, in person, late in the Summer Term: the culmination of the hard work completed by all participating teams in this hub across the country, and a celebration of their achievements. Each pupil received an individual Industrial Cadets certificate, Young STEM Leader Award and a Crest Award, overall winners of the National awards on offer were also announced.

In answer to the Tomorrow’s Tech Today brief, the EDT Team came up with PathFinder; a technologically advanced space structure that delivers safe commercial space travel.

The team members received their regional awards trophy and presented their proposal to STEM industry professionals from across Scotland at the National Finals, which took place on 31 May. Unfortunately, they were not announced as the national winners, but represented the School with pride and performed incredibly well on the day.

In the penultimate week of the Summer Term, the boys then travelled to Birmingham to pitch their PathFinder project in the Big Bang UK STEM Fair. There they attended a number of workshops and spoke to STEM industry professionals from across the UK. At the awards ceremony, they came away as Runners Up in the Junior Engineer of the Year category – an amazing achievement.

by working on a real engineering project. Working with Leonardo mentors, six students were challenged to investigate radar designs and how objects are detected/identified, looking at ways in which a radar may be made more low-cost.

The team came up with a proposal to implement a radar into the front section of glasses. This product would be designed for partially-blinded army veterans or as a secondary option to night vision or infrared goggles.

For this project, the team completed a report, carried out a significant amount of investigation work, as well as producing an array of prototypes to help communicate their idea. Well done to the Lower Sixth Form team, William T, Thomas S, Angus M, Ramsay B and Oliver P, who we look forward to seeing graduate as Gold Industrial Cadets later this year.

Industrial Cadets Gold Project

The Industrial Cadets Gold Project (previously known as the Engineering Education Scheme) is run by the Engineering Development Trust (EDT), over a three-month period. The project connects A Level students with local companies and engineers, allowing the students to gain insight into engineering careers and opportunities, and develop skills

Design a Flag Platinum Jubilee Competition

In March, two Design Technology A Level pupils launched a design competition which involved flag making. The international company, Flagmakers, which makes flags for well-known brands including Tiffanys and Cartier, invited students to get involved in their “Design Your Own Flag” competition, joining in the celebrations of the Platinum Jubilee and learning about the rich history behind national flags. 2022 is a momentous year for the UK and the Royal Family: already the longest-serving female head of state in history, Queen Elizabeth II will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, commemorating 70 years on the throne. A selection of winning designs would be made into flags by the professional company, Flagmakers, with the design printed as a 1-yard flag for the winner to keep forever as a momento of this significant year. We were delighted to hear that one of our entries, by Second Former Calum R, was chosen. His design was made into a one-yard flag, which we flew on the

School’s flagpole for our Jubilee celebrations.

Conway’s Coin Merchistonian Competition

Hugh Conway, a Merchistonian, studied Mechanical Engineering after leaving School. His many achievements included working for Bugatti and Concorde. In 1967, whilst working as the Managing Director at Bristol Siddeley Engines, now known as Rolls Royce, he proposed a new design for the 50p coin, coming up with the unique ‘equilateral curve heptagon’ shape. The 50p coin celebrated 50 years in circulation in 2019. It was engineered to perfection, a testament to Mr Conway’s design.

Mr Conway died in 1989: to remember him and to honour his legacy, we ran a design competition. All pupils were given the opportunity to submit either a paper or digital redesign of the ‘tails’ side of the 50p coin. Designs were asked to honour Mr Conway himself, and/or our School. The entries were sent to Spain, to Mr Conway’s son, to be judged.

Our overall winner, III Former Hamish, won a handcrafted, equilateral-curved heptagon frame, containing 50p pieces, as well as an original 50p coin from 1969 – thanks to Rev Blair. There were also two runners-up, Henry H (IV Form) and Sikai C (III Form): both received an original 1969 50p coin. Well done and thank you to all who took part in this fun and exciting in-house competition.

The ‘Made in Merchiston’ initiative hopes to find other Merchistonian designers and engineers. Do you know any? We would love to hear from you if you do!

Florence Donaldson, Design & Technology Department

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

In October, we were able to get back to the theatre, taking our new Upper Sixth pupils to the King’s for a production of The Woman in Black. This was hugely enjoyable, but paled in comparison to the outstanding Bristol Old Vic adaptation of Wuthering Heights, also at the King’s Theatre, that we were able to go and see in the Summer Term. As English prefect, Will F, puts it: “The theatre trips to see Wuthering Heights and The Woman in Black have been the cherries on top of a great academic year!” We also went to see Men Should Weep with the Higher class. It really has been fantastic getting back to normal this year: in no way more so than in being able to return to the theatre – a cultural area in which Edinburgh offers us so many opportunities. We are looking forward to capitalising on these again next year.

As the first UNESCO City of Literature, Edinburgh offers us an incredible wealth of literary opportunities. We were devastated to learn of the death this year of Catherine Walker, curator of the Writers’ Museum at Craiglockhart, where we have enjoyed taking pupils in the past to learn about Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon and others. This year’s edition of The Hydra is dedicated to her memory.

More happily, this year we were able this year to do our first Robert Louis Stevenson walk and writing workshop, having had to cancel it last year due to Covid. Shell pupils enjoyed walking in Stevenson’s footsteps, and exploring the mural in Colinton Tunnel, inspired by his poem ‘From a Railway Carriage’.

It has been a pleasure being able to say a proper goodbye to our leavers this year, and we are delighted that Will N goes on to study English Literature at University and comments: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my six years of learning in the English Department. I look forward to building upon both my knowledge and enjoyment of the subject next year at university”.

Arran C, who goes on to study Business, feels that he got a lot from the A Level too, writing: “I developed a passion for English, and literature as a whole, through the two years I spent studying the A Level English course at Merchiston”. Comments like these are hugely validating, and express the

sorts of feelings that get us all coming back to do it again year after year.

As Ms Cunningham, who returned for the Summer Term, writes: “After a two-year break from teaching, I have had the privilege of working with Junior and Middle Years pupils this term. Meeting students from my past did not just allow me to reconnect with old pupils but made me consider the extent to which the department is an enabling community. What struck me most powerfully, was the transformative role good teaching had in turning young students of my past into enthusiastic learners capable of independent thought. My old students were older and indeed wiser, but crucially their educational journey has been set on course by staff who were passionate about their subject and whose knowledge and enthusiasm had facilitated positive change in their students. The English Department is an enabling community and that, above all else, is what makes me proud to be part of it”.

From September, Dr Anderson will take up the stewardship of the English Department community, ably supported by Mrs Binnie, Mr Douglas, Dr Mechie, and Mrs Gibb in the Library. We say goodbye, and good luck in the History Department to Mr Glover, and we look forward to welcoming Ms Callan.

Calum Mechie, Head of English

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

It has been fantastic to have a thriving international community back in School and in the classrooms this academic year. In EAL, we have had a wide range of pupils from all levels across the School, II Form through to Upper VI. Countries represented included: Spain, Ukraine, Japan, Luxembourg, Germany, China, Hong Kong, Switzerland, France, Mexico and Russia.

We encourage our pupils to enjoy learning English by personalising things as much as possible. We try to ensure that it is relevant and appropriate to them by making things topic-based, e.g. cross-curricular, School events, sport, technology, etc. We have a lively wall display of work to reflect this. Articles have been produced based on the Pringle kilt walk and camp, festivals in our countries and the Merchiston rugby triumph at Murrayfield. We are currently working on a time capsule project!

Spelling seems to be a dying art due to the spellcheck function on iPads and laptops. Therefore, we have spent more time this year than previously on spelling and this is a trend that we fully expect to be building on in the future. Do you know that the word most often spelt incorrectly nowadays is ‘separate’, closely followed by ‘definitely’?!

Most boys who come to Merchiston are already aware of how important English is for them. They appreciate that a good command of English is a life skill, useful for travel, and also that English is important for their careers and can provide the edge in the job market. To that end, most

pupils choose to take an EAL exam during their stay at the School.

2021/22 has been a busy Cambridge exam year. Due to the varying lengths of stays of international boys, they have been presented for Cambridge exams as follows:

B1 Preliminary – June x 2

B2 First – December x 3, March x 6, June x 7 C1 Advanced – June x 1 IELTS – x 9

We also like to recognise effort, achievement and progress in English over the course of the academic year at the end-of-year awards at the annual Prizegiving ceremony. Our EAL academic prizes for 2021/2022 went to:

Juniors – Miguel EP (Spain) Middle Years – Nicolas JE (Spain) Seniors – Fedor M (Russia)

The EAL Department has also been involved in various Whole School events this year; organising International Week, Jubilee celebrations and charity fundraising events for Hope and Homes for Children. You will find more about these in separate articles elsewhere in the magazine.

Susan Hardman, Head of EAL

GEOGRAPHY

It was with much relief that we found ourselves back in the Geography classrooms for the start of the new academic year. It has been even more delightful that classes remained there throughout the year. It was so lovely to be teaching the pupils in person again, and much effort was put into a rapid review, and moving forward in all our syllabuses. In addition, we jumped into running the always enjoyed and much learnt from fieldwork for all year groups again. The following are but examples of the field trips which the pupils enjoy.

Early in the Autumn Term, we were masked-up walking the streets of four contrasting parts of Edinburgh (Colinton, Leith, City Centre, Morningside) with the IV Form, undertaking primary fieldwork into the Geography of Crime. Whilst undertaking surveys such as the Index of Burglarability, Tally of Police Presence, Housing Decay Index, Environmental Quality Assessment, some pupils were even successful in questioning members of the public about their perceptions of crime in the area. The pupils learnt much from devising their research questions, exploring relevant methodology to implement, carrying out the fieldwork, and then analysing, presenting, interpreting, concluding and evaluating their results – all excellent geographical skills that are never too early to learn.

Coastal fieldwork with the LVI pupils along the Lothian coast from Dunbar to Portobello was more easily

conducted at the tail end of Covid, with the fresh winds at the raised beaches and coastal erosion of Dunbar, sand dune succession of Yellowcraigs, salt marshes of Aberlady, and coastal defences of Portobello posing only physical hazards, rather than being a pandemic superspreader threat! More of a challenge were the LVI Form’s three further field days gathering their individual coursework data on the social and economic impacts (including the winners and losers) of Rebranding in Leith, which they write up as 20% of their final A Level grade. Leith residents became used to our uniform, and folk were very generous with their time, agreeing to respond to pupil questionnaires as they went about their daily life on the streets of Leith, and many businesses agreeing to brief interviews from the pupils investigating answers to their many research themes. Topics chosen this year ranged from the impacts of regeneration on the environmentally sustainable behaviour of residents in Leith, to impacts on deprivation in the area, to questioning the extent to which placing The Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith has contributed to the local economy there, amongst many others.

The Shell year group of IGCSE geographers loved the measuring of river variables along the Lyne Water from its headwaters in the Pentland Hills to the west of Edinburgh, down through West Linton, and further down to where it enters the River Tweed, just west of Peebles. Waiting until

just after the Easter holidays in the hope that the weather will be warm can never be a sure bet in Scotland, but the cold water and cool temperatures never seem to dampen the enthusiasm with which the pupils wade into the river time and time again throughout the day to collect their data, regardless of the river being wider and deeper and faster flowing the more we head downstream! The writeup of this investigation amounts to 27.5% of their final IGCSE grade, and so it is a boost that their journey to complete this with a quality write-up is started with such an enjoyed day of fieldwork.

Two further notable activities that the Geography Department run on behalf of the School are also highlights. The School’s Sustainability Committee has made excellent progress on a range of fronts, including explaining Glasgow Cop26 to the School community, implementing strategies to reduce food waste in the Dining Hall, and undertaking a major review into the School’s recycling of its waste. These are written up in more detail in a separate article. So is the

very successful 2022 expedition to Iceland, enjoyed by twenty-four Shell and V Formers during the first week of the Easter Holidays (despite many challenges thrown at the organization of this expedition by both Brexit and Covid).

As if all the above was not enough, the final pleasure was the privilege of preparing the external exam year groups for their final exams (IGCSE, Higher, and A Level) that actually took place this year for the first time in two years. This is so much more of a rewarding experience for both pupils and staff compared to the substitute assessments that had to replace the final exams over the past two years. Pupils (particularly UVI formers, who had missed taking GCSE exams two year previously) rallied and strengthened valiantly during the final months of preparation. Only time will tell if they are each rewarded with the good results they hope for. They certainly deserve to be.

Tanya Bower, Head of Geography

HISTORY AND PPE FACULTY REPORT 2021 - 22

Looking over my most recent Merchistonian report, which was several years ago, I remember reflecting on the blessing (or curse) of the old Chinese proverb “May you live in interesting times”. I wrote that on the cusp of Brexit, with Trump in the White House and populism rising in Europe. I remember thinking that our times could hardly become any more “interesting”, but that was before a global pandemic came and overturned all of our perceptions of how the world operates in the 21st century. Interesting indeed!

History, Politics and Economics are key to understanding the world in any time, but they are particularly important to our boys now as they look out into an unstable, constantly changing world. These are interesting times for us as a faculty too. The last time I wrote my Merchistonian report, I wrote as the Head of History & Politics, but since then we have also joined forces with the subject of Economics, so I now write as the Head of the Faculty of History & PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics). PPE is a very popular degree subject, for which many of our boys

apply at university, so we saw it as a huge opportunity for our subjects to work together as a faculty. All of the teachers in our faculty now teach at least two of these subjects: the breadth of knowledge that this gives us has informed our teaching enormously and led to a much better experience for the boys in all of our subjects. Philosophy is not taught as a distinct A Level, but is a deeply imbedded part of each of the other subject, particularly in Politics. Our vision statement as a faculty is “to develop individuals who are engaged with and interested in the forces that formed the contemporary world and continue to shape it”, and this motivates what we do in every lesson across our subjects.

It has, we hope, been a particularly good experience for boys who take more than one of our subjects. History, Politics and Economics inform one another to a huge degree. Learning about ideas of representation in Politics also informs our boys who learn about the Founding Fathers of the USA in History. Learning about the factors that governments take into account when regulating

inflation helps to inform our study of economic crises in History. There are countless other examples, and we discover new ones every day. This has been a learning journey as much for our teachers as for our students.

We have also piloted a whole new subject in the School: BTEC Entrepreneurship. This option is worth the same number of UCAS points as an A Level, and is accepted by many universities as an equivalent, but it also caters for students who struggle with the academic focus that A Levels require, and provides opportunities for those who prefer a more hands-on approach to how businesses work. Our current Lower VI is in its first year of the subject, so we are still very much at the pilot stage, but watch this space to see how it develops.

With that have come some changes in staff. In this academic year, we have been very sorry to lose Mr Newham, our Assistant Head Academic and teacher of History and Politics, who has gone to take on a new challenge as Deputy Head Academic of a new school, Harrow Appi in Japan. We have also said goodbye to Mr Donkin, our highly respected Economics teacher, who has returned to his homeland of South Africa to take up a job at Hilton College, nearer to his family. We are very pleased, however, to welcome Peter Golden as a new teacher of Economics and Entrepreneurship. Mr Golden previously taught for a term at Merchiston before the pandemic struck. He has been a Housemaster and Head of Department at several schools, and his vast experience has proved hugely valuable with our VI Form boys, as have his co-curricular skills with our juniors. Richard Glover also joins us. Mr Glover has worked at Merchiston in several capacities over the last few years, but in joining the Faculty of History & PPE he has, in many ways, found his natural habitat. He originally qualified as a History teacher before working in many capacities across many schools, including as a Deputy Head in Brooklyn, USA. His skills, enthusiasm and vigour make him an enormous asset as a teacher of History and of Entrepreneurship, and he takes a range of high-level sports further down the School. Mr Hall is also now teaching some A Level Politics, in addition to his role in the Geography Department, and Mrs McDiarmid continues to bring her invaluable experience to the teaching of A Level Politics and to History across all the School’s age range.

Since Covid, History & PPE has been one of the first parts of the School to get trips up and running again. I was very pleased that our History trip to Durham Cathedral could operate once more, and we are looking at developing our programme of trips for future years. We also took advantage of COP-26 happening in Glasgow to take our A Level Politics boys on a day visit there. We had a walk around Glasgow to learn about its political history, visited

the publicly accessible COP site, and even caught a glimpse of the Prime Minister as he arrived at Glasgow Central Station to address the summit.

Who knows what history-making events might occur in our world before I write again? One thing I do know: our newly formed faculty will continue to work hard to give Merchiston boys all the tools they need to be able to understand it.

Simon Thompson, Faculty Head of History and PPE

MATHEMATICS

After a very different and often challenging couple of years, boys and staff alike were happy that in 2021-22, life in the Mathematics Department gradually returned to our more familiar routines!

In the absence of external exams, Summer 2021 saw the IGCSE and A Level students go through a vigorous process of internal testing; they worked hard throughout this process and received a well-deserved set of excellent results. We were pleased to see that, equipped with this preparation, a number of boys went on to pursue Maths or Maths-related disciplines at university.

This year, our UVI and V Form students were able to work towards their external examinations with greater confidence and, indeed, the boys have impressed us with their resilience, determination and effort over their A Level and IGCSE courses, as well as in the approach to their examinations.

Outside the curriculum, we were delighted that pupils and staff were again able to participate in a number of Maths activities and celebrations. In September, we marked Scottish Maths Week with a series of puzzles set by Mr McCorkell; pupils of all ages participated and had success here, while Rev Blair won the staff competition. Mrs Duncan’s photography competition for Pringle, under the theme of “Maths is all around us”, once again received a number of excellent entries and the staff enjoyed judging these.

International Pi Day, meanwhile, was celebrated on 14 March with a range of activities, including pupils learning and reciting digits of pi (with some Pringle pupils just beating the Sixth Formers!), and opportunities for creativity in the form of pi-ku poetry and origami pi symbols.

Our clinics were run on a weekly basis for all Middle Years and Senior pupils, and the Maths prefects were once again at work in the boarding houses; it was good to see a number of boys taking advantage of these opportunities for support and we are grateful to the prefects for the role they have played this year.

As always, we participated in external Maths competitions and we were very pleased to see how many boys achieved success in the UKMT Maths Challenges. In the Senior Mathematics Challenge, students earned two Gold, five

Silver and nine Bronze awards; Robbie D and Bion Y qualified for the Senior Kangaroo and both achieved Merit certificates.

In the Intermediate Mathematics Challenge, we were delighted to see the boys achieve seven Gold, nine Silver and eleven Bronze certificates. Our seven top-scoring pupils also qualified for the Pink Kangaroo competition and Oliver Z achieved a Merit. Most recently, in the Junior Mathematics Challenge, Merchiston boys earned five Gold, eleven Silver and fifteen Bronze awards, giving us the highest total number of certificates in this competition since 2015. Three of these boys (Yuqi C, Fergus F and Phillip G) went on to compete in the Junior Kangaroo.

With respect to staffing changes, after many years serving the boys and staff as an excellent teacher and Head of Department, last year marked the departure of Dr Vian for St George’s School. Her teaching experience, vast academic expertise and friendship were all highly valued, and we were very sorry to see her time at Merchiston come to an end.

In August, we were pleased to welcome to the department Mr John Butterfield, another hugely experienced and enthusiastic teacher who has been a great asset this year in his part-time role. We were also joined on a temporary basis by Mrs Kirsty Whittle, who has been an excellent addition to the Pringle team and is helping to inspire our younger pupils in their mathematical journeys. We are delighted that the Maths Department will continue to grow with the arrival in September of Miss Elizabeth Atkinson, who has a particular interest in Mechanics and a passion for seeing pupils develop their understanding through problem-solving.

The long-standing Maths Department tradition of “Cake Friday” has continued, with cross-curricular involvement provided by the Economics and Library staff. With Maths continuing to be a popular choice among the VI Form boys, the Department is always busy, and we look forward to what next year will bring!

Naomi Steen, Head of Mathematics

(From left to right)

Mathematical Origami

Some of the boys who earned certificates in the UKMT Junior Mathematics Challenge.

LVI students evaluating one another’s solutions.

MODERN LANGUAGES

This session, boys have undertaken external examinations in five different languages and off-timetable tuition in two further languages. We have benefited from the presence of two British Council language assistants and from the support of external organisations.

As part of the Spanish film festival, Shell boys had a film and tapas night, watching ‘Campeones’ in house.

Different year groups similarly watched French films from the Schools programme of the French Film Festival.

The Chinese New Year was celebrated, not quite in the usual style, but with enthusiasm - in the Art Department.

Current Fifth Formers Freddie J and Todd B were regional winners in the Institut Français’s Pop Video Competition, impressing with their Covid lyrics and dance performance…! They have won books for themselves and for the School library. Merci bien, les garçons

We have again participated in the Anthea Bell Prize for Translation, organised by the Translation Exchange based at The Queen’s College Oxford, and current Fourth Formers George A and Henry A were awarded commendations, both for translations of German poems.

In Mandarin, two pupils, Max M and Fedor B, successfully completed the HSK Chinese Proficiency Test a year early this year. This is an international standardised test, and achieving HSK Level 3 will allow them to study at top Chinese universities with a scholarship. Well done!

We look forward to further such stellar achievements and real-world application of language knowledge. Next session, we will again have two new assistants, and we welcome incoming Prefects for 2022-23, Max dM, Max D, Robin R and Lukas M, who have already proven themselves “ready ay ready”!

Flanagan, Head of Modern Foreign Languages

Shell pupil Juan Pablo was awarded a certificate by the Franco-Scottish Society for his review, written in French, of the film Fahim

Clare

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

This year, the PE members of staff were so excited to get started again, with most of the Covid restrictions gone and a return to the normal schedule that we had missed so much. We also had the welcome addition to the PE Department of Merchistonian Cameron Gray, who was returning as a sports graduate after excelling in his work

experience here in the Summer Term of 2021.

With regards to the core PE curriculum, we taught eight different sports over the course of the academic year. In each term, we focused on various different components of physical education, as detailed in the table below:

Further to the sports we offered, we also managed to continue the roll-out of the Fundamental Movement Skills throughout Pringle, led by our own guru, Mr Noble. Each Pringle class had one lesson per cycle to develop the core movements. This initiative gives the boys an opportunity to improve their mobility and basic movements patterns. However, the easiest way of looking at them is by separating the skills into three categories: locomotion, stabilisation and manipulation.

This year also saw the welcome return of public exams, and I know that the Department was delighted that normal practice had resumed. All academic classes had worked extremely well in challenging circumstances last year and seemed prepared and ready for the challenges that this year would bring. As always, all boys performed well in the

practical element of their courses, which allowed them to have confidence going into their summer examination period.

Finally, in 2022/23, there could be an exciting new initiative for the Department. With Napier University on our doorstep, we have the opportunity to take the UVI pupils from both Higher and A Level PE courses to Napier’s UKleading sports labs. This will give the boys an opportunity to learn in a new environment once a term, focusing on the practical testing parts of the courses and completing these specialised tests in the outstanding new facilities there. It will also give the boys a chance to sample a day in the life of a student in Further Education.

Craig Harrison, Head of Physical Education

PSHE AND LIFE SKILLS 2021/22

PSHE and Life Skills are subjects that, although they are not formally assessed, are absolutely vital to the development of young minds. In the past year, the value of providing pupils with opportunities to reflect, discuss and engage with real-life topics could not have been more important.

Providing a slightly less formal space for pupils, where they feel comfortable to talk openly, learn about and debate the topics at hand, is vital. These lessons, in partnership with excellent work across the whole School, help to tie much of the Merchiston boy’s School life together. We continue to work closely with Ms Coyne (Head of Careers) and Ms Williams (Skills Co-ordinator) to provide high quality opportunities for our pupils to develop both their academic and social skills. Our aim is to foster young adults ready to meet the challenges of life outside Merchiston with confidence and dignity.

In PSHE & Life Skills this year, the topics the pupils have engaged with include:

Rights & Responsibilities, Assessing Risk, Hygiene for Health, Sexual Health and Relationships, Risk TakingAlcohol and Substance Misuse, Wellbeing, Health in Our World, The Media and Body Image, Mind MOT – coping with pressure, Equality, Bullying Awareness, Internet Safety, Eat Yourself Happy!, Attitude – build your brand, Resilience – easier said than done, Be Yourself – peer pressure, Revision skills, Poverty & Development, Economic Wellbeing, Citizenship & the UK Political System, Bereavement & Loss, and a Review of the Year.

Visiting speakers

We have been lucky to have a variety of excellent guest speakers for both pupils and parents, including:

Leonie Griffin and Catriona Scott of the Stewart Ivory Educational Trust, ran on-line financial workshops for the Sixth Form;

We were lucky enough to have Allison Havey from The RAP Project come and speak to the Lower Sixth. The focus was about the development of positive and healthy

relationships, with reference also made to the ‘Everyone’s Invited’ movement;

Avril Ronan from internet safety company Trend Micro delivered an engaging and informative webinar for our parents as part of their Internet Safety for Kids and Families Programme (ISKF). The Merchiston community was able to log in and learn more about a variety of topics, including safe use of social media, managing screen time for young people, online gaming, and protecting your family’s online privacy;

Emma Cole was able to return to Merchiston in November in order to speak to Shell pupils about her experience being HIV positive and on the topic of HIV and AIDS awareness more generally. Her frank, thoughtprovoking and entertaining delivery was very engaging.

Julie Wilkinson from the anti-bullying organisation Brave the Rage was able to deliver sessions for our Junior school in October last year.

Youth Philanthropy Initiative

Over the course of this year, the Fourth Form boys have been working hard in small groups to select and contact local charities and to present their chosen organisation to a panel of judges and pitch for a cheque for £3000. This culminated in June when all seven groups made their pitches and were judged on a variety of criteria such as engagement, impact, passion, presentation skills and creativity. It was a hard-fought battle and all groups put forward a compelling case for a whole range of very worthy charities.

The final winners were Nick DV, Hippolyte P, Cameron S, Ismael W, Josh C, and Thomas S, who put forward a highly persuasive case for supporting Edinburgh Young Carers, an organisation which seeks to lighten the load of young people across the capital who are engaged in caring for family members.

The importance of the topics and issues investigated in PSHE and Life Skills are central to development of fullyrounded young adults. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our fantastic PSHE and Life Skills teachers for their commitment to putting their pupils at the heart of their practice.

Stuart Buchanan, Head of PSHE

SCIENCE AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOM REPORT

We are delighted to be back on site this year with our resident animals and our fantastic facilities, both within Gibson House and in our outdoor classroom. Last year, we managed to hatch one chicken and one duck, which now live together in the aviary in our outdoor classroom. Recently, the duck has started laying eggs and the boys have enjoyed finding these and cooking them in the boarding house or taking them home. Our greenhouse is blooming with new fruits and vegetables and has been used to demonstrate sexual and asexual reproduction strategies and for Pringle experiments. The pond is thriving with a high biodiversity of pond skaters, tadpoles and water snails, along with my personal favourite, the water boatman, and the boys’ favourite, Smooth newts! These are protected in the UK and make for some interesting conversations about conservation.

Upstairs in Gibson House is home to our chameleon, tortoise, Rankin dragon, two corn snakes, ball python, stick insects, African hissing cockroaches, our 51-year-old giant African land snail and an array of tropical and cold-water fish. The boys love coming up and exploring them all, whether they just want to look, watch the snakes being fed or brave taking them out for themselves.

It has been a busy year in Physics and we are looking forward to, and now planning, the return of lots of activities post-COVID. We are hoping to see the return of our annual trip to CERN, starting in 2023. This year, we were very lucky to have a dedicated seminar given by Dr Cristiano Alpigiani about his work in Particle Physics. He gave us a detailed talk about the exciting work that is being done at the Large Hadron Collider and the many open questions they are hoping to resolve.

This academic session, the Chemistry Department has had the opportunity to send four A Level students to a Chemistry ‘lab day’ experience at Heriot Watt university. The students had the opportunity to spend a day in the life of an undergraduate chemist, completing complex practical work with equipment not usually available to them in School. This day was organised and supported by SCIS (Scottish Council of Independent Schools). Later on, in the Summer Term, there were opportunities to participate in the Schools’ Analyst Competition and a Salters’ Chemistry Festival. The former is an extra-curricular Chemistry competition for A Level students, where they carry out complex analytical Chemistry practical-based problems as part of a team. The Salters’ Festival is for younger (III Form) students to attend an exciting lab day out of School, with a mixture of practical experiments and exciting lecturedemonstrations.

In Biology, we have enjoyed getting back to the classroom so that the boys can carry out some practical work themselves. We aim to let the boys try some unusual dissections, for example a snake, bearded dragon and many squirrels from our campus, and we love to show the boys comparisons of organs and organ systems from different species. In May, we took the LVI boys to Edinburgh Zoo for a Biodiversity and Conservation workshop and they had a lovely afternoon exploring some of the endangered animals and ex-situ conservation work that they learn about in the A Level course. We also managed to get the LVI and UVI Form together to watch the University of Aberdeen’s Annual Microbiology Lecture in December. Prof Robin May, University of Birmingham, gave the boys a whistle-stop tour of humanity’s invisible microbial companions, which linked in to both years of the A Level course and expanded the boys’ knowledge and interest in microbes from around the world. In January, we ran our forensic DNA day with the UVI Form Biologists. They got to prepare samples of DNA and amplify them using our PCR machine, pour their own agarose gel to carry out gel electrophoresis and study the DNA profiles to determine who committed the crime. This brought a large part of their A Level course to life!

Our Science prefects have been fantastic all year in helping out with junior classes and gaining leadership skills themselves. This year, we have also started working closely with the DT and Electronics departments and we are looking to build on our STEM curriculum next year. We look forward to the addition of all the new equipment we have secured for next year and all the wonderful trips we are going to go on!

Hannah Williams, Faculty Head of Science

THE HYDRA – MERCHISTON’S ARTS MAGAZINE

The last edition of The Merchistonian, which covered the Covid-19 period of 2019-21, reported on the inaugural edition of The Hydra, Merchiston’s new Arts magazine. The second edition will be published shortly, and will include the best examples of boys’ poetry, prose and artwork from this academic year. When it is printed, with cover design by Kit N (UVI), it is hoped that the proceeds will go to Hopes and Homes for Children’s Ukraine Appeal. We are pleased to include three examples from The Hydra here, edited by Stephen Douglas, who edits the publication, written by boys at different stages of their “Merchiston journey”.

SACRIFICE

The tired chatter of youthful conversation ceased as the wooden doors of the Memorial Hall slammed shut. The hollow echo was immediately followed by the organ’s fulsome cascade. William raised his head to watch the Headmaster’s procession move down the aisle. At the front, the Chaplain walked purposefully with the Bible held closely to his chest, with the sombre figure of the Head following closely behind him. William felt a twinge of irritation at the morose atmosphere in the Hall, especially on what was to be their last day in the Castle before leaving for training camp in rural Perthshire.

Looking down the row, William tried to see if Fergus had made it on time. Fergus had missed the Housemaster’s rollcall earlier that morning and no-one had seen him at breakfast, but that wasn’t entirely unexpected. Just in time, Fergus appeared from nowhere and perched at the very end of the row. The boys shared a conspiratorial smile – a secret collusion William had cherished since First Form.

The Chaplain approached the lectern and the sunlight that had been pouring through the upper windows of the Hall suddenly diminished behind a cloak of grey clouds. Clearing his throat, the Chaplain led the congregation in prayer: “Dear Lord, may you protect these brave sons of Merchiston as they leave us tomorrow to fulfil their patriotic duty to defend our King and Country…”

The 15th Battalion, Royal Scots had already been dug in for six months when William Petrie took up his position as Lieutenant. For him, training camp was an eternity ago and the once youthful idealist no more bore resemblance to the battle-hardened veteran he felt he had become. With some thirty men under his command, William seldom had time to think of the old days in the Memorial Hall but as

chance would have it, Fergus remained closely by his side.

The lack of sleep and the constant bombardment on the Somme in the lead up to the “big push” on 1 July was agonising for Fergus. Surely, this would be the breakthrough that would end the war, he had often tried to convince himself. The night before the offensive, William approached Fergus in the trenches. “We’re both on sentry duty tonight,” he said, before adding, “We can take it in turns to sleep.” Fergus’s eyes, dulled by exhaustion, briefly lit up with the prospect. The thundering cacophony of the bombardment had lasted days but that evening on 30 June, an eerie silence had descended on the trenches.

William looked out across the nightmare on no man’s land. The complex network of barbed wire and shell holes filled with grey stagnant water had an alluring yet sombre beauty. His only comfort was the fact that Fergus was fast asleep, his chest rising and falling peacefully under the gaze of the watchful moon.

Suddenly, the silence was broken with a crack and then a hiss from everywhere and nowhere. William could smell burning garlic as a thick yellow pall crept towards him from the direction of no man’s land. It was then that he felt the horrible burning sensation of mustard gas. Despite the searing hot pain in his eyes and throat, he reached for his whistle and blew as hard as he could. A single sharp note of alarm reverberated across the trenches.

Fergus sat bolt upright, his eyes open but unable to take in the chaos amidst the cloud of yellow smoke. Fumbling desperately about him for a gas mask, he realised that in spite of numerous warnings, he hadn’t seen his mask for days and in that hellish twilight, he knew this was the end and nothing and no one could save him.

In horror, William saw Fergus’s eyes frenzied with terror as he clutched at his throat for breath. The defeating silence of his own laboured breathing made it impossible to communicate but he tried to scream nonetheless, as if he could stop his friend from slipping into the abyss. Taking one final deep inhalation, William took off his own mask and placed it over the flailing head of his dying friend. With relief, the convulsive movements began slowly to subside. Fergus was safe from this nightmare for now.

The tired chatter of youthful conversation ceased just as

THE FISHERMAN

As he sat at the window looking out into the distant sea, all he could see was the rising and falling of the waves to the backdrop of the bleak winter sky. Then there were the gulls who followed the fishermen in their droves; huge flocks of screaming white gulls diving into the water to eat the fish. Owen looked down at his watch - he had to be back on deck now. One more gruelling shift before they would return to port, then he would be one step closer to leaving this life behind. He was ready to leave it all – his family, Ireland and fishing – all for one person. Her name was Grace. She was kind, open-hearted and beautiful. Owen didn’t mind that Grace was English, although he never fully understood why his family hated that so much.

He remembered growing up and how his family always seemed to be happy. There was Mother, Father and Timmy, his brother. They would play hide and seek with the other children in the village all day long. Then sooner or later it would be time for supper and Father would have to come to chase the children, gathering Owen and Timmy up and putting them on each of his hulking shoulders. That was a long time ago. Now Mother was drunk every night and most nights she would return from the pub barely able to walk. Timmy was still in school but spent barely any time at the house and Father was dead.

It was late in the evening when they returned to the harbour. Owen knew he would have to return to the decaying house to face his mother. She was always volatile. It didn’t matter what he said or did. At first, it was only when she was drunk but as time went on, it was getting harder and harder to tell if she was drunk or sober. Owen walked up the road to his house - the only noise he could hear was his own footsteps on the cobble road. As he entered the dark house, he looked around, familiarising himself with the interior. As he sat at the small kitchen table, he asked himself the question: “What’s the point in staying here?”. But he knew he would soon see Grace and that gave him hope.

As morning rose over the small town, Owen set off to the local church, not to pray or to be lectured to, but to

the wooden doors of Memorial Hall slammed shut. The hollow echo was immediately followed by the organ’s fulsome cascade and the sound of steps from a procession making its way to the front of the Hall. William shuddered involuntarily but the hand on his arm soothed him. Fergus was by his side. Clearing his throat, the Chaplain opened with a Remembrance Day prayer. William listened but his milk-blue eyes stared blindly.

William A (V Form)

meet Grace. It was the only place they could meet in private. The church was the biggest building in the town –it had a large oak door with large stained-glass windows that reflected the morning light onto the floor in a colourful mirage. In the glass was an image of Jesus guiding a boat to safety in a wild storm. Owen had seen similar storms to the one shown in the glass, although he had never needed Jesus to get through them. The pews led up to a big gold cross at the heart of the church. Grace was sitting in the front row and when Owen saw her, a sudden wave of delight washed over him. It had only been a week since he had last seen her but it felt like a lifetime. They greeted each other with a hug and then they sat for what seemed like only minutes. Grace talked and Owen listened, imagining what his new life was going to be like. Their plan was to move to a small village in the English Midlands, as far away as possible from the sea. There, Grace would work as a teacher and Owen would work at the local newsagents. As the day turned into night, Owen knew he would have to say goodbye, albeit in the knowledge that the next time they would meet would be at the port, waiting for their boat to freedom.

As Owen walked back home, the feeling of excitement was almost too much. He felt his legs get weak just thinking about what his future held. Then reality soon kicked back in when he saw the house. As soon as he entered, his mother started shouting at him, enquiring as to why he had been out so long and hadn’t done his chores. She had never approved of Grace. Her being English was probably the main reason but Owen also thought it was the fact that it meant he had finally grown up and moved on, replacing what was left of his love for his mother with someone else.

Owen only had one final trip out on the fishing boat. The only reason he was doing it was to ensure he had enough money to get to England. As the boat left the harbour early the next morning, he knew that when he returned home it would be for the last time. In five days, he would return and then he would be gone forever.

This feeling of joy carried him into the second day out at sea. The weather was horrendous, with gail force winds and heavy rain forecast for the whole trip, but Owen didn’t mind the weather because all he could focus on was embracing Grace when he returned to harbour, safe in the knowledge that they would be spending the rest of their lives together. What Owen wasn’t focusing on, however, was the small crane on the boat deck holding the bulk of the latest catch. Instead of pressing the button to bring the winch in, he accidentally pressed the button to release it. Owen instantly realised his mistake but by then it was too late. The massive weight of fish hit the water, forcing the boat to keel over to the right. Owen was thrown into the cold dark water below.

As Owen struggled to the surface, he realised that his leg was caught in the net. He tried desperately to fight himself free but the heaving dark mass below him was too heavy. In his final moments, a realisation came over Owen. He hated the sea. He hated his family. He hated Ireland.

James L (UVI)

THIS IS ME

My favourite sport is basketball, I train really hard, I give my all. Up and down, dribbling on the court, Basketball is a skilful sport.

History, DT, Art and RS

Are the subjects I like the best, But Maths and Science make me bawl –I rarely hand in my prep at all!

I have two dogs, I live in Spain, I have two brothers, they are a pain! We love mountains, we love hiking, The views from the top are truly striking!

I love the buzz of video games, With lots of guns and tons of flames!

Hiding and driving, buildings to climb, Video games aren’t a waste of time!

One day, I’ll be a diplomat, I’ll live with my dogs in a cosy flat. I’ll go surfing in the bright blue sea, And do what I like because this is me!

Juan M A (II Form)

II Form Art

C E C I L S TA G G

CECIL STAGG SOCIETY 2021-22: LOWER SIXTH RESEARCH PROJECTS

Each year, students in the Lower Sixth Form have the opportunity to produce a Cecil Stagg independent research project, exploring a topic of personal interest with support and guidance from the relevant academic departments. We are printing here extracts from two particularly good examples from this year’s Lower Sixth: Torin M’s ambitious and wide-ranging exploration of uses of literature as a weapon of ideological war and Callum B’s forensic analysis of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

LITERATURE AS A WEAPON OF IDEOLOGICAL WAR

By the 1950s, a new body appeared, the more widelyknown House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC). This new body, headed by the infamous Joseph McCarthy, began what later would be nicknamed the ‘Red Hunt’. McCarthy immediately produced a list of many artists, writers and directors, whom he deemed, without proof, to be members of the Communist Party. Playwrights such as Arthur Miller found themselves blacklisted and forced out of work. In a 1996 interview between Miller and The New Yorker magazine, he stated that the “Death of a Salesman company had played to a thin crowd in Peoria, Illinois, having been boycotted nearly to death”. Critics interpreted the play as an attempt to bring the capitalist structure into disrepute, personified through the character Willy Loman, whose futile beliefs in the ‘American dream’ left him a failure. The novelist Howard Fast, another victim of the HUAC, who spent three months in prison for refusing to co-operate, found that his novel Spartacus was rejected by over seven publishers for its detailing of an inspiring rebellion that could have parallels drawn with the Russian Revolution. The effects of the ‘Red Hunt’ were sorely felt by the world of the Arts. Outrage was raised over the CCF and HUAC’s fairness. Why was there the liberty to discuss questions around sex frankly in print but political liberty was not to be mentioned? Why was the press given freedom but not literature?

However, the departments were not all for the suppression of leftist literature and, in many cases, the respective bodies endorsed pro-capitalist and anticommunist authors and playwrights, most notably the world-renowned George Orwell. Orwell faced very different treatment to Miller when it came to publication. Whilst Miller struggled to find a director and publisher for The Crucible, the CCF secretly funded a cartoon animation of Animal Farm, whilst the US Air Force dropped copies in

the Warsaw Pact countries of Eastern Europe. The US government had identified literature not only as a dangerous weapon able to spread communist ideology, but also to discredit and embarrass it.

Over in the USSR, the story was a similar one. They employed a policy of rigid censorship and only allowed the publication or performance of pre-selected artists. The musician Shostakovich had his works endorsed by Stalin himself, who believed that his symphonies glorified him (unaware of the fact that they were simply satirical). Playwrights and novelists like Maxim Gorky were also backed by Stalin, who praised him for his sympathetic stories about tramps and social outcasts. On the other hand, writers who did not conform to Stalin’s strict censorship found themselves the target of the Soviet Secret Police and the prisons of the gulag. Events like the ‘Night of the Murdered Poets’, when thirteen Jewish poets were brutally murdered in Lubyanka Prison on 12 August 1952, terrified writers across the country. However, this did not stop the resistance. Similar to Miller’s critique of the ‘Red Hunt’ in his play The Crucible, poets such as Anna Akhmatova were inspired to write secret literary critique of the Stalin regime. Her poem Requiem was orally taught to her trusted friends and became a symbol of resistance to the horrors of Soviet censorship. Stalin recognised literature’s power as a weapon that could potentially depose him: he knew that if popular fiction was in any way anti-communist, the people might begin to see his totalitarian rule as egregious. His policy of raising certain writers and spreading their (supposed) pro-communist message, whilst attempting to silence any form of literature that critiqued it, allowed him to keep relatively stable control of the USSR.

Torin M, Lower Sixth Form

ASSESSING CHINA’S BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE

Almost all of the loan contracts which have been agreed since the establishment of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013 have involved terms which allow China to scrap the loan at any time and also to call the repayment early. Moreover, the interest rates are often high on the loans, leaving a huge pressure on the borrowing country to succeed with the loan, and finally, every contract since 2014 has incorporated a confidentiality clause – in effect, the borrowing country is obliged to keep certain terms of the contract secret. The desire to hide terms of every contract, potentially from the Western critics who disagree with China’s policies on almost everything, is certainly suspicious.

On the other hand, one might argue that China’s foreign policy is no different, in most respects, to that of other countries. A clear resemblance in strategy is apparent in China’s partner, Djibouti. China’s actions in Djibouti after default are eye-catching but it is very important to note that China is not the only country with a military base overseas. In fact, it is not even the only country with a military installation in Djibouti, which is home to bases of the USA, Germany, France, Italy, the UK and Spain. The first country on that list, the USA, even has multiple overseas military bases. Additionally, with regard to the USA, it is noticeable that almost all criticisms of the BRI and Xi Jinping’s trade projects have originated from America,

whether it be American written articles in American published newspapers or even the IMF, which has itself been criticised for America’s domination of it.

On top of this, not all countries have been impacted badly by the BRI, and perhaps China does not want anyone to be badly affected at all. Kenya is a good example of a case where both countries have mutually benefited from a loan deal with China. With Chinese help and money, a $3.2 billion railway has been constructed connecting the port city of Mombasa to Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. The new railway takes one third of the time it used to, to travel between these two economically significant cities on the old railway system – one, which furthermore, was more crowded, of far worse quality and, in turn, safety. Kenya has not struggled as yet to pay off the loans, testament to the success of the Chinese-assisted construction of infrastructure in Kenya. Kenya is not the only country to benefit from the BRI to date, and definitely will not be the last. There is a lot to unpack with regard to the analysis of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and all things considered, it is probably easiest to claim with the most validity, that sitting somewhere on the ‘fence’ between the two sides of the debate is the rational viewpoint.

Callum B, Lower Sixth Form

CHAPLAINCY

CHAPLAINCY REPORT 2021/22

There is an old joke that my father used to love telling, that tells of a sergeant major addressing a young recruit:

“I didn’t see you at camouflage training this morning, private”, the sergeant major bellows.

“Why, thank you very much, sarge”, replies the bold young recruit!

Well, we had not seen any parents at far too many School events, for far too long and for a very different reason. What a joy and relief it has been to be allowed to welcome parents, grandparents and friends of Merchiston back into the School community. Really, I / we have missed that unique community feel which having all ages at a Whole School Service brings to this place.

Ironically, given the anecdote that I started with, we were first able to get the wider Merchiston community involved again at our Remembrance service – you can read my address elsewhere in this magazine. However, the very special bit for me was to leave the confines of the Memorial Hall, where we held the first part of the service with the boys, and process out of the Hall, led by Pipe Major Will N, with the wreath-laying party and the rest of the School, down the front steps and outside. There, a crowd of about 150 parents, friends and Merchistonians, who had been waiting outside, met us. The Pipe Band marched up the driveway from Pringle to the Garden of Remembrance, and, symbolically and actually, we were one again – Inside and Outside, Past and Present. We were One School Community for the first time in over eighteen months. Wreaths were laid at the Garden of Remembrance and the Silence observed together on the dot of 11am – the key word in that sentence is “together”. For so many reasons, this was a very moving occasion.

We came together again for the most unique of Carol Services in December, when another familiar phrase, “necessity is the mother of invention”, was played out before my eyes. I am ashamed to admit that this “doubting Thomas” of a Chaplain kept worrying “but what if it snows....it rains....it’s too cold”. But seeing is believing –it was perfect! On our Merchiston Carol Journey, the “Wise Men” of Laidlaw processed from Laidlaw House singing carols, to join the rest of us on the steps of the main School building. Before a magically lit main School building, we sang and listened, on a unique occasion, to that most unique of stories, perhaps with fresh ears. Immanuel. “God is with us”. We then, appropriately, all processed together to Pringle, where the youngest of our community abide.

From the Wise Men to the Child; it seemed, again, symbolically appropriate.

In February, our Senior Prefects did a fantastic job of pulling together a service about dynamic friendships and effective couples, entitled “Two are better than one”: where else would you have such a combination mentioned in the same service - Holmes and Watson, Woody and Buzz, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, the Brownlee brothers, the School and Us, and God and Me? This was another utterly unique occasion, delivered by a wonderfully accomplished and well-rounded group of Senior Prefects.

We have tried to take so many more steps to provide access to our wider Merchiston community in these last months. Whole School events are now live streamed, thanks to the expertise of our AV team, led by Mr David Thomson. Throughout the pandemic, sometimes daily and sometimes weekly, I wrote over 120 blogs for boys, parents, Merchistonians, and others within our community: these were voluntarily received by over 600 people each time. People seemed to want communication, community and care, and I do not think that has changed post-pandemic! And now, the other highlights, no less important, but the editor has his word limit!

• First regular Whole School Assembly in almost two years on 1 March 2022;

• Regular Sectional Assemblies have now resumed each week;

• The Chaplain’s curry night “spluttered” through the pandemic, but inside or outside around the fire pit, we managed to hold this most Tuesday evenings;

• I have learnt how to use Zoom! However, it’s so much nicer to see people in person.

So, to completely de-humorise, if that’s a word, the joke at the beginning of this report, and in a heartfelt way: Chaplain: “It was great to see you again at Chapel this morning”.

Reader: “Why, thank you very much, Rev”. Let us hope and pray that the personal connection continues.

Philippians 1, verse 6: “…..being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”.

Rev Nick Blair, Chaplain

MUSIC

MUSIC REVIEW 2021-22

I am reminded at this point in the year, a week before the School’s Commemoration service with musical performances, how far we have come from the darker days of September. My favourite piece performed by the Chapel Choir this year has been “The storm is passing over”, the lyrics of which seem very apt for this report. “Have courage my soul, and let us journey on, though the night is dark and I am far from home. Thanks be to God, the morning light appears … The storm is passing over.” We started the year very much in the midst of the storm, able to rehearse, but not able to have parents attend performances: I cannot fault

our pupils for their commitment and their adaptability to different situations.

The first Chapel service of the year was Harvest: the Chapel Choir prepared an anthem but was not able to perform due to Covid restrictions. Instead, the Close Harmony Group stepped in, and performed “One of these fine mornings” superbly to a congregation of masked pupils, and to parents watching over the web.

Soon after, we restarted our lunchtime concert series. These concerts have been running for several years now and provide pupils with a comfortable and safe space to

develop skills in performance. Over the course of the year, we have programmed ten concerts, organised by our graduate music assistant Iona Rae, with students from J4 to UVI performing a wide range of musical styles and levels.

As the nights drew in and preparations for Christmas hastened, we performed our first Whole School concert in two years, with every group in the School performing to a Memorial Hall full of students and an online parent audience. This was one of the strongest concerts in my time here, with the Chapel Choir, Wind Band, String Group, Jazz Band, Close Harmony Group and Pipe Band performing strongly a variety of music and rediscovering those all important skills of ensemble awareness and public performance. These were interspersed with some amazing solos, from Alexander R, Adrian W, Ryan W, Erik S and Dougal M.

As the end of term approached and a new Covid variant loomed, our usual Carol Service in front of parents and boys, one of the musical highlights of the year, looked unlikely, but a decision to move the service outside gave renewed hope. The pupils not only prepared music, but also had to practise processing: this was a challenge, particularly for the Junior School boys. They say that no plan survives contact with the enemy, but after a slightly disrupted start, the service got underway, with some gutsy descants and a lovely performance of “O Holy Night” –from the Close Harmony Group.

The Lent Term’s music-making is dominated by the Choral Concert and Music Competitions. First up was the Ogilvie Bowl, which was gifted to the School by former pupil Ruaridh Ogilvie, who went on from Merchiston to study Music. The competition is for students studying jazz and popular music and was adjudicated this year by Mr Jon Beales. The students all gave fine performances and, in my tenure as Director of Music, it was closest competition I have witnessed. However, on the day, first place was awarded to Will N who played the electric guitar, second to Alex R who played the piano, and third to Finlay P, who played the drum kit.

The McLeod Cup and Forbes Bowl Competitions were held on 10 March. The McLeod Cup was gifted to the School by former Director of Music and composer John McLeod, who died recently, with students entering from IV and Shell Forms. The competition was intense, with many performances of a high standard. The winner was Adrian W, with a beautiful performance on the Flute of Le Parisien; Ryan W took second place, with some dramatic and virtuosic Schubert; and third place was awarded to Lyall R, with some reflective piano playing of Elegy for the Arctic, by Einaudi.

The Forbes Bowl was gifted to the School by the late Donald Forbes, former Headmaster, who did a great deal

to raise the profile of Music within the School. Whilst the competition was small, the standard was high and it was Dougal M who took first place with Primeval Dance on the timpani; Oliver Z took second place with some demanding Chopin; and third place was awarded to Leo S, performing Chopin’s famous B Minor Prelude. Thanks for the adjudication go to Linda Emslie, who gave many excellent insights to the boys on their performances, Mr Turner for his accompanying and Miss Rae for all her work behind the scenes.

The term concluded with a new project for the Chapel Choir: the pupils have often asked to sing some popular music as part of its yearly repertoire, and so this year, we decided to work on hits from Disney, focusing on songs from The Jungle Book, Toy Story, Frozen and The Lion King Pupils in the Junior School asked to dress up for the performance and the Senior School pupils followed suit. In my twelve years at Merchiston, I do not think that I have seen so much colour on stage, with many investing a lot of time and energy into their outfits, which added so much to the evening’s music-making.

Fortunately, the Summer Term’s music-making has been a lot better than the weather! For me, the highlight was the Junior Music Cup, which, in my view, saw the best standard of performance I have witnessed from our students. It was also the first concert performed in front of a live parental audience: it somehow seemed fitting to begin again with our musicians in the Junior School developing performance skills which will enable them to develop into our leading musicians in the Senior School. The competition was adjudicated by Sixth Form students Alexander R and Finlay P, with Miss Rae keeping a watchful eye. The winners were:

J4/5 - Francis B

I Form - Aziz R

II Form - Calum R and Ruaridh V III Form - Xander MB

Overall winner - Sam O

As the year draws to a close, much like the world, Music has many challenges moving forward. The lack of performance experience will take some time to rebuild, but we also have many things to be thankful for: the continued dedication of our students, with another set leaving Merchiston to study Music at university, and a host of talented musicians who are continuing to develop. All of this has been made possible by the hard work of Miss Rae, Mr Turner and our instrumental teachers - so my sincere thanks go to them.

Stephen Dennis, Director of Music

RECENT EXPANSION OF MUSICAL ACTIVITY AT MERCHISTON

This academic year marks a milestone for Merchiston music, with three students applying to study Popular Music or Music Technology at degree level. Already, we have several former pupils studying Film Music, Music Production, and Popular Music, and some continuing to perform contemporary music. It would be safe to say that success in “modern music” is beginning to become a tradition in Merchiston’s Music Department.

We have always pursued a philosophy of encouraging our pupils to engage with the music that they enjoy, whilst continuing to introduce them to the music of the past: in class; in their instrumental lessons, with the talents of Mr McDiarmid (guitar), Miss Pierce (jazz piano) and Mr Rankin (drum-kit and percussion); and in our concerts and competitions, with the introduction of a new music competition, the Ogilvie Bowl, for musicians who wish to perform contemporary styles of music and explore improvisation.

In our choirs, the pupils perform a very wide range of music. This year alone, our choral repertoire has included works by Thomas Tallis, GF Handel, Elton John and David Guetta. Meanwhile, we have pupils recording podcasts and chapel services, and several are developing their skills as disk jockeys.

In my first year here as Director of Music, we had a pupil band, Bwani Junction, which has since gone on to achieve success in the professional world, which has released recordings made at School, and has been given airtime on Radio One. This tradition has continued and developed since, with many students developing skills in the recording and production sides of music, and this academic year, our Upper Sixth Form class will sit examinations in Music and Music Technology. They are very much modern musicians, classically trained, all strong contributors to the School’s ensembles, and well prepared for the modern musical world, in which skill in music technology is an essential facet of any modern musician.

All of this exemplifies the goals of Merchiston’s Music Department. The School has some very strong traditions, especially in choral music, with its importance in our chapel services and concerts, and in Scottish traditional music, with our pipers and drummers. However, in addition, our students are exploring, performing and creating the same music which they choose to listen to in their leisure time –a new Merchiston tradition which is set to stay.

Stephen Dennis, Director of Music

PIPE BAND 2021-22

As the academic year 2021-22 commenced, we looked forward to a much more normal year ahead. Will N was appointed Pipe Major, Arran C as Pipe Sergeant and Patrick B continued as Lead drummer.

We welcomed a new Piping Instructor, Mr Kyle Warren. Kyle has a very impressive track record in the piping world, having won numerous World Pipe Band Championships as a member of the Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band, as a member of the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, a composer of pipe music books and a recording artiste.

The usual CCF Quartet and Trio competition fell victim to a continuing cautious approach to Covid recovery, but

the Band featured in our annual Remembrance service, part of which was conducted outdoors so that parents could be welcomed back into the School grounds. Will N played the lament and Drum Major Brian Alexander played the Last Post and Reveille. The Band also marched down the main drive to conclude our outdoor Christmas celebration for Whole School and parents on a fortunately mild December evening, with a spectacular floodlighting display covering the front of the main School building.

The Lent Term saw another cancellation of the CCF Piobaireachd Competition in mid - January, but we managed to run our own School Solo Piping Competition

in the Robertson Hall. It was judged by the Senior Pipe Major of The British Army, WO1 Peter MacGregor, who had some kind words to say about the standard of performance achieved. The winners were:

Chanter -Josh C Junior Pipes -Tom C Intermediate Pipes -Hamish H Senior March, Strathspey and Reel -Arran C

On the first Sunday in March, the Band was able to participate, under controlled conditions, in the George Watson’s indoor band competition for the first time in two years. The Band gave a good account of itself but did not feature in the prize list. However, at least we were “back in action” indoors!

Early on in the Summer Term, the Solo Drumming Competition, judged by Drum Major Alexander, took place and the winning performances were: Junior -Callum W Intermediate -Kit N Senior -Max M

Five of the more Senior pipers gave a much appreciated and varied lunchtime concert in the Memorial Hall: Will N, Freddie C, Max G, Josh G and John T all gave a very good account of themselves.

The Band played a selection at our ”Jubilee Street Party”, and the following evening took part in the CCF Rebadging Service, which was very appropriately held indoors in front of the School War Memorial, owing to very inclement weather. Will N and Callum R were selected to receive the

new (and also the original) Merchiston CCF badge as the most senior and junior members of the current Band.

The Band took part in the CCF contest at Fettes College and was awarded a very creditable third place in the confined event - a very good all-round effort.

As the Summer Term drew to a close, the Band took part in the Bo’ness Children’s Fair, the Commemoration Celebration and the Prizegiving and Service on the final day of term - all events which have had to be cancelled for the past two years because of Covid. Certainly, the year has been approaching a “return to normal service” - let’s hope this continues!

A fairly large cohort of leavers must be thanked for their service to the Band over the years. They are Will N, Freddie C, Max G, Oscar J, Hamish McK, Arran C, Patrick B, Jamie H, Max M, and Finlay P. We wish these boys all the best for the future and hope that they continue to play and enjoy their piping or drumming in some shape or form.

A big “thank you” must go to Jim Walker (Drumming Instructor) and Drum Major Alexander (leading parades and general Band drill instruction), as well as to Kyle Warren (Piping instructor) and Dr Clare Nugent (Uniform “Tsar”). Without these colleagues, the Band would not be in such good shape.

On a more personal note, I am hoping to take more of a “back seat” next session and to hand over the reins to Kyle Warren, in the knowledge that the Band will continue to be in safe hands and will progress from strength to strength with no more interference from nasty pandemics!

Campbell, Master i/c Pipe Bands

Gordon

LUNCHTIME CONCERTS, AUTUMN TERM 2021

During the second half of the Autumn Term of 2021, we were lucky enough to spend our Thursday lunchtimes listening to performances from some of the School’s musicians. Each week, a group of instrumentalists was put forward by their teachers to showcase the hard work which had been put in through the term. There was huge variety in every concert, whether through repertoire choice, instrument, or even performance style. We had piano, brass, woodwind, strings and contemporary concerts, all of which were of a high standard. This concert series gave the School community the opportunity to listen to some beautiful music, whilst also giving the young musicians an extremely valuable opportunity to perform in front of their teachers and peers. Although at times some nervousness was evident, it soon disappeared when the performers realised how

supportive their audience was, resulting in some stellar performances across the age range, from I Form to the most senior pupils.

One thing that really struck through all the performances was the support of the boys. They all genuinely thoroughly enjoyed cheering on their friends and fellow performers. It was lovely to have a staff presence there too to augment the audience. All of the boys’ faces lit up as they stood up to take their bow, demonstrating a clear sense of pride in their musical achievements. Hopefully, it will have made performing a less daunting experience, and more of a fun activity which they can enjoy.

These lunchtime concerts have now become an important aspect of the work of the Music Department.

Iona Rae, Music Department

DRAMA

DRAMA REVIEW 2021-22

It has been quite a while since our boys have had the chance to tread the boards of our wonderful theatre at Merchiston. Due to the Covid pandemic, performances and close contact drama activities sadly had to be abandoned altogether. I am pleased to say that, this session, drama has finally made a long-awaited comeback, allowing pupils to improve their acting skills in the Lent and Summer Terms.

The Junior Drama Club started in the Lent Term, giving boys from I to IV Form the chance to develop their performance skills, building confidence while working together as a team and, most importantly, having fun! The boys focussed on improvisation games and using movement, voice and physicality to create character. It was great to see many of our international boys building their English skills through drama. Some particularly humorous moments came from Miguel playing an incompetent fisherman and Juan as a catwalk model! The boys enjoyed devising short mime scenes, using movement creatively to portray a variety of characters and worked on creating

dialogues using props and costume as a stimulus. Performing these scenes in front of their peers allowed them to develop their confidence in acting for an audience and they delighted in giving feedback to their fellow performers. Many of the scenes showcased the great talent and creativity of our pupils, including Henry as a convincing dragon slayer, Arjun as a disgruntled customer with a terrific accent, and Sam M and Sam O in a nuanced interaction between very important businessmen!

In the Summer Term, we welcomed Miss Ellen Shand to School to deliver two days of workshops. Ellen is a freelance drama tutor and actress who has worked with the Strange Town Theatre Company in Edinburgh for several years, and works with youth drama groups throughout Scotland. In May, Ellen joined us to run a ‘Play in a Day’ Workshop with our J4 and J5 pupils. The junior boys used ideas from their History and English lessons to create their very own characters and story from scratch, which they then performed for parents at the end of the day. Oskar, Omar,

Ander, Barney, Conor and Oliver portrayed the ‘Viking Avengers’ with energy and enthusiasm, whilst Fionn and Harry were thoroughly convincing as the villainous evil brother and prince. Angus and Francis enjoyed donning their capes as the dark wizard duo and, of course, it all came down to our heroes, Nicol, Callum and Jack to save the day with a happy ending! The boys were rightly very proud of their achievements in such a short space of time. Ellen also joined our Junior Drama Club for an afternoon workshop. Boys worked in groups to create ‘Twisted Fairy Tales’, changing key details of well-known stories to create their own series of scenes. Joel and Lewis demonstrated excellent performance skills, projecting their voices to the back of the Memorial Hall, whilst William B showed a talent for

comic acting through his portrayal of Red Riding Hood’s sick grandmother. A memorable retelling of the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme was devised by Hamish, Sikai, Callum and Enoch. This included some excellent physical comedy and a particularly impressive live save on stage from Enoch as the goalkeeper! Stepan, Ryan and Miguel also provided laughs with their hilarious retelling of the Three Little Pigs. It has been great to glimpse the performing talent of our juniors this year. We are really looking forward to getting back on stage next session and collaborating with St George’s once again to showcase these skills and welcome parents back into our theatre!

Amy Warke, Head of Drama

YEAR REPORTS

REVISED HOUSE STRUCTURE FROM 2021-22

August 2021 brought a revised House structure to Merchiston as the School embarked upon an ambitious renovation project, beginning with the closure, gutting and complete refurbishment of Chalmers West in 2021-22, a work which will continue into 2022-23 and which will lead into a similar renovation of Chalmers East, ultimately providing state-ofthe-art and sector-leading boarding accommodation.

The ensuing reshuffle within our horizontal House structure posed a temporary challenge to those longerserving members of the School for whom House names were synonymous with Year Group names (Chalmers West and Fourth Form, for example), but we quickly settled into routine under the following structure, which will continue in the academic year 2022-23:

Pringle

J4 – Third Form

Chalmers West Off-line for refurbishment

Chalmers East Fourth Form

Rogerson Shell Form

Evans Fifth and Lower Sixth Form Day Pupils

Laidlaw South Fifth, Lower Sixth & Upper Sixth Form Boarders, plus Upper Sixth Day Pupils

Laidlaw North Fifth, Lower Sixth & Upper Sixth Form Boarders, plus Upper Sixth Day Pupils

Danny Rowlands, Deputy Head Wellbeing

PRINGLE HOUSE REPORT 2021-2022

After what has felt like a very long time, this year signalled a return to normal and we have been thrilled to be able to welcome parents back into School and embrace several different learning opportunities, including numerous trips, activity days and residentials for all boys. Throughout the year, the boys have had the opportunity to shine academically, in sport, music and external competitions.

The first exciting opportunity came when The Wild Outdoors came to School and set up an internal camp. This was in lieu of the residential camp that was planned for the Summer Term of 2021, but was sadly postponed due to COVID. The boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves, learning

to throw tomahawks, build dens, make shelters, turn their hand to archery, ponass salmon and camping out in the beautiful Merchiston grounds. It was to be the start of an enduring relationship with this company and it was a great way to start the year.

Just before Christmas, the elf run was a highlight for all the boys because it mixes two great loves for most of our pupils – sport and dressing up. William B came in first after the first lap, Alejandro quickly followed and Marco came third. All of the boys showed enthusiasm and were incredibly supportive of each other. Some boys challenged themselves to run three or four laps. Well done, boys, and

thank you for all your hard work finding sponsors: they raised an incredible £781.80 for their sponsored elf run and the boarders delivered four trolleys of present donations for Cash for Kids. In the Whole School cross country, the boys tried their hardest and there was a wonderful feeling of camaraderie and goodwill. Well done to all our boys, in particular to William B (1st), Freddie C (2nd) and Toby G (3rd). In March, the whole School set off to support our U18 boys in the Scottish Schools Cup Final. Everyone was extremely excited on the day and it was an incredible event. The boys won with a final score of 20-7. Throughout the year, the boys have impressed in rugby, tennis, golf, cricket, athletics and swimming, amongst other sports. A massive “well done” to everyone for their dedication, hard work, willingness to improve and modesty in their achievements.

In the Autumn Term, one of the highlights for the boarders was a trip to the Scone Game Fair, held at Scone Palace, where they put Jed through his paces in the scurry, rode segways, watched Mordor Gundogs and played on farm machinery. The annual Halloween celebration in the House was an event to remember and one that everyone got involved with. Following tradition, the boys dressed up and took part in apple bobbing, treacle doughnuts and a piñata, all whilst being settled around an open fire in the Secret Garden, roasting marshmallows. For International Day, they took part in a quiz, getting to try lots of different foods from around the world and guessing where they were from. The Cheezzy Underdawgs team won, with their excellent knowledge of flags and monuments. It really was a week of international celebration in Pringle. The last trip before Christmas was to The Nutcracker at the Festival Theatre. It was a beautiful ballet and for some of the boys, the first they had seen. Evan thought the best bit was at the start, watching all the children get their presents from Drosselmeyer.

The year whizzed by, with more trips to bubble football, Murrayfield, Aqua dash, crazy golf and the beach. In the Summer Term, the boarders headed to Stewarton Polo Club for a morning of polo. This activity is available to boys in Third Form and above during the mid-week activity programme and was a great success for our younger pupils. Juan Martin Sepulveda, a 2-goal Argentinian Polo pro, put the boys through their paces and they were soon hitting offside forehand shots.

In Maths Week, the boys explored our grounds and entered the annual photography competition. Well done to Alan, William and Stepan in the First Form for their winning entries. Several of the Pringle boys also took part in the Junior Maths Challenge later in the year. Well done to the First Form Euro Quiz Team, William, Logan, Alan, Evan

and Issa, who competed against numerous Edinburgh schools and did very well. They should be proud of their efforts.

In the Design and Technology Department, boys have flourished with the numerous creative opportunities and competitions on offer. The MerchiSTEM activity got busy making LEGO guitars and 3D-printed violins on a Friday afternoon. They planned, filmed, glued, collaborated and took part in creative problem-solving and learning. For the Design Ventura challenge, Fergus W, Hamish H, Sikai C and Anton created an idea to improve family bonding time. Congratulations to Hamish H, proud winner of the DT&E, Prefect-led design competition for a 50p piece. The runners up were Sikai C and Henry A. Thank you to Michael Conway and family for judging; it was a close competition and a beautiful way to honour Hugh Conway (Merchistonian 1927-32). The First Form spent a day focussing on Scandinavian crafts. They whittled coat hangers from the remains of unwanted Christmas trees and Lino printed scenes from Tove Jansson’s Moomintrolls. Ollie particularly impressed Dr Nugent, who commented that he has a natural gift for woodwork.

November saw the launch of the Thursday Lunchtime Concerts in the Memorial Hall. These have taken place most weeks, with each concert focusing on a different group of instrumentalists. The boys have enjoyed performing and we have enjoyed listening. When assemblies returned after Christmas, we were able to enjoy performances of music from Joel, Alex, Samuel and Louis, amongst others. We are thrilled that so many boys play an instrument here at Merchiston and are hoping to start a Junior Pipe Band; J4 and J5 boys continue to have drumming lessons on Fridays and several of them now play the chanter.

In Anti-Bullying Week (15 -19 November), the boys in the Pringle Centre took part in a competition to design a pair of odd socks. Each sock represented the fact that everyone is unique and special, showing that we need to embrace everyone’s differences. Barney won for his thoughtful design. Raife, Theo, William, Alan and Stepan had their pieces of art chosen to feature on the front of the Headmaster’s Christmas card. A fantastic effort, boys - well done! Thank you also to Xander, who started a weekly baking club in Pringle House: it has been wonderful to learn about different types of bread and see the boys gain in confidence in their bread-making. Teamwork, perseverance and a willingness to see out a process have been put into action.

Careers Week in the Junior School was a highlight for all. The boys were extremely lucky to have a number of talks from professionals throughout the week, including a lawyer, accountant, pilot and doctor. There were also activities and games timetabled into the afternoons. Thank you to those parents who kindly gave up their time to share

their professions and inspire the next generation. Sergeant Quentin Russell, a Merchistonian, came to Pringle with his beautiful Police dogs, Maisie, Otto and Tilly. He demonstrated how to work the dogs and gave a snapshot into life in the Police Dog Handling Unit. Being a police dog handler is more than just a job - it’s a vocation for life and a partnership between dog and handler that lasts twentyfour hours a day, seven days a week.

This year, we have welcomed several authors to inspire a future generation of writers. We were delighted to welcome best-selling author Vivian French to speak to our J4 and J5s and other special guests from Colinton & St Mark’s RC Primary Schools. She is a highly acclaimed children’s author who has written more than 250 books during the course of her career, including Caterpillar, Butterfly, the Tales from the Five Kingdoms series and Yucky Worms. The I-III Form boys welcomed Annabel Steadman for an inspiring visit, centred around her Skandar books. Having being inspired to create, J4 and J5 boys welcomed Play in a Day to help them create a scene. The boys then performed The Saga of the Twisted Brothers to parents in the Memorial Hall. This was a tale of two brothers, vying for the throne of Denmark, with assistance from an evil sorcerer and a troupe of Viking superheroes. Inspirations included Hamlet, Beowulf and Viking raids.

We continued to embrace the fun and the playful in Pringle, with numerous opportunities for boys to dress up and have fun with friends. A massive “thank you” to the parents who supported with our Harry Potter themed events; Mrs. Richeh’s incredible baking wowed us all again! The boys enjoyed a few days of Harry Potter events, including a dress-up day, screening of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Triwizard Clan Cup, won by Spylaw and Pentland. They took part in a number of different challenges on Saturday, including Quidditch, treasure hunt and riddles maze. We were impressed by the teamwork and leadership shown throughout the events. Congratulations to Jacob (Hermione), Laurie (Dobby), Aziz (Dumbledore) and Dr Mayoh (Mad-Eye Moody) on winning our bestdressed prizes for Harry Potter Day! “May the 4th be with you” was similarly fun, with boys making the most of dressing up for the day.

After Christmas, the first event was Burns Night. J4 and J5 spent Tuesday morning with Mrs Haston and Mr Kiln learning about Robert Burns. The boys performed Address to the Haggis, learning individual sections, Conor piped and a toast was made. They also talked about Burns’ life and lasting impact today. Callum really enjoyed the celebration of Burns in the evening, particularly the reeling because he enjoyed the spinning! To top the night off, the boys were treated to pancakes, tablet, shortbread and Irn Bru. We also

enjoyed Calum’s piping, Xander’s fiddle, poems and reeling. Disney Day was also a great success and fun for all the boys. Raife and Hamish H won the best dressed character award. On Global Recycling Day, Stepan and Sikai impressed with their creative and imaginative outfits.

The highlight every summer is the addition of lambs to the Pringle Centre. Dolores and Jemima, a little bit older than the lambs we had last year, got to work on their first night in situ by quickly destroying the Pringle Centre Foyer, much to the amusement of boys and parents the next morning. Everyone took it in turns to prepare bottles and feed every two hours! They were a favourite at the Junior Open Afternoon, at which the boys tried their hand at zorbing, tomahawk throwing, cricket, football and wild garlic pesto making. This was the final afternoon with Dolores and Jemima and everyone wanted to give them the last bottles. On dropping the lambs back to the farm that evening, the farmer’s daughter, Anna, kindly let the First Form boys whizz around on her ATV. They were in heaven! We are so lucky to have such an incredible relationship with this farm and be able to take the boys there weekly for Young Farmers.

On Friday 20 May, Pringle hosted the Platinum Jubilee Garden party, which was a great success. Thank you to everyone who planned, set up, helped, donated and joined us - I know that the boys had a wonderful afternoon. We had bouncy rides, stalls, afternoon tea and croquet. It was a pleasure to be able to meet so many parents and show them what life in Pringle is like. Well done to Calum R, in Second Form, for being one of the winners of the National Platinum Jubilee Flag Design Competition, run by Flagmakers. Calum had his design turned into a flag for him to keep, which flew as part of the School’s celebrations on the Merchiston flagpole. Thank you also to everyone who submitted a design for our Jubilee mug. Proceeds from sales went to Hope and Homes, Ukraine Appeal. Second Former Juan is to be congratulated for his winning design. The following Monday, the Pringle Centre boys and staff headed off to Lindisfarne for the first of many exciting adventures, which included the annual sponsored walk, residential trips, trips to East Lothian and a Wimbledon-themed day of t2ennis.

This has been a year of enormous highs and we are thrilled that the boys have had so many opportunities to shine, flourish, grow, bond with their peers and represent the School. We wish all our leavers success, whether up the path or in pastures new. We hope that the memories and friendships that you have made this year sustain you into the future.

Torrance, Pringle Centre Lead Ruth MacLennan, Pringle Housemaster

Alexandra

CHALMERS EAST REVIEW 2021-22

Due to the renovation work being done on Chalmers West over the past year, the Fourth Form boys were privileged to be accommodated in Chalmers East. Mr Noble was our Housemaster and helped us get used to life in the Senior School. He created a calm and supportive environment –not an easy feat in a House of forty-two boys! I am sure that I speak for all members of the Fourth Form when I say that becoming Senior School students was an exciting experience. We were given much more responsibility, were allowed much more independence, and began identifying and focusing on what we might study for our GCSEs. We welcomed new students to Merchiston, including boys from all over the world. Our year group nearly doubled in size from our final year in Pringle House.

This year was one of many activities and accomplishments. Despite starting the year with Covid restrictions and the wearing of face masks in School, we were able to participate in many fun trips and adventures. These included a trip to Fox Lake, where we swam and did zip lining over the water. We also played bubble football and laser tag, went go-karting and competed in paintball, the latter of which left us with many bruises from being shot by our friends – sometimes our own team mates!

Unfortunately, due to Covid, we did not have as many rugby fixtures as originally planned, which was disappointing. Despite this, our rugby season was very successful, and Mr Raikes coached us to many victories. Also, for the same reason, we were not able to have as many socials with St George’s and Kilgraston, although in the Summer Term, we were able to have one with Kilgraston, which was great fun for all.

A very new and exciting experience this year was the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Expedition, for which, after a training day in the Pentlands, we went to the Trossachs. During the expedition, we camped out and had to fend for ourselves, learning new skills such as pitching a tent,

purifying water, orienteering and map reading, and cooking over an open fire. One lesson we learnt the hard way: do not leave your matches out in the rain overnight!

A highlight of the year was watching the 1XV compete in a very exciting Scottish Schools Cup Final match against Stewart’s Melville at Murrayfield. Merchiston emerged victorious after a hard-fought game. There was much enthusiasm in the School’s support and our chanting was magnificent!

A new experience for the School was the Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI), in which our year group participated. YPI is a project in which many schools around the UK take part, and involves choosing a social issue to research and support. The teams then partner with a local charity which works to address this social issue, developing a relationship with the charity and learning about its work. The final stage involves giving a presentation about its activities and why the team believes in its mission. The winning team is awarded £3000 as a donation to its nominated charity. There were many interesting entries, many of which were in presentation form, including videos produced by the teams, which were entertaining and informative.

The Summer Term brought a true end to our Covid restrictions, enabling us to spend more time outside with our friends, and to have a full schedule of cricket fixtures. The light-filled evenings and warm weather allowed us to put many of the hardships of the pandemic behind us.

Finally, we thank all of our staff in Chalmers East, not least Heather and her staff, who worked tirelessly to keep the House clean and tidy. We also thank Mr Noble, the House tutors, and all three of our Housemothers this year, who were all very kind and helpful. We now look forward to an exciting year in Rogerson with Mr Aitchison.

Ishmael W, IV Form / Chalmers East

ROGERSON HOUSE 2021-22

A whole new world…

Welcoming boys into Rogerson for the start of the new academic year was a joy, but not without the remaining challenges of the pandemic still lingering. Opening the doors for boys to arrive from all around the world brought the House alive with the possibilities that lay ahead.

The year started with the unique experience of a Whole School Assembly, held outside in front of the pavilion. It was amazing to see everyone gathered together in our beautiful grounds, with many of the boys unaware this was not the norm! The boys wasted no time in getting involved in School life, with lessons and prep, activities and sport, assemblies and socials, and the relationships between the boys getting stronger with each day that passed.

The Christmas Carol Service was another first, again taking place outside, with the main building lit up beautifully as parents and the community joined us. It felt so good to be edging ever closer back to normality.

“I always enjoy the Remembrance Service, but this year’s was a particular highlight. It came during a particularly bad week for Covid, but the boys were outstanding – a credit to the School, to Rogerson House, to their families and, most importantly, to themselves.”

Dr Mechie

After a year of boys in tracksuits and polo shirts, the return of the School uniform was welcomed by all, and the first Whole School Service wearing kilts was a magnificent

sight. The chance to get into casuals and socialise will always be in fashion and a September visit to watch Edinburgh Rugby in the new DAM Health Stadium under the blue sky and Scottish sun was a trip which many will always remember, especially supporting some of the Merchistonians who were selected to play.

Social events organised by Mrs Darling, our Housemother, were always well received and a variety of activities, from SPLAT Face to group balances, brought much laughter. Bringing the boys together for some light-hearted fun allowed her to build strong relationships with the boys and support them through their time in the Shell year.

The tutors have brought a variety of skills to the House whilst on duty: Mr Jackson has a loyal group of boys who enjoy board games and Mr Thomson has had the boys singing karaoke, playing head lamp football and playing Mario Kart! The day room is often buzzing with excitement around the live sport and we have witnessed some big moments together. The arrival of a table tennis table in the day room got the competitive juices flowing and it is seldom quiet.

“A highlight for me was the open mic night that Mr Thomson ran in November. I was delighted to see the Mexican boys take centre stage and treat us to some Latin ballads and then for everyone to join in for a bit of The Proclaimers led by the Scots! A fantastic night on duty in Rogerson!” Miss Warke

With restrictions still in place for much of the year, the only social with a partner school was held in the Summer Term with Kilgraston. The girls arrived on a Friday evening as the heavens opened, but spirits were not dampened and as the groups mingled and socialised, the sun came out and we were treated to a brilliant evening of fun and games, making memories that will last.

“One of my favourite memories was when it snowed and most of the boys from Shell went to the astro. It was covered with snow, and we were playing football. It was so slippery and easy to slide tackle! We still chat about that night.” Teiyoon House trips have been varied and catered for all tastes: trips to rugby matches; an exhausting, but thrilling trip to Alton Towers; the Christmas Pantomime at the King’s Theatre (a local delicacy best sampled with friends!); the new James Bond 007 movie; and the musical Sunshine on Leith to give another cultural flavour. We hope these events have sparked the imaginations of the boys and also broadened their horizons.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Merchiston’s 1989 rugby tour to Japan, we welcomed the Japanese Consul General as well as members of the touring party to a small dedication ceremony for three cherry trees which were donated by the Sakura Cherry Trees Project. Elliot has been learning Japanese and read a poem in Japanese at the gathering. This was warmly received and hugely courageous - a moment he will treasure for a very long time.

The year group has excelled in music this year: Rev Blair believes Adam playing the tuba in assembly is a ‘first’ in his time at MCS, with more performances from Adrian on the flute, Erik on the piano and Ryan playing Sunshine on Leith

at the request of Mr Aitchison! That inspired Dr Mechie to organise a House trip to the musical in June! Rogerson was well represented in the choirs and the Disney night was a real highlight of the year! Josh played a piping solo in assembly, with John performing at the Open Day and many of the boys involved in the Pipe Band throughout the year. There is no doubt that the future of Merchiston music is in good hands with this group of boys.

The return of assemblies also gave the boys a chance to test their public speaking skills and build their confidence in front of an audience. Robert and Lewis gave a presentation about the Geography trip to Iceland and during International Week, Theo, David and Teiyoon spoke about ‘Home’. The boys are very supportive of each other in these situations and we hope they take inspiration from their peers.

Sport has played a big part in the life of this year group, with Archie and York excelling in the Golf Academy, travelling the length and breadth of the country to compete and represent the School. Many of the boys have enjoyed golf as an activity and Armando has made significant progress in the Development Squad this year. The tennis dome has brought huge motivation to the boys involved in the Tennis Academy programme, with JC, JP, Pedro and Nathan making strong progress in their play and building confidence in their abilities. The rugby season for the under 15s was very strong, with wins in all of their games in Scotland and a trip to the well-known Langley tournament taking the boys out of their comfort zone and seeing them challenge schools from England. A big travelling support of parents and family included a host of Merchistonian Dads! This experience, and getting to

support the 1XV at Murrayfield, has given the boys huge motivation to keep working together and progressing towards that longer-term goal of succeeding in the Cup. Five of the boys went into the Pathway representative programmes and enjoyed the challenge that this elite level competition brought them: well done to Lyall, Henry, Ross, Luca and Theo for their selection. In the Summer Term, the boys threw themselves whole-heartedly into the athletics and cricket programmes and enjoyed being back out and competing in home and away fixtures. The boys made good use of the nets after prep to get in some extra batting and bowling practice. They were always looking for opportunities to compete and playing in the hockey fixtures gave them another chance to show their skills.

“My favourite memory was the trip to the Langley Festival. We spent the whole day on the bus, and did karaoke. Also, when we went onto the pitch to play Wellington, Lyall’s little brother played the bagpipes as we were the only Scottish team, which was pretty cool.” Theo

The House has made great contributions to charities throughout the year, with a big drive for food donations at Harvest, donating toys for children in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife at Christmas through the Forth One Help a Child appeal, and also in collecting used sports kit to donate to Changing Lives Malawi. Helping others and showing kindness has been a mark of the group throughout the year and long may that continue on their

journey in life.

With Covid restrictions being lifted, the Prefect team was back to being resident in Rogerson and played an important part in the life of the House, supporting the boys and staff and creating many memorable moments. Head of House, Robbie, and his Deputy, Oscar, were great role models as leaders and the other residents, William, Calum and Jamie took on a lot of responsibility to ensure the smooth running of the House. The arrival of the non-residents always brought a welcome injection of energy and excitement (especially for Teo!) and Euan, Monty, Griogair and Callum should feel proud of their input.

“I have fond memories of Christmas Karaoke… Feliz Navidad etc, Eric’s amazing impromptu piano recitals in the kitchen, and being jealous of Jamie’s evening steak habit…!” Mr Thomson

The progress of the group as a whole and each individual has been immense and the future is very bright with possibilities. After two School years of disruption, it has been pleasing to see how the boys have handled this academic year and they are now ready for the next step in life, confident that the relationships they have built and the experiences they have shared are only the beginning of what life can offer.

“I have a great memory from the 1XV cup semi-final against Dollar. The whole School celebrated together after the game.” Hamish C

EVANS HOUSE REPORT: 2021/22

As I come to the end of my first year as Evans Housemaster, it is a great to have an opportunity to reflect. Without doubt, this year has been one of the most fulfilling of my career: having the opportunity to work with and support such a diverse, engaged and genuine group of young people has been fantastic. I would go as far as to say they have made my first year in the post go (relatively) smoothly!

In Evans, our mission is to create a safe and positive community environment within the House. It is vital that the pupils feel a real sense of identity within the School. Our philosophy in Evans is driven by the three core values of kindness, respect and responsibility. I am sure that all will agree that these are traits worthy of recognition and praise whenever they manifest themselves.

As I have said on many occasions, one of the strengths of Evans is its combination of both the V Form and Lower VI Form dayboys - I am certain that this mix is a real asset to the House. Over the course of this year, I have seen how it has enabled the Lower VI to step up and take on the mantle of role models to our new V Form. At the same time, pupils entering the V Form, have had the opportunity to see the VI Form at work, providing an invaluable insight into the next stage of their Merchiston journey. Whether it be during the wonderful hot chocolate, nachos and pizza socials organised by Mrs Marshall, or the very competitive games of table tennis at breaktime, it has been brilliant to see both year groups mixing and socialising. I am proud of how well they have gelled over the course of the year.

Regardless of year group, academic studies have demanded more of the pupils’ time than in previous years. They have been expected to take on greater responsibility for their personal academic progress, and have needed to balance competing demands from multiple subjects. These are not easy skills to master, but I have been very proud of how well the pupils have all managed their competing demands.

I feel fortunate to have an experienced House team, consisting of Assistant Housemaster Mr McCann, Housemother Mrs Debbie Marshall, and both Dr Cartwright and Dr Bower as House Tutors. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their wonderful support throughout the year. Equally, I am eternally grateful to the excellent UVI Prefects - Will N, Imran J, Luke M and Hugh A: their commitment to Evans and willingness to support the pupils and House team has been invaluable.

As the current LVI Formers move to Laidlaw next year, I hope they will look back on their time in Evans fondly. In addition, I look forward to welcoming our new V Form pupils in September. The House team will be ably supported by an excellent team of new Upper VI Prefects; Torin M, Aaron G, Owen F and Harry B.

I would like to thank and congratulate all of the Evans pupils and staff on a very successful year. I hope that all will take advantage of much needed and deserved summer break!

Stuart Buchanan, Evans Housemaster

LAIDLAW SOUTH HOUSE REPORT: 2021/22

After an incredibly challenging two years, it has been wonderful to welcome all the boys back to School; they returned with their usual enthusiasm and positive anticipation for the year ahead. This year, we also welcomed V Form boarders and UVI day boys to Laidlaw, and what a success the addition of these boys has been: the Laidlaw community became broader and the boys have all connected and get on very well. The year started off strongly with a bowling and mini-golf trip: the event was designed to welcome the new pupils and all residents to Laidlaw, and to help them connect with their fellow House members - it was a great success, providing a wonderful opportunity to initiate conversations and make new friends. At weekends, we have often had house barbecues: these have been so popular with the boys that they have been repeated multiple times throughout the year.

As COVID restrictions, quite rightly, continued, it was unfortunate that we could not socialise with our sister schools St George’s and Kilgraston. However, we more than compensated with a series of internal social events every week, not least the infamous yet friendly rivalry with

Laidlaw North, where everything is a competition; football matches, basketball events, tennis tournaments, which House has the best break-time socials - these all contribute to the fun and energy that really drive the House. Mr Glover joined Laidlaw South as Assistant Housemaster this year and he brings a wonderful positivity, dynamism and initiative to the House. He organised two brilliant socials: the famous ‘Chilli Cook Off’ between the different floors (the reward is to eat a lot of chilli afterwards then establish whose is best), and also the rugby games night - friendly (no money exchanged!) score cards, timed predictions and end result betting with sweets! We also mark each and every occasion in House: International Week, Halloween, Harvest, Christmas Meal & Secret Santa and Chinese New Year - all excellent events in the year.

Real highlights of the social calendar were the trips to the Dominion Cinema, where we watched James Bond ‘’No time to die’’ and also ‘’The Batman’’. We had the cinema to ourselves, the majority of the House attended and it was a stunning experience that was greatly appreciated across all year groups.

This year, the great history of Merchiston sport was again continued by the Laidlaw South boys. We had some amazing achievements from all three year groups in a variety of sports and it is wonderful to see so much participation from all the boys. Our boys did unbelievably well in rugby this season: most notable was the 1XV victory at Murrayfield, beating Stewart’s Melville with a score of 20-7 to win the Scottish Schools Cup. Additionally, the U16XV made it to the semi-finals in the Scottish Cup after a strong season. The 2 and 3XV posted a phenomenal unbeaten season. A number of boys have performed so incredibly well in their sports that they have been recognised internationally: in rugby, Tom C represented Scotland at U18 level and Christian B played for Denmark U18 vs Sweden; Robbie S and Stephan H now represent Scotland at shooting; and Micah vB has been incredibly successful swimming both nationally and internationally in breaststroke, winning the 50m Gold medal at the Scottish National Championships.

The Golf Academy qualified for the National Finals by beating the Loretto B Team 3-0 in the local semifinals. Tim R settled his win on hole 17 with a score of 3&1 and William A gave his opponent no chance by winning 5&4. In the Tennis Academy, the boys have enjoyed a wonderful season, winning the postponed 2021 Scottish Schools Cup and also the 2022 Scottish Schools Cup. Alex B has competed extensively, achieving a bronze medal in the Denmark U18 Championship and Euan M (Tennis Academy Captain), who has signed to attend University of Delaware next academic year, lifted the trophies alongside some of his team mates.

To find the roots of these strong performing athletes, you have to look behind the scenes - the gym. Mr Gray has had a huge impact on our success by guiding and leading the Strength & Conditioning programme throughout the whole year. Special thanks go to him for his tireless efforts to achieve the physical best for every Merchiston pupil.

In 2021 and 2022, Laidlaw South competed in various friendly sports fixtures against the “Northsiders”. Unfortunately, Laidlaw North proved itself the stronger side by winning twice in football and a basketball match. This winning streak will definitely be broken next year! Thanks to all who organised these competitions, which always provided great fun.

In May, we were privileged to welcome the Japanese Consul General to Merchiston. The visit was

to mark the delivery and planting of ornamental cherry trees as a part of the Sakura Cherry Trees project and also to mark thirty years since Merchiston’s rugby tour of Japan. Azuchi and Hinata T recited a Haiku and did a short reading. This was a lovely event and a poignant moment, as it had been delayed since 2019 - it was fantastic we could go ahead with COVID restrictions starting to lift.

Throughout the year, the boys continued their charity collections and other charity efforts: we donate 10% of our profit from the tuck shop to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, and have collected over £200 this year. The House collection from the Prefects’ service in March was also for the ECHC and £312 was raised, totalling over £500 donated to this deserving charity. We also have a food collection: the boys are encouraged to buy nonperishable food each time they visit Tesco, with a budget of under 50p. We donated a huge amount to the Harvest Festival and Mr Lieberman donates to different food banks at the end of each term.

We now look forward to next year as we continue to develop and improve Laidlaw South. We are excited to announce that the information system of Laidlaw South will be changing: in the coming months, we aim to push digitalization even further by replacing noticeboards and posters with flat screens and digital communication. This will make it much easier to connect with each other and will be a more climatefriendly method of providing our students with all the information they need to get through the day.

A huge “thank you” must go to the man who runs and organises the House, our Housemaster Mr Lieberman. We are thankful for his efforts and the energy he provides - it has been great. Similar thanks also go to our outgoing UVI Prefect team: Oliver R (Head of House), Fedor B (Deputy Head of House), Hamish McK, Drew MS, Alex B and Christian B. Our Fifth Form prefects, Lachlan F (Deputy Head of Fifth Form), Alex C and Jamie L also did a great job.

All members of Laidlaw South also wish to thank our resident tutors, Mr Gray and Mr Glover, and the non-residents, Dr Steen, Mr Thompson, Mr Dobbin, Mr McCorkell and Mr Deans. Special thanks also go to our very special Housemother, Mrs McGregor, whose help and support is truly wonderful. It has been truly a brilliant time, so now we say that we are ‘ready, ay ready’ for next year!

Tim R, Felix G, Donald G, Simon R, Mikhail B, Wilson M, Oliver P, Max dM (Prefect Team 2022-23)

LAIDLAW NORTH HOUSE REPORT: 2021/22

The 2021/22 academic year in Laidlaw North has gone by in a flash. From the first, sunny week back in September, there has never been a dull moment and the boys have enjoyed the return to an (almost) full schedule of activities and normality following the difficult years of the pandemic! Bearing in mind that the majority of the House, including Housemaster Mr Raikes, were new to the House at the beginning of the year, there was a widespread air of excitement.

This year has been slightly different in Laidlaw as we have been joined by the Fifth Form. Despite it also being our first year in Laidlaw as the Lower Sixth year group, we unanimously agree that having the Fifth Form in the House with us has been hugely positive in so many ways. Guided superbly by our Prefect team and the Lower Sixth as the ‘middle year group’, they settled in quickly and fitted right into the Laidlaw North community. Since then, they have loved the Laidlaw experience - not to mention the luxury of their own rooms and en-suites!

As a House, and the Fifth/Sixth Form as a whole, we have continued the traditional competitiveness between

Laidlaw North and South. In the first term especially, competition was rife and we “went to war” with South on the football pitch on two occasions. Both times we came back victorious, with an admirable, combined effort of all three year groups in the House. At the end of the long first term, it was refreshing to get involved in the early Christmas celebrations at School. Celebration was certainly the most suitable word to describe the Sunday night before the end of term, with yet another victory over South in the infamous carol-singing competition, making it six victorious years in a row for Laidlaw North, it is worth mentioning.

Less competitive but equally enjoyable Christmas events also took place in the form of the annual Senior School Christmas dinner in the dining hall and the first ever North Christmas dinner, which took place in the House dayroom. Both these events were huge successes and highlights for many when reflecting on the year that has passed.

The return after Christmas was, in an academic sense, extremely busy with both the Fifth Form and Upper Sixth sitting their mock exams. However, the hard work in the

classroom was balanced with a huge amount of sport, a darts tournament, VIA Club on Saturday nights for Sixth Form, the Six Nations, cinema trips and the very much appreciated hot chocolate in the evenings, kindly prepared for us by Mrs Coyne. It is very difficult to reflect on a year at Merchiston without mentioning sport, and it is fitting to mention it in the form of a national Cup Final which took place in the Lent Term. Despite the small number of boys who make it into the squad, the Cup Final is a Whole School event and one which was thoroughly enjoyed by all the boys in North - both rugby and non-rugby fans. An evening of chanting and cheering for the majority was responded to by a victory on the pitch, making this a definite highlight for many.

Despite the lack of socials with St George’s and Kilgraston this year, due to Covid restrictions, there have been many well organised internal social events. In the North dayroom, many of the boys of Laidlaw gathered to watch the Six Nations games, with the added enjoyment of betting on the outcomes of the games with rewards of sweets, organised by Mr Glover. Additionally, of course, gatherings

in the VIA Club have continued, thanks to the hard work of all the staff in Laidlaw. Everyone has loved the quizzes, darts, nachos and everything that comes with VIA on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.

We are now well into the Summer Term, which has brought with it much hard work for the boys in the Fifth and Upper Sixth Forms, but there has also been plenty of activity outside the classrooms and exam hall. There have been barbecues and volleyball at the front of Laidlaw and everyone has enjoyed the sun by getting outside as much as possible. The cricket nets have been full on many occasions after prep (until Love Island has taken over the evenings in the dayroom!), whilst those who wish to have been able to go to the sportshall, the football pitches or simply relax and make the most of the weather.

It has been a fantastic year in Laidlaw North. We now all look forward to the summer holidays and, before we know it, returning for another action-packed year!

by the Laidlaw North Lower Sixth Prefect Team Elect

Written

TRIPS AND ACTIVITIES

2022 GEOGRAPHY EXPEDITION TO ICELAND –THE REALITIES OF PREPARING FOR AN EXPEDITION DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC!

Every alternate Easter holiday, from 2007 to 2019, the Geography Department has organized an adventurous expedition to Iceland (open to IV Form and Shell pupils), which, no matter what the weather, has always proven a great success. As pupils get just one chance in their School career to participate should they want to, we were particularly sorry that organizing our next such trip for Easter 2021 was impossible because of Covid travel restrictions and border closures.

With pupils and staff alike being delighted to be back in School at the start of the 2021-2022 academic year, I was eager to look into whether we could organise our next Iceland expedition for Easter 2022, this time open to Shell boys and to V Formers as a catch up. At the time of advertising and planning, Iceland’s borders were still closed, vaccination requirements were strict, required quarantine was still in place, and Brexit threw in much more stringent visa requirements for some of our pupils than had ever existed under the very useful, but no longer existing, British Council Group Visa Scheme. My preferred school travel company was delighted at my adventurous spirit and agreed to give it a go, and we were inundated with pupil interest. With extra insurance and extra guarantees from the travel company, we soon had the pupil places filled, and embarked on an anxiety-ridden six months (October

– March) of ups and downs, with many uncertainties and changes in borders opening and then closing again, Iceland vaccinations requirements not matching what vaccinations the UK was yet offering our pupils’ age group, etc, etc. I was very grateful for the full support of the School, and Major Ewing (co-organiser) for his unwavering support throughout this time, later joined by Mr McLaughlin (teacher of Chemistry), and Mr Thomson (Head of IT and DofE) to form the staff team for the trip.

To cut a long story short, we continued with all the required preparation through all the ups and downs, and I found it difficult to believe when, at last, on 24 March, all twenty-four pupils (with just one last-minute substitute due to Covid) and four members of staff were taking off on an Icelandair flight from Glasgow to Reykyavik. We were all prepared with masks, vaccination certificates, strict behaviour codes, many, many risk assessments, rules and regulations. We received a very warm welcome from our hosts, as they were waking up from their Covid slumbers to greet us – their first school group since the Covid lockdowns made them impossible to host. Now, over to the pupils to tell us whether or not they thought all our efforts were indeed worthwhile…….

Tanya Bower, Expedition Leader

PUPILS’ REPORT ON JUST SOME OF THEIR MANY ADVENTURES ON THE SHELL AND V FORM GEOGRAPHY EXPEDITION TO ICELAND, 24 – 29 MARCH 2022

Day 1:

Instructed to travel with our bathing trunks in our hand luggage, after leaving the airport we went straight to a geothermally-heated outdoor pool in the capital city of Reykyavik, where we experienced Icelandic culture and what we thought at the time was cold wind. After this novel experience, we were ready to re-board the bus and reach our first night’s accommodation, and, hopefully, supper! The Viking Hotel (located on the harbour-front) was visually stunning, and they made us feel very at home with Icelandic fish and chips and Skyr. We were all sharing openplan Scandinavian-style cabins, each containing some six beds, and we soon got used to the hot water smelling strongly of bad eggs (sulphur from the geothermally hot water)! We slept like logs!

Day 2:

After an early wake-up and a filling breakfast (which included pickled fish), we drove to the south-east of the island and visited the third largest geothermal power plant in the world, built in 2010 and able to produce up to 3 million watts of power. It can produce up to 50% of Iceland’s electricity, along with another power plant: it was fascinating to see how it worked, and how it also captured carbon in its shafts (working towards mitigating global warming).

We then moved on to the largest glacier in Iceland (around 7,900 km² and covering 8% of the country), but unfortunately it is retreating rapidly because of global warming – our teachers described how every year since the School’s first visit to Iceland in 2007, the walk from the car park to hike on the glacier, has become longer and longer. This was definitely my favourite activity on the trip as we drank straight from the glacier, slid over its surfaces and narrowly missed its many crevasses (despite wearing crampons). Also, we heard it creaking and got to see its amazing ice formations.

We then moved towards the coast and walked along the famous black basalt sand beaches at Vik, where the black sand is caused by volcanoes shooting out hot magma, which then cools when it touches the sea and erodes down to black sand. Walking on this beach was definitely a challenge, as high winds pushed you backwards and flung sand at you with great force. It is not an exaggeration to say we had to lean forward at an angle of 45 degrees to

stop being blown over: all had rosy cheeks that evening from being sand-blasted! The basalt column caves (just like the Giant’s Causeway), and spectacular arches, stacks and stumps, being bombarded by large Atlantic waves, were an experience which impacted on us all.

To finish off the day, we went back inland and explored a 60-metre waterfall (falling over a raised cliff some 1km inland due to isostaic uplift of the land relative to the sea). This is so big that it does not even freeze in winter, and the water spray is so large that it can create a double rainbow on a sunny day. It takes 400 steps to get to the top - I would not recommend this if you are scared of heights!

Day 3:

We travelled further east, exploring mossy lava fields and more waterfalls en route, until we reached Glacier Lagoon. Although conditions were very windy (a vast understatement!), we took some pretty good pictures of the spectacularly beautiful icebergs, over 1000 years old, which have broken off the glacier snout, ever more rapidly due to climate change. Apart from the almost overwhelming wind, this, for me, was my equal overall favourite part of the trip, due to the vibrancy of the icebergs, the unbelievable scenery surrounding you, and the tranquillity with which these icebergs float out to sea, to be buffeted by and glisten in the waves as some are washed onto the beach further along the shore.

Day 4:

We headed for the south coast to take a ferry journey to the Island of Heimaey to climb the Eldfell Volcano, which last erupted in 1973, engulfing half the harbour town. It was very moving to arrive by sea as this is how the islanders were evacuated during the eruption, on the many fishing boats sheltering in harbour due to rough seas. The Eldfell Museum, built over houses half buried by magma, was also fascinating, with many exhibitions explaining the eruption and its impact, and the social history of the resident islanders.

Back on the mainland, we proceeded along the south coast to explore more towering waterfalls: at one, we all got wet feet climbing through a narrow cave entrance to see the waterfall crashing through the cave’s roof, and a neighbouring one that, quite amazingly, we could fully walk behind – with great care being taken not to slip to what

would have been certain death, and very carefully guided by our teachers. This was a surreal experience, to say the least, and one that was thoroughly enjoyed by the whole group.

Day 5:

Already exhausted, not least after enjoying the outdoor geothermally-heated swimming pool with its outdoor hot tubs and water slides until late into the night, our first destination of the day was ‘The Secret Lagoon’ – a natural geothermal lake nestled in an open rocky landscape, used for decades by local farmers as a natural heat source for their greenhouses. We had to take care bathing in this lake, as some springs entering were at least 100 degrees C, the water was milky with natural salts, and the muddy floor was of unpredictable depth! This was an amazingly peaceful place to be.

No visit to Iceland is complete without visiting the main sites of Iceland’s Golden Triangle, which filled the rest of what was, sadly, our last full day. This included exploring the Gullfoss Waterfall: some 32 metres high, the largest waterfall in Europe by volume of water, with an average of 1,400 cubic metres per second. Our patience was tested by trying to photograph the Great Geysir erupting: requiring a patient wait of some 7 to 10 minutes for every eruption, the burst was very easy to miss, due to no indication from the hot springs. Finally came a hike across Thingvellir National Park - the open landscape of spectacular boundary faults at the diverging boundary between the North American and Eurasian Continental Plates that make up the mid-Atlantic Ridge, the rising magma from which has formed the spectacular island we know as Iceland. All members of the party were photographed astride the plate boundary, thus with one foot on the North American plate, the other on the Eurasian. This open landscape is also the site of the world’s longest-running parliament.

It is not an exaggeration to say that we practically sleepwalked to the restaurant for our last supper and the postsupper pupil awards ceremony by the teachers. Everyone slept very soundly back in the pine chalets of the Viking Hotel, and there was silence at the 4.30am breakfast and loud snoring on the coach to the airport and on our flight home!

What an amazing and adventurous trip! A very big “thank you” goes to all four teachers who made this possible: Dr Bower, Head of Geography and leader of the expedition; Major Ewing; our dynamic risk-assessor, Mr McLaughlin; and Mr Thomson. The staff worked tirelessly to make everything an adventurous, challenging and memorable success, both in advance and during the expedition. Thank you again.

Robert H-P, Shell Form expedition member

SKI TRIP 2022

In the first week of the Easter holiday, nine members of staff accompanied sixty-four boys on our largest-ever School ski trip, to Solden in Austria. Although, in normal times, this is an annual trip, this was the first one since 2019. It was also the first time in over ten years that we have visited Solden and it did not disappoint.

The boys, from First to Upper Sixth Form, were split into seven mixed-age groups according to ability and experience, and benefited hugely from five hours of lessons every day from specialist British ski instructors. We had a range of abilities on the trip, from complete beginners to advanced, seasoned skiers. The first three days gave us wonderful ‘blue-bird’ conditions, followed by snowfall for two days which, consequently, gave us excellent snow conditions for the rest of the week, enabling the boys to trial their skiing in a range of conditions. They seemed to enjoy the low-visibility days much more than the staff!

The resort was the perfect place to take this large group - Solden has something for everyone. It has 144km of slopes, two glaciers, thirty-one state-of-the-art mountain lifts, three peaks higher than 3000m accessible by lift and slalom, and ‘fun slopes’. Some of the most spectacular winter scenes in the 2015 James Bond film ‘Spectre’ were filmed there, and the boys got to visit some of the sights from it. We took some of them for a hot chocolate in the

MAR 2022

Ice Q Restaurant at the top of the Glaislachkogl Peak, which housed the famous Hoffler Clinic, and they got to see the Glacier road where the breath-taking mountain chase took place in the film. Some of them also went to the new 007 ELEMENTS cinematic installation, which they could ski to. There, they entered an underground area of galleries, video installations, sound effects, interactive stations and original Bond gadgets - truly engaging for the boys.

In the evenings, the boys enjoyed swimming in the entertaining Freizeit Arena, shopping in town, a pizza evening and a quiz night. The quiz night was a particular highlight of the trip: the boys worked across year groups to answer questions on famous pictures, geography, music and sport, including some fun impression and designing rounds. Delicious breakfasts and dinners were enjoyed in the hotel, and wonderful hot lunches at the Giggijoch mountain restaurant. The boys also enjoyed visiting the local shops with their friends.

Everyone returned home after the week having made great improvements to their skiing or snowboarding, with many new experiences and sights seen, and having made new friends for the term ahead. We very much look forward to seeing some of them again on next year’s ski trip!

Hannah Williams, Trip Leader

COMBINED CADET FORCE 2021-22

Apart from a few periods, the academic year 2021-22 has been the first full year the CCF has had the opportunity to train with achievable aims since the Covid pandemic hit. Our first weekly parade was held on Wednesday 15 September, with 44 boys from Shell volunteering to begin CCF, 10 boys returning in V Form, and 14 Upper and Lower VI Formers returning to CCF. The returning numbers from the UVI, LVI and V Forms were rather disappointing: however, with everything that had gone on in the world with the pandemic, the cancellation of the cadet course and no CCF Camp since 2019, it is understandable that we dropped numbers from the returning cadets.

The staff volunteering to train the CCF is at the highest level, certainly in my time as the Contingent Commander. Across both Merchiston and St George’s, we have one Captain, five Lieutenants, five 2nd Lieutenants, one Warrant Officer Class 2 and three Sergeants - all with varying levels of military training and experience from regular service, reserve service, UOTC and cadet adult courses.

All of the above have allowed us to broaden the training of our cadets from the basic level of drill, weapon handling and fieldcraft, to the higher level of junior leadership and management. We have acquired paint ball rifles to enhance

the training and the cadets have used these in both a static range scenario and practising Fire Control Orders. A movement range was also set up, which allowed the cadets the experience of command and control of firing and movement in pairs, whilst maintaining the momentum of the advance. The majority of cadets have also passed the Weapon Handling Test on the Cadet General Purpose rifle and, indeed, attended and shot at a live firing range period at Dreghorn Barracks.

The CCF also provided the Guard of Honour on Remembrance Sunday. It is worth noting that the cadets who were not involved in the guard had asked if CCF uniform could be worn for the Remembrance service. Hopefully, this is a tradition in the making, allowing the cadets to show the pride they have in the CCF and to pay their respects to those who have gone before.

In the first week of July, we will be attending CCF Camp at Barry Buddon: in total, we have 56 cadets attending across both Schools and the preparation for this continues over the coming weeks towards the end of academic year.

REBADGING PARADE

On 1 December 2021, the 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland was disbanded and reformed as The Ranger Regiment, thus breaking an affiliation with our Cadet Force dating back to 1884. This event gave us, as a CCF, an opportunity to return to our own School badge and still retain links with our new affiliated Regiment, the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

With support from the Headmaster, research began into the badge we should wear, and permission was requested and granted from the military. We, the Merchiston Castle School CCF (Merchiston & St George’s) would revert to the cap badge first worn and sanctioned by the War Office in 1886. We would also retain the Tam O’ Shanter and Tartan of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, maintaining and celebrating the historical links back to the formation of the

Cadet Corps at Merchiston in 1884.

At 1700hrs on Wednesday 8 June 2022, the CCF and the Pipes and Drums formed up for the Rebadging Parade. In typical Scottish weather, the format was altered slightly, and we moved into the main School building. It was noted by Rev Blair that greater powers may well have been at work, as we now found ourselves in front of the memorials to the Merchistonians who made the ultimate sacrifice for King and Country.

Six cadets represented Merchiston, St George’s and the Pipes and Drums in the parade and received the new cap badge. Rev Blair delivered a short service and blessings, the Headmaster spoke of the history and achievements of the CCF, and Major Ewing (Contingent Commander) recited the new CCF Citation, a copy of which can be seen following

Maj Alan Ewing, Contingent Commander

this article.

As we move forward now as a CCF, each cadet will earn the right to wear the cap badge by completing a drill test. On passing, the cadet will, forever, be able to wear the unique CCF badge earned. The citation will become a presentation piece to all cadets who serve in the CCF for the full four years’ voluntary service.

Researching the history of our CCF has been memorable

for many different reasons. The one unanswered question remains: “when did the CCF change from the school cap badge to that of the antecedent Regiments of the 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland?” Hopefully this article and the citation will answer any questions to our successors in decades to come, as to when we reverted to our own badge.

Maj Alan Ewing, Contingent Commander

REBADGING PARADE FORMAT

TIME EVENT STAFF RESPONSIBILTY WORDS OF COMMAND REMARKS

1630 CCF Parade in front of CCF Office Maj Ewing & CCF Staff

1630 Pipes and Drums will form up on the drive at Pringle Centre. Lt Campbell & WO2 Alexander

1635 Contingent will be sized into 2 Company’s. (McMillan Company & Neilson Company)

Maj Ewing & CCF Staff

Capt T McMillan being the first Contingent Commander in 1884. Lt W Neilson being the first Section Lieutenant in 1884.

1650 McMillan & Neilson Coy will march to front of school Company Officer. When in position Contingent will be stood at ease. McMillan Coy from Rogerson side Neilson Coy from Chalmers side

1700 Parade will start Maj Ewing Contingent, Contingent Shun. WO2 Alexander will take this as cue to March Ps & Ds onto parade

Pipes and Drums will march onto parade WO2 Alexander

1705 Form Drumhead Pile WO2 Alexander

Drummers will form the Drumhead Pile, Drummers Quick March

Stand at Ease Maj Ewing Contingent & Pipes and Drums Stand at Ease Stand Easy

Prayer Rev Blair

Headmaster’s Address Mr Anderson

Rebadging Party will form up WO2 Alexander

Rebadging Party, Rebadging Party Shun Rebadging Party Quick March

Ps & Ds will play Scotland the Brave and Rowantree as they march up the drive.

Drumhead Pile will be built by WO2 Alexander, On handing over the drum the drummer will march back to his place in the band, at the position of Attention.

From the Right

2 x Merchiston Cadets (Cpl R Still & LCpl R Tuke) 2 X St George’s Cadets (Sgt I Pearce Menzies & Cdt J Crane) 2 x Pipes & Drums (P/M W Nugent & Piper C Robertson)

Citation Reading Maj Ewing

Rebadging Ceremony Maj Ewing, Capt McEwen & Lt Campbell

Rebadging Party return to Ranks WO2 Alexander Rebadging Party will return to ranks Quick March

Blessing

Rev Blair

Recovery of Drumhead Pile WO2 Alexander

Hand Over Contingent to respective Officers

Company’s return to CCF Office

Maj Ewing

Drummers, Drummers Shu Drummers will recover the Drumhead Pilen Quick March

Contingent, Contingent & Pipes and Drums Shun Contingent Officers, March your Companies from Parade

Remove Old Headdress and replace with New. Cadets to salute Officer on receipt of new headdress.

Return to place in Ranks and stand at ease, stand easy

Drummers are given respective drums

Ps & Ds last to leave parade and will Teribus High Road to Gairloch Mairi’s Wedding Prince Charles’ welcome to Lochaber

Pipes and Drums march from parade.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD SCHEME

Whilst the DofE Programme continued to run over the past two years, the modifications and restrictions in place have made it a very different experience for participants. Skills, Physical, and Volunteering sections were often split between multiple options, depending on whether or not the country was in lockdown at any given time! I am grateful to all family members and friends who helped to keep the boys ticking along with their sections.

It will come as no surprise that we are delighted to get back to “full” DofE expeditions, instead of the slightly odd combination of walking through the day, then bussing back to School to camp, which we had to do in 2020/21. Obviously, these adjustments were designed with maximum individual safety in mind, but it was a radical departure from the rough and ready wild camping that our boys are more usually exposed to!

And so, to this 2021-22 session… Our expedition season kicked off last September with a LVI Silver group undertaking a walking expedition on the Corrour Estate, near Dalwhinnie. Very challenging weather conditions presented themselves to the boys, both in terms of rain and wind. The boys remained in good spirits and completed

the expedition in good form. However, all were glad to see the Merchiston minibuses at the end of the route!

That same weekend, conditions were such that we reluctantly took the decision to postpone an UVI Gold expedition – they had a higher, more exposed, and longer route than the Silver boys, and it was simply deemed not safe to proceed. These boys finally managed to complete their expedition in the Glenshee area in March this year –much to the relief of all.

They say that variety is the spice of life, so we have been trying a slightly different offering for the current LVI Gold boys. A canoeing practice expedition took place on the River Tweed in May, and a practice for mountain biking also happened the same weekend in the Aviemore area. Despite glorious conditions during the day, an unexpected squall rolled over the boys on the first night, with the tents being flattened and emergency shelter being sought in Ryvoan Bothy! Repairs were carried out the following day and the expedition continued undeterred. The LVI boys are hoping to complete their qualifying expeditions in the final week of the Summer Term, with the canoe boys heading to the Spey, and the bikers setting out for a huge loop

Bronze Groups before setting off

around the Fort William area. These expeditions should have completed by the time of The Merchistonian’s publication, so watch out for a report in next year’s edition!

The Bronze level boys (IV Form and Shell) completed their expedition in May. We had a lovely time in the Trossachs, near Lochearnhead, with six groups of boys taking on different routes simultaneously. It was great to get back to the traditional Bronze “stomping ground” after having run the previous two years in the much tamer Pentland Hills. If you ever get the chance to visit the Lochearnhead area, you will see why it is so much enjoyed by the boys – an absolutely stunning location! The boys were all very successful and will now be busy completing their other sections over the course of the Shell year. For the first time in 2022/23, they will have a new initiative whereby the House Prefect team will help to keep an eye on their progress. Hopefully this will encourage a completion rate close to 100%.

Away from the expeditions, there remains a huge range of activities and interests amongst the boys for their other sections. Alongside the usual football and rugby, we have some doing farm labouring, others perfecting their home cooking, still others learning how to play bridge, etc, etc…! There are also boys doing volunteering in Departments, for charities local and global, and even undertaking activism on behalf of Amnesty International. It is truly wonderful to see the range of passions represented through the programme.

I am, of course, very grateful to all the staff and volunteers who help to facilitate these other activities, as well as to the team that helps with the expeditions and training. Without them, DofE at Merchiston simply could not be the wonderful and diverse programme that it currently is. They support nearly 150 boys who are involved in DofE presently - we are definitely “punching above our weight” in numbers! This is a great testament to the staff, and to our boys for seizing the opportunities they are presented with on their journey to becoming the balanced, compassionate, and responsible “Young Men of Integrity” that we seek for them to be.

Manager

David Thomson, DofE Award

Bronze Group Packing up at Lochearnhead Village Hall

LVI Gold Bikers setting up camp at the head of Glen Feshie

Ryvoan Bothy

Aftermath of the storm

INTERNATIONAL WEEK, 1 – 5 NOVEMBER 2021

Merchiston’s annual International Week got off to a flying start: Houses were decorated, international flags were displayed on walls and pupils celebrated by flying the flag of their own country.

A number of our international students stepped up and supported International Week by proudly presenting their nations and cultures in sectional assemblies. Here are a few examples of some of the things we learned:

Nigeria is home to over 200 million people, which makes it the seventh highest populated country in the world. 1 in every 5 Africans is a Nigerian.

Serbia is the world biggest exporter of raspberries. South Korean men are required to serve in the military for about two years, between the ages of 18 and 28.

Swiss wrestling is known as ‘Schwingen’ and is a style of folk wrestling native to Switzerland.

Germany has no speed limit for vehicles on its roads.

Denmark has the oldest flag in the world.

International Week would not be International Week without the exciting lunches provided by our Chartwells catering team. A big round of applause to them! This year’s lunches tied in with worldwide celebrations taking place

during the week, and provided an opportunity for everyone to sample something new. This year, the menus came from Greece, Japan, Mexico (Day of the Dead), India (Diwali), and to celebrate 5 November and Bonfire Night traditions, we had an original Medieval English menu. Such a variety of flavours!

A number of in-house activities took place, organised by the House prefect teams. Competitive Middle Years’ quiz nights, Shell Scottish night, Laidlaw international beer tasting, Danish pastries for break, Laidlaw South ‘chilli cook off’, Kaffee und Kuchen with the German pupils, and American football with Laidlaw North all brought an internationalism to the School.

Subject teachers and the Spawforth Library also got into the swing of things with an international book display and research projects on favourite international designs in Design & Technology.

This was such a fun and busy week celebrating Merchiston’s multiculturalism.

Jingpu W and Hinata T, International Prefects 2021-22

Pringle Quiz

Evans Quiz

Pringle Assembly - speakers from SpainInternational Prefects 2021-22

Rogerson Quiz

Middle Years Assembly

Laidlaw Cinema Night

Laidlaw American Football

Japanese Day

Greek Day

German Kaffee und Kuchen

Mexican Day

ACTIVITIES

NEWS FROM MERCHISTON INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 2021-22

Merchiston International School comes to the end of its fourth academic year and it is hard to believe where the time has gone. This year, we have celebrated many events and achievements, and feel truly blessed that that we had little disruption to learning, with only a short period of online learning.

Summer Results 2021

Our 2021 Year 13 leavers achieved 42% A*, 67% A*-A and 100% A*-D pass rate at A Level. Our AS Level grades were good: a handful of students have continued on to four A2 courses after particularly strong AS results, with a healthy majority choosing to continue to A2 in their three strongest AS courses. At IGCSE Level, the students' dedication and hard work paid off with some very pleasing grades: 78% A*-C, with 41% A*-A.

Back to school August 2021

We welcomed many new faces and welcomed back our current students on 24 August 2021.

MIS Clans

This

year, we introduced a new Clan. To balance Edinburgh, Lomond and Nevis, Balmoral joined the team.

ACTIVITIES

Merchiston Day October 2021

Another year, another birthday. We enjoyed celebrating our fourth birthday with all our students, staff and wider community.

St Andrew’s Day Scottish Ceilidh, November 2021

This is one of our favourite events of the year. The ceilidh brings our community together with dancing, music, and haggis, of course.

Winter Christmas Market 2021

Whilst the temperature rarely drops below 18 degrees in Shenzhen, the staff and students like to don their favourite Christmas jumpers and celebrate Christmas together.

Chinese New Year 2022

We said goodbye to the Ox and welcomed the Year of the Tiger.

Juniors Book Day, June 2022

Read, read, and read some more. The Juniors students and staff enjoyed a day dedicated to the world of books!

Boarding House Fun

Our boarding community has grown over the years and this year we introduced friendly house competitions. Ultimate Frisbee seems to be a favourite this year.

Year 13 Graduation Ceremony, June 2022

We said goodbye to our eldest students on Thursday 16 June. An official ceremony in the Castle Hall was followed by the After Party in Napier, where the graduates got a chance to let their hair down. These amazing young ladies and gentlemen now begin their next journey as they go to universities all over the world. Well done!

Sonia Buchan, Director of Admissions, Communication and Marketing, Merchiston International School

THE PREFECT APPLICATION PROCESS AT MERCHISTON

Over the years, the role of Prefect at Merchiston has changed considerably. For some time, there has been a detailed application and interview process, which takes place during the Lent Term, so that Lower Sixth Form Prefects can take over most of the duties during the Summer Term A Level examination period.

Mackenzie B, Captain of School 2021-22, describes the Prefect selection process:

“In the course of the first two terms of the Lower Sixth Form, boys take part in the Lower Sixth Helper Scheme, which gives them experience of working with younger year groups, which is especially important for those who have joined Merchiston in the Sixth Form. In the Lent Term of the Lower Sixth, we are invited to submit an application for Prefectship, in the form of a personal statement (which is good preparation for the UCAS application process), stating which House or year group we would prefer to be a Prefect in, and covering our experiences across our School career. This can cover academic, sporting and other co-curricular achievements, and any other personal achievement. Although some boys have only been at Merchiston for a short time, their achievements and willingness to throw themselves whole-heartedly into life here do not go unnoticed. Small things such as helping a boy in a younger year group and coaching sport are good starting points, and I cannot stress enough how important they are. “Doing the little things right” develops boys into the sort of leaders that the School is looking for. An essential tip which I would give to future applicants is to speak to current Senior Prefects: their knowledge of the process, and what to write in an excellent application will be invaluable to them. They should also speak with the Housemasters and integrate well with the younger boys when participating in the

Lower Sixth Helper Scheme. After numerous discussions, various House and Departmental Prefects are selected, whilst a few will go on to have individual interviews for Head of House and Triumvirate (Captain of School and the two Vice Captains of School) positions. Just before Easter, appointments are announced, so that they can take over the duties whilst the Upper Sixth Formers sit their examinations.

In my application, I focused on what a leadership position would mean to me, and what I believed should be the qualities of someone in such positions. A motto with which I have grown up and have worked on throughout my School career is: “Proper preparation prevents poor performance”. I wrote and talked about my various achievements at Merchiston, sporting, academic and musical, and gave numerous examples of Prefects who had been a positive influence on my life here. My main advice to future applicants is to approach the process confidently, knowing that their achievements and contributions will be recognised. These positive attributes will show them at their best, and will demonstrate why they will make a strong contribution to the pupil leadership team when their time comes”.

INTERVIEW WITH THE 2021-22 CAPTAIN OF SCHOOL

Mackenzie B, Captain of School 2021-22, was interviewed by Lower Sixth former Ptolemy R in March 2022, about his role in his final year at Merchiston.

Why did you want to become Captain of School at Merchiston?

Since I joined Merchiston in the First Form in 2014, I have known many excellent Prefects, as a result of which I have always wanted to hold such a position within the School. Over the past two years, it has been my ambition to be appointed Captain of School, and this became increasingly important to me during my Lower Sixth year.

What qualities / strengths do you possess which make you good at what you are having to do this year?

I would say that the key qualities are being confident in public speaking, which is an important aspect of my role, and being very sociable.

What are your main duties as Captain of School?

I often have to attend meetings with the Headmaster and other senior members of staff. In addition, I speak at Whole School Assemblies, organise events, and visit the Houses to get to know the younger boys. I feel that it is important for them to know the Captain of School as well as my own year group.

Has the Covid-19 pandemic impacted on your role?

Yes – largely with regard to the more largescale “public” occasions. There have been fewer

Whole School events to speak at, although assemblies have been restarted this academic year. There have also been no Whole School Services with parents attending to play a role in, at least in the Autumn and Lent Terms. We have also not been able to host any in-person Information Mornings for prospective parents, although I will be speaking at the first to be held in the School since the pandemic hit before the end of the Lent Term.

What have you learnt about the School through your role this year?

I have learnt that there are many aspects of the School, which are not normally seen by the pupils in their day-today life here, and how much effort goes into ensuring that everything runs smoothly. I have also come to appreciate how open the teachers are in their work with the pupils: their advice and help are always available, and it often takes just one conversation to open new doors.

What have you gained personally from being Captain of School?

The position has given me the opportunity to work alongside my closest friends in different ways, for example when organising and leading the Chapel Service led by the Senior Prefects this term. It has helped me with my university application and has established connections for me outside the School.

What have been your most significant

here at School?

achievements

I would say that they have been being appointed Captain of School, playing in the winning team of the Under 16 and Under 18 Scottish Schools Cups, and working within the School on a major charity event with a close friend.

If you could relive your career at Merchiston, what would you change?

I think that I would answer this by saying that I would focus on things that would improve my overall performance here: doing that extra bit of revision or going to the gym an extra time to help with my sport. I would also try not to take any of the opportunities open to us at Merchiston for granted.

Talk about a time when you have had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different to yours.

I think that this would be working alongside my close friend, James S, to organise the charity event which I have

already referred to. Although our personalities are very different, we worked very well together, which made our bond even closer. At Merchiston, I have learnt that you can work very effectively with others and develop a stronger relationship with them through such shared projects.

Have you learnt to cope with disappointment during your time at Merchiston?

I have learnt that there is a positive gain in every situation. I try not to take things too personally: even though an issue may seem big at the time, you have the rest of your life ahead of you. Reflecting on my eight-year career at Merchiston, any slight disappointment in the past has really been insignificant. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, and am now focusing on making the most of the time I have left.

Has this been a challenging year for you?

This year has been challenging because of the various Covid restrictions which have prevented me from carrying out certain tasks. However, the uncertainty of the situation has helped my year group to bond even more closely –they aren’t just peers, they are my brothers.

What are your plans on leaving Merchiston?

I am hoping to go the University of St Andrews to study Management. However, before that, having missed out on some opportunities because of the pandemic, I plan to take a gap year to gain some experience in the working world.

What advice would you give to your successor as Captain of School?

My main advice would be to try to do as much as possible in the time that you have available and to make the most of every opportunity – I have been amazed how quickly my final year here is passing, and now want to make the most of the Summer Term ahead. I would also advise not to take the position for granted: you have been given it for a reason and should do your utmost to repay the trust that has been put in you.

What achievement has meant the most to you as Captain of School?

My greatest achievement, I think, has been the organisation of the Senior Prefects’ Chapel Service. It allowed me to get closer to my peers and to lead an important School event, whilst conveying a strong message to the boys in the School.

RIGHTS RESPECTING SCHOOL AWARD

As a Rights Respecting School, we are teaching about rights, through rights and for rights: the adults in our Merchiston community are the duty bearers and our pupils are the rights holders.

From the UNICEF Rights Respecting website: “The Rights Respecting Schools Award puts children’s rights at the heart of schools in the UK.

The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) works with schools in the UK to create safe and inspiring places to learn, where children are respected, their talents are nurtured and they are able to thrive. Our Rights Respecting Schools Award embeds these values in daily school life and gives children the best chance to lead happy, healthy lives and to be responsible, active citizens.

Using the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as our guide, we are working with more UK schools than almost any other organisation. Over 1.6 million children in the UK go to a Rights Respecting School and nearly 5,000 schools up and down the country are working through the Award. Schools work with us on a journey to become fully Rights Respecting.

The Award recognises a school’s achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into practice within the school and beyond.”

For more information – please visit: https://www.unicef.org.uk/rights-respecting-schools/

On Tuesday 8 March 2022, a virtual accreditation visit was

held online, with Merchiston staff, pupils and parents all helping to explain how the Merchiston community has been working towards Silver Accreditation. Further to the virtual visit, Merchiston has been Awarded Silver Accreditation as a Rights Respecting School.

Some of the work that has been carried out by the Merchiston Pupil Rights Respecting Steering Committee includes:

• Presenting about the UNCRC, in assemblies, including World Book Day, Black History Month, and Human Rights Day;

• Linking our School Values and School Pupil Charter to the UNCRC;

• Creating a specific RRSA display area (next to the Students’ Forum area, so the link between Students’ Forum and Rights, is clearly emphasised);

• Auditing our Students’ Forum, using the Lundy Model of Child Participation. This has resulted in suggestion boxes being introduced in boarding houses.

We will now be setting our sights on the Gold Accreditation – please watch this space for more information on how you can support the School in this journey.

Will Ogilvie-Jones, Rights Respecting Schools Award Co-ordinator

STUDENTS’ FORUM 2021-22

The Students’ Forum has evolved in recent years into the central forum for the School, with other committees feeding into it and sharing ideas with it. This has proved more effective and efficient, particularly in the case of the Food Forum, where pupils’ suggestions are co-ordinated by the leaders, who meet with catering staff each term. This has seen real improvements in the variety and quality of the food and the boys would like to thank the staff for this.

From September 2021, Will, Hugh and Oliver have stepped up to lead the Students’ Forum. They, alongside representatives from each of the boarding houses, were able to canvas the School community and establish what issues pupils wanted addressing. Our meetings this year

have had a renewed focus on food in the dining hall. However, the emphasis has very much switched to reducing food waste. In addition, representatives have been able to raise points relating to the use of laptops in School. Finally, there have been opportunities for discussion regarding the move away from the 8-day timetable.

I would like to thank all of the representatives for their excellent contributions to this important aspect of School life. Once again, it was excellent to see the pupil voice alive and well within the School.

Stuart Buchanan, Students’ Forum Co-ordinator

THE SPAWFORTH LIBRARY, 2021-22

The academic year of 2021-22 has brought with it a fresh and exciting start, with welcome changes and a gradual return to our usual way of life in the Library.

We began our Autumn Term with the great news that we were once again able to hold author events in School, and in November we were delighted to host bestselling and award-winning author Jonathan Meres in the Spawforth Library. Jonathan is the writer of many children’s books, including the muchloved Norm series – which continue to be some of our most borrowed books in the Library some thirteen years since the publication of book one! We were entertained with hilarious stories, songs and anecdotes and had the opportunity to ask lots of questions and have our books signed too. Conor J in J5 commented that ‘he was a very funny man!’.

Later in the year, we also had the immense privilege of author Vivian French MBE visiting us to speak to our Juniors and special guests from Colinton and St Mark’s RC primary schools. Vivian has written over four hundred books, including some of our Library favourites, and was happy to tell us all about her writing career, stories from her days as a member of a theatre company, and about the inspiration for her stories and how they come to be illustrated. We had lots of questions and the boys and staff all chose books to have signed!

snapped up by Sony Pictures, we were incredibly privileged to be among the first to hear Annabel read from her book and to speak to us and our guests from Bonaly, Colinton

has become a publishing sensation and global phenomenon. With incredible pre-sales, a simultaneous release in twenty-three languages and movie rights already snapped up by Sony Pictures, we were incredibly privileged to be among the first to hear Annabel read from her book and to speak to us and our guests from Bonaly, Colinton and St Mark’s RC primary schools about her new career. We learnt about the original idea for the book and about the cover design process too, and Annabel kindly stayed to sign and dedicated our special editions. Much chat followed regarding sky battles, clashing unicorns and shadow villains, and David D and William B in III Form remarked that ‘A.F. Steadman was so inspirational and made us want to be authors too!’

The Junior Book Group was unanimous in its vote to read Skandar for our next group read, and in our meetings we have already been making exciting predictions for book 2.

The Book Groups continue to be popular across all year groups, and over tea and cake, our discussions range from the stories and characters we have read to the often very topical issues raised in them.

cover design process too, and Annabel kindly stayed to sign and St Mark’s RC primary schools.

of our Library favourites, and was company, and about the inspiration for her stories and how they come to be

Our third author visit this year caused a huge buzz at Merchiston as we were the first school in Scotland to host record-breaking debut author A.F. Steadman in an event which we held in conjunction with The Edinburgh Bookshop. Skandar and the Unicorn Thief is a magical fantasy book and the first in a five-part series which

story. Book Group is a great chance to meet up, read and

‘We read a variety of books in Book Group that I wouldn’t normally read. We have had lots of interesting books like Bastien Bon Livre’, about a boy in Paris determined to finish his parents’ story. Book Group is a great chance to meet up, read and eat cake.’

Hamish H, III Form.

The V and VI Form Book Group always opts to read very varied titles, and among genres including mythology, literary fiction and fantasy, a particularly popular choice this year was psychological horror ‘The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward. Finlay C in V Form has reviewed it: Book Group book review – ‘The Last House on Needless Street’

“I found ‘The Last House on Needless Street’ a great read, with a gripping storyline and lots of heart-warming as well as serious bits. I really liked the way the entire book is based on mental health, with Ted clearly suffering from DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder), due to past trauma. It shows

a clear and uncut view of what the effect can really be in some of the worst situations in childhood, as we learn through his childhood experiences being told. I felt the way the author did not reveal the complete truth of what was happening until the very end, whilst still keeping the story going and dropping clues now and again, was a wise decision and one that gave the story great effect. I felt the suspense created in the various scenarios of the novel was also a great feature, such as when Dee moved into her new house next to Ted and she was often on edge. Although it was sad that she felt this way and the reader felt for her, it helped to add to the dynamic of the tension in the story and keep the tale going. The different viewpoints in the novel also helped to add detail and structure to this story, with the reader being shown the characters’ past experiences as well as their current ones. Overall, I felt ‘The Last House on Needless Street’ was a gripping novel with good features and that was well laid out. It had characters you could really feel for and sometimes relate to, as well as details that kept you guessing what would happen next. I’d strongly recommend this book for reading but would only recommend those aged 12 and over give it a try, as some parts can be upsetting.”

In addition to our usual Book Groups this year, I launched our Manga & Graphic Novel Group for IV Form and over. This had been requested by a number of boys and has proved to be a great idea. Bringing together boys from across the year groups, all with a shared interest, has allowed for lots of lively discussion. In response to this, our Library now has a much bigger and well used area for manga and graphic novels, which supports the reality that graphic novels are a credible reading resource, which not only fuels reading for pleasure, but fosters creative and critical thinking too. The boys have been very forthcoming with ideas and popular titles for the collection.

This year in the Library, we have also taken part in some national book awards: both the Scottish Book Trust and the

Yoto Carnegie Book Awards required dedicated teams of readers to read and assess the shortlisted titles and cast our votes along with hundreds of other schools. During this process, we discovered new favourite authors and genres, and we are looking forward to taking part again in future awards.

Significant and historical dates this year have been celebrated in the Spawforth Library. HM The Queen was honoured with a display on our balcony, featuring the most significant and best-selling books from each decade of her seventy-year reign - a wonderful trip down memory lane. Later in June, we recognised fifty years of Pride, with rainbow displays and featuring some of the best of today’s fiction from award-winning and debut authors. We have also recognised important annual events, including International Women’s Day, Black History Month and Refugee Week, with displays featuring books by and about trailblazers and icons, and with stories of hope and inspiration from the past and present.

The Library is always a popular place to be, and especially in the Summer Term this year, when we have been full but silent with VI Form boys studying for their first-ever public exams due to the Covid years. We wish them all the best for results day.

Since then, and during classes, the Library has been, as summer tradition has it, a centre of travel and inspiration as our juniors have ‘flown’ around the world with the Summer Passport Reading Challenge. Thousands (!) of pages have been read and so many fascinating destination facts have been researched: congratulations go to Xander in III Form, Lewis in II Form, Stepan in I Form, and exceptional runner-up Sikai in III Form, for landing in every continent and producing incredibly detailed passports along the way.

This year we have also launched the Library ‘bookstagram’ account on Instagram: be sure to follow @merchilibrary to keep up to date with all the news.

It has been another busy year in the Spawforth Library, with lots going on: none of it would have been possible without the support of the English and IT Departments and also the Library Committee for their ideas.

Rachel Gibb, School Librarian

SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2021-2022

Our working definition of ‘Sustainability’ is - meeting the needs of the current generation without jeopardising the ability of future generations to have their needs met also. This is an important aspiration for every pupil, citizen, community, business, school, council, government, and international body, and is increasingly supported by many social media and real-life influencers. It is very easy for every one of these levels of ‘global citizens’ to be more interested in satisfying their immediate needs and allowing the future to take care of itself. In more subjects than just Geography, the pupils learn the science of how and in what way achieving sustainability is increasingly urgent, prior to thresholds being exceeded. The complexities of mitigation and adaptation measures to try to manage the extent to which ‘enhanced global warming’ (that brought about by human activities accelerating since the industrial revolution) have already been brought about; as well as the winners and losers of geopolitical interventions that meeting sustainability targets involves.

The School’s Sustainability Committee is generally overseen by the Geography Department, but input is welcome from all areas of the School, including staff from all academic departments, and much valued input from the support sections of the School. The aims of this committee are twofold:

- To educate / inform the wider School community about all aspects of sustainability, and the need for it;

- To review practice in all areas of the School and help identify and suggest ways they can be made more sustainable.

Pupil membership is open to all, from as young as Pringle, right up to the UVI Form. After Covid interruption over the past two years, it was great to have this committee functioning fully again. The activities and focus of the committee come from the pupils, simply overseen and facilitated by the staff. There is always enthusiasm, many goals, some of which prove unrealistic, and occasionally, a real breakthrough!

This year started with a focus on researching and informing the School about Glasgow Cop26 – the 26th meeting of the international committee of nations to consolidate and develop international agreement on how best to mitigate climate change (such as agreements by all nations to reduce carbon emissions, to reduce deforestation, etc.). Research was undertaken into ‘who, what, why, where,

when, and so what’! Posters were made and displayed around the School and presentations were given in assembly, so that when when the conference started, few would be ignorant of the potential significance of this event being held only one hour’s drive from School. A highlight was seeing the pupils’ reactions in morning assembly to the moving address given by 95-year-old David Attenborough at the opening of the conference.

The committee’s next main initiative was on food waste in the Dining Hall. To investigate ‘what’ and ‘why’, primary research involving ‘participant observation’ of pupil behaviour was undertaken, and interviews with kitchen staff were conducted. Probable causes of the level of pupil food waste were identified, and posters were made to target strategies to mitigate this. Improvements have been made, and further strategies are being devised for next year.

The committee was excited to welcome the School’s new Operations Manager, Mr Bryson, to give us a talk: he has a keen enthusiasm for and past experience in supporting a wide range of sustainability measures prior to his appointment with us. The Committee members are very excited at so many possible new initiatives that came out of his talk - if only we could click our fingers and have them all implemented at once! Rather than spoil what will undoubtedly be the focus of future years’ sustainability report, the committee is very excited and enthusiastic about its list of targets for future years, from rewilding the boundaries of the campus, to making and erecting owl boxes around the School, and many more.

Meanwhile, Mr Bryson, encouraged by the committee’s research into its third main focus of the year, improving the recycling of the School’s waste, has recently implemented a big change that should improve this significantly. With

the aim of much more effective recycling of waste than has been achieved in the past, Mr Bryson has changed our waste contractor to a more local family firm – Hamilton Waste & Recycling. Eight members of the committee were privileged to be given a tour by the company’s Director, and from the moment we arrived, were all flabbergasted!

As a farm diversification activity, Mr Hamilton has researched, adapted and devised machinery in very large warehouses on his land, to reprocess both recyclable and general waste (as diverse as building rubble, mattresses, recyclable plastic, paper, and cardboard), into materials that can be sold on to input into further manufacturing. With research developments that the company is also helping to finance, it is possible that future new housing developments will be made up of 30% recycled materials. Even the general waste is significantly processed to become a combustible fuel sold on to industry. It was fascinating that, rather than just using landfill, this type of ‘giving waste a new life’ is both possible and an increasingly cost-effective business model. Mr Hamilton was fascinating about all aspects of his business: our visit gave an impacting experience of the real meaning of enterprise, entrepreneurship, cutting-edge engineering, and every aspect of business development. All pupils on the trip learnt so much to take forward into their future lives: their task now is to now spread the word of what is possible, and to ensure that every member of the School knows all the procedures to ensure efficient and effective recycling. The more we can do this, following all the correct procedures, will enable our School to contribute to a more sustainable future.

Some committee members now leave the School, others remain with us, and new ones will join - further exciting initiatives are still to be discovered by future generations of the committee. Roll on next year for another opportunity to achieve even more!

Tanya Bower, Chair of Sustainability Committee & Head of Geography

YOUNG FARMERS

Each week, the boys head out into the beautiful Pentland Hills for Young Farmers. For the last few years, John and Mary-Jane have welcomed us at Carsewell Farm on the Penicuik Estate. The estate consists of 7500 acres, with 1400 acres in hand (300 acres of arable, 100 acres of forage rape and kale, and 750 acres of woodland). There are always plenty of jobs for the boys: they help with the livestock, machinery and land management. We are lucky enough to be sponsored by HRN Tractors, in Perth, which provides the boys with all the kit they need to be safe, comfortable and warm.

There is nothing more exciting than jumping in the back of a pick-up or on a quad to go and help with the sheep. The boys help move them, set up the pens and help with management, such as foot dipping. Other jobs include bedding the cows, tinkering with the farm machinery, power hosing, building fences, potato harvesting, planting hedgerows and helping to feed the lambs in the Spring. We even brought a few lambs back to Merchiston this year and bottle fed them in the Junior School. A few of our older boys now have their tractor licenses, which comes in

handy. John, our host, often organises industry professionals to meet the boys at the farm and talk about crop rotation, for example. One of the favourite visitors to the farm is the vet: the boys get to watch him working with the cows in the crush and gain an invaluable insight into life as a farm vet.

Getting out onto the hills, being practical and working with animals is a highlight of the week for many of our Young Farmer boys. As one of them, from a farming background, commented recently, “It’s like spending an afternoon at home”. For other boys, who perhaps do not have backgrounds in farming, we have seen this activity promote confidence, independence, resilience, empathy and teamwork. It is no wonder that boys in the VI Form have been coming every year since they were in Shell, and they are now teaching the ropes to our younger boys coming through.

Our thanks go to Mary-Jane and John for hosting us and making this a highlight of the week, not only for the boys, but also for the members of staff involved.

Alexandra Torrance, Young Farmers Co-ordinator

MASTERCHEF 2021-22

This has been a very positive and productive year for the boys in Masterchef. Throughout the pandemic, and specifically during lockdown, many people have turned their hand to cooking and baking, and have found it a wonderful way to express creativity and maintain their mental health and wellbeing. This same sense of wellbeing has been evident here at Merchiston, as the boys cook together and come up with something which not only looks great, but also tastes good too. It is wonderful to see

their smiling faces when they sit down to eat their creations and enjoy the chat in the Masterchef dining room. The hope is always that this positive experience will stand them in good stead for life after Merchiston and that they will continue to see cooking as an enjoyable and sociable experience.

Mairi Lucas, Masterchef Co-ordinator

SPORT

SPORTING REVIEW 2021 – 22

I was delighted to welcome Merchistonians Hammy McMillan and Grant Hardie to our Sportsman’s Dinner this year. They were both members of Great Britain’s Men’s Curling team, winning a Silver medal after a tightly-fought final against Sweden in the Olympic Final. Hammy was at Merchiston from 2004 to 2010, and Grant joined a year later in IV Form. During the evening, they were able to help present our four most prestigious awards in Merchiston sport.

Congratulations to the winners of the following awards;

• Duncan Watson Memorial Vase for Sportsman of the Year - Matthew DV (1XV rugby / 1XI cricket)

• Mann Shield for Team of the Year - 1XV rugby

• Stewart Crerar Quaich for International Sporting Achievement - Tom C (U18 rugby)

• The Elliot Award for the Players’ Player - Robbie D

Reflecting on our last dinner together in 2019, it was a super occasion, with our boys having the opportunity to meet a number of Merchistonians and senior sports staff who had made huge contributions to Merchiston sport. I have a funny feeling that Jay Younger, currently appearing in Love Island, was a guest that evening! The theme of the evening in 2019 was ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Giants’. It was an opportunity to dig a little deeper into the history and tradition of Merchiston sport and be inspired by the sportsmen and staff who have been here before us.

This year, our focus was on one of our four core School values - ‘Seizing Opportunities.’ The School continues to put high-quality learning and teaching at the centre of all that the boys do. However, what schools like ours also do is provide access to opportunities outside the classroom that promote curiosity, inclusion, excellence and, hopefully, confidence in anything that the boys choose to do.

Sport at Merchiston is just part of this. Firstly, I think it was important to reflect on who drives these amazing opportunities which the boys are provided with. For most of the staff who coach or organise a team, this is simply an addition to their teaching or pastoral commitments in the School. I have been in schools in the past where this has also been an expected commitment. However, here it is different. The passion for sport at this School runs deep: Mr Deans and Mr Aitchison driving forward our sector-leading rugby programme; Dr Mechie and Mr Lieberman driving participation in our football; Mr McCorkell building on the

foundations of our growing hockey programme; Mr Murdoch, Mr Pender and Mr Lundy providing world class tennis and golf programmes to both our academies; Mr Simpson inspiring our basketballers week in, week out with his infectious enthusiasm; Mr Hillier taking time out from his holidays to take boys down to Nationals for Fives; Mr Harrison organising seamless Whole School events like the Cross Country or Senior and Junior Games; Mr Noble, Mr Gray and Miss Nash orchestrating Scotland’s leading schoolboy Strength and Conditioning, Health Related Fitness and screening programme - our staff are truly amazing. Finally, the grounds staff, medical and catering departments continue to do an amazing job facilitating these experiences.

At the dinner, I asked the question - what does ‘Seizing opportunities’ look like within sport at Merchiston? It should manifest itself in being curious about an activity you have not done before, trying to get into a team, representing your clan, winning a cup or simply using exercise as a way of getting into better routines around your academic studies. These are just a few ways in which you can seize the opportunity given to you in your short time at Merchiston.

The ‘Merchiston Journey’ is something we talk about a lot and this goes beyond the years actually spent here. We hope the opportunities provided to boys at the School instil fond memories, positive behaviours and a lifelong participation in sport or exercise. Simply, it means training at rugby, coming straight to the astro with muddy knees then going for a kick about in the evening with mates. It means getting up the next morning and supporting your team mates in the early morning gym sessions, putting your name down to represent your clan and head out to your golf activity in the afternoon. It is trying everything and then buying into the further opportunities given to you with our high-level coaching and very competitive fixture lists. In fact, there were 450 of these fixtures this year across 12 sports.

As we emerge from a strange couple of years, when opportunities have been taken away from us, I think it is important that we reflect and consider whether we are all making the most of our time at the School in all areas of School life and consider how we can further seize the opportunities offered in our small community. It is our strength. I am confident to suggest that the culture here of sport and exercise is healthy and there are positive signs

that boys are seizing their opportunities. 80% of boys from V to UVI Form regularly participated in fixtures this academic year across a range of sports: with regular attendance across a number of programmes, we have also had a huge amount of success this year: winning U18 National Schools titles in rugby, athletics and tennis, top 4 finish in the U18 T20 Schools Cup and individual national titles in swimming and fives. Our tennis players and golfers also continue to compete at a national level and we wished

our U18 tennis team the best of luck in the Glanville Cup after the end of the Summer Term.

Critically, after a full year of training, fixtures and activity programmes, we have been able to build momentum again. Once again, we can look forward to next term with a new set of boys to seize the opportunities throughout their Merchiston journey.

Rory McCann, Director of Sport

1XV RUGBY

“The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses - behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.” Mohammed Ali could have been talking about the Merchiston 1XV of 2021-22.

Throughout this season, the boys have shown that being a competitive team is not just about the individuals but being a collective group that works every day together, whether in the gym, out on the pitches, and even in the analysis put in by the boys and coaches.

Tom C

When setting objectives, organisations, leaders, clubs and teams often start with the end goal and work back. The objective for the 1XV at Merchiston every year is to win the Scottish Schools Cup, but that only tells one part of the story. This season, that March night at Murrayfield was a performance and a result to remember, not only for the players on the field, but also for the entire School.

With the season last year being cancelled, all the boys were really looking forward to the season ahead. Having the opportunity to play at BT Murrayfield against Stewart’s Melville, who we lost to earlier in the season, was amazing. With the whole School behind us, it was brilliant to get the win and become the Scottish champions. This has been my favourite season at the School and something I will never forget.

Matthew DV

Although it was not the perfect season, it turned out perfectly. No-one had played rugby for well over a year, although training had continued. The pre-season camp in the glorious Edinburgh sunshine created a buzz of expectation, and the first game could not come quickly enough. Travelling away to Dollar, with spectators not allowed (but many hiding behind the hedge!), finally gave the boys the opportunity to play in a 1XV shirt. With a mixture of relief and pride, we were back. The journey back gave the boys a chance to enjoy each other’s company and sing their hearts out to songs that became anthems: ‘Sunshine on Leith’ by the Proclaimers and ‘It’s all about you’ by McFly.

The season threw everything at us, often training in great conditions, to be met with wind and rain on a Saturday, but nothing could detract from the hard work that was going in and the desire to play was insatiable, regardless of what nature threw at us. There is only one way at this School, the ‘Merchiston way’. Playing a midweek fixture away to Fettes

in blue sky and sunshine was the exception: we scored a lot of tries, dominating possession and territory, and the belief began to build.

The away fixture at Strathallan saw the welcome return of supporters to the touch line. With the weather taking a very Scottish turn from the Fettes game, the boys had to adjust their tactics to the wind and rain: exactly the sort of test that was needed, and the return to action for Matthew DV in the second half brought a lot of experience to the team.

When the fixture list comes out, there are always games that increase the pulse rate: playing Stewart’s Melville at home, also undefeated, was one such encounter. Again, the weather decided to turn, and through the wind and rain both teams slugged it out for the full seventy minutes. Stewart’s Melville created a try from a scrum inside the Merchiston 22, and although there was a chance to win it at the end, the game became motivation to improve, to work harder and smarter, and to ensure that if the chance came again, the result would be in our favour.

The October Rugby Festival was eagerly anticipated. Schools and clubs travelled from far and wide to take part. Many boys pulled on a 1XV shirt over the course of the two days, challenged to the extreme against strong opponents. The tournament continues to grow and it is an honour to welcome so many teams to our fields.

November brought the away fixture to Edinburgh Academy, the first chance any of these players had had to experience this historic fixture. They braved wintery conditions to give a brave defensive effort, whilst creating some amazing tries. It was fitting for Joe F to return to his old School and score a great try in the corner. Tom C and Glen C were really excelling in the back row as Lower Sixth players, and the leadership of Robbie D and Matthew DV was highlighted in this match.

Performances were improving, but the next match against Dollar in the Conference can be filed under “frustrating; should have won”. A 24-24 draw meant defence had to improve and in attack, chances had to be taken. The Try of the Season was scored in the first few minutes by Joe F, when the ‘Merchiston way’ was there for all to see and expectation rose with it.

A big win at home to Heriot’s set up the final game of the calendar year away to George Watson’s and one of the more accomplished performances of the season. There was still work to be done in attack, but the game understanding

was definitely improving. Isaac C at stand-off gave an outstanding performance, scoring an individual try he can be very proud of.

The New Year of 2022 will never be forgotten for those involved in the 1XV. The quarter final of the Cup away to St Aloysius in Glasgow brought a 31-0 victory and a pleasing performance. Defensively sound, it was good to be back and the focus became laser sharp. A semi-final against Dollar was the reward.

Both teams wanted to be at the ‘Big Show’ in March. The four semi-finalists were all schools from the Eastern Conference - familiar, difficult opponents. Whilst other games across the country were cancelled due to the high winds, we went ahead. Both teams put in huge efforts in conditions to make line-out lovers weep! The character of the group and the preparations from training and analysis came together for a 15-5 victory and everyone was

delighted to have that chance to play at BT Murrayfield. A home fixture against Ayr RFC, again in wind and rain, gave the players selected a chance to stake a claim for a place in the Cup Final squad. It was a great chance to get out of the School bubble and play against a Scottish Club team, providing different challenges. Going down to an early score meant the players had to show determination and character to get back into it. The 27-14 win was a pleasing way to finish, before many headed to BT Murrayfield for the Scotland v England match in the Six Nations and to dream of what was to come.

Preparations went well. The players were determined to give a performance we had been searching for all season, so gym attendance, analysis and focus at training were crucial. The Final seemed far away as we ticked off days and sessions towards the main event.

THE SCOTTISH SCHOOLS CUP FINAL v STEWART’S MELVILLE,

WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH 2022

The boys warmed up and the feeling was, ‘we’re ready’. Amaan R came into the starting line-up at short notice and rose to the occasion, as he had done two years earlier in the U16 Final. The game started at a fast pace and seldom dropped for the entire match, the fitness and concentration levels were outstanding for a schoolboy group and the support from the ‘small but mighty’ Merchiston community in the West Stand was fantastic to witness. Sometimes, a performance can just ‘click’ - this was one of those.

This season has been really special, not just because of the results and Cup win, but also because we had not been able to play any games last year. It has been my favourite season of rugby that I have played at this School. Hosting our own 15s and 7s tournaments was also pretty special. After a long season, it’s an amazing feeling that our best game by far was the Cup Final. This was a huge highlight and the fulfilment of a long-held dream. A big ‘thank you’ to all for the support throughout the season.

Robbie D

Two tries by Amaan R and a try apiece for Alex C and Lachlan F sealed an amazing victory. The defence was relentless and, even under pressure, the togetherness of spirit came to the fore. The forwards started under pressure in the scrum, then dominated. The line-out was a source of great ball and being able to disrupt Stewart’s Melville gave great belief that this was to be a Merchiston’s day. The final

whistle brought a range of emotions, but none greater than joy. The effort and consistency throughout the year of Johnny B, who had missed the U16 Final due to a broken wrist, was monumental and appreciated by his team mates. This was a great reward.

Cup Final performances like this are the tip of the iceberg. Playing as underdogs in a showcase event could have impacted on the team, but instead, it drove them to hit the heights everyone around them believed possible. The emotion which followed was one of satisfaction at a job well done, a team effort, bring the biggest prize in the schoolboy game and inspiring those in the stands.

The Final gave us an opportunity to show our full potential, which we had not done at all this season. I have especially enjoyed this season for my development, which has been supported phenomenally by the coaches. Moving from back row to centre was a huge move for me: I could never have transferred so easily without their help, with all their positivity and knowledge, which has allowed me to succeed so much as a player. Ultimately, I have loved my rugby life at Merchiston and, if I had the chance, I would do it all over again.

Lachlan F

Objectives achieved. Scottish Schools Cup win. Memories made.

Bruce Aitchison, 1XV Coach

Roddy Deans, Director of Rugby, writes:

I have been involved in thousands of games of rugby over my career as a player and coach. You always plan and hope for the perfect outcome, and our performance in the Cup Final was simply perfection. This senior squad has certainly delivered, with our 2XV and 3XV unbeaten, and the 1XV Scottish champions. They have been working towards this goal through Covid, making this season even more special. To see the pure joy on everyone’s faces, along with the memories and friendships created, is what makes my job so special.

RUGBY AWARDS 2021-22

Solid Castle Award - Patrick B Tackler of the Year - Tom C Most Improved Player - Lachlan F Try of the Year - Joe F (against Dollar, 13/11/21)

Service to the 1XV - Matthew DV & Robbie D

3XV Players’ Player of the Year - Oscar J

2XV Players’ Player of the Year - Gregor T

1XV Players’ Player of the Year - Jonathan B Coaches’ Player of the Year - Robbie D

7 UP! – 1XV AT THE MERCHISTON AND ROSSLYN PARK SEVENS

The boys at Merchiston love to play 7s and being able to host a tournament which brings so many people to the pitches to play is a highlight of the School calendar, especially when the Merchiston community could be back on the side lines.

This year, with the Cup Final being played on Wednesday 9 March, the squad had only one rather ‘low intensity’ session to prepare for the competition on Sunday 13 March. The motivation was high: playing at home and riding the wave of positivity from the Cup Final meant that the first tie could not come quickly enough.

The squad showed phenomenal determination after a long 15s season and their energy grew to new heights as the tournament progressed. A strong start in the group, winning 20-7 against Glenalmond, set up a ‘crunch’ tie against near neighbours Watson’s, who had a couple of tournaments already under their belts. The 17-7 victory was a fair reflection on the game, with both sides making errors, but the home team, led by captain Lachlan, scored three good tries and meant that a win against Loretto in the final group match would mean going into the semi-final as pool winners.

The depth of the squad was strong, with positive contributions being made throughout the team. Matthew followed a “Player of the Match” performance in the Cup Final with consistently strong games in each tie; Isaac was creating chances for his team mates to break the line; and Amaan, Cole and Ben had fun scoring tries with their speed and strength. Drew brought a welcome injection of pace onto the ball with his quick feet, evading defenders, and Will made strong impacts off the bench, constantly looking to get involved and challenge the spaces either side of the ruck as defences tired. William impressed with his Kelso Sevens mastery knowledge and understanding of the game.

In the forwards, Luke was dominant at kick-offs and helped the team regain possession straight after scoring, giving the opposition no chance to get their hands back on the ball. He was relishing the role and showed great athleticism in repeatedly claiming the ball in the air. Glen hounded the opposition at every breakdown and tackled like his life depended on it. Jamie showed his 7s experience from the Borders club circuit and covered every blade of grass on the 1XV pitch throughout the afternoon. Torin made life very difficult for the opponents with his

uncompromising charges forward with the ball in hand.

The team was really beginning to grow into 7s and with a 25-5 win over Loretto, Fettes were the semi-final opposition. Knockout games require a sharper focus and one mistake can see momentum swing. The boys showed a high level of concentration and skill execution, winning through to the final with a 31-14 win. A rematch with Watson’s then followed.

As the crowd gathered and the warm up (walk through!) finished, the coaches made their way to the touch-line in awe of how deep the boys were willing to dig to give every ounce of effort. The performance was close to flawless: a 31-5 win was the product of unbelievable levels of team spirit, desire to work for each other in both attack and defence, determination to keep going and executing skills at pace. Every player contributed to the victory and the feeling of achievement at the final whistle was huge.

It was a real honour to receive the trophy in front of so many supporters, Merchistonians, peers and opposition. We have missed these moments so much and it brought a memorable week to a close.

Next job?

A trip to Rosslyn Park.

Travelling to London on the train, as a group, was immense. It had been a long year, and this was a chance to be tested in an unknown environment, against schools and players of which we had no knowledge. We had to play what was in front of us, adapt and perform.

Sharing the transport and accommodation with Dollar Academy and Watson’s gave a great opportunity to get to know boys only previously encountered as opposition through the year. A walk through in a park near the hotel raised some eyebrows from the locals enjoying the afternoon sunshine, then a team meal followed and an early bedtime to be ready for the long day of competition that lay ahead.

The team got off to a great start with a 28-5 win against Bloxham School, followed by a 48-5 win against Reading. The boys were growing in confidence and the performance of the Scottish School was attracting the attention of many of the other squads and supporters. The last group game saw a 49-0 victory against Taunton and progression to an elimination round, the winners continuing in the Vase competition and the losers going into the Bowl.

Most of the teams had left and the sun was beginning to set over London. The opposition was to be St Peter’s School, York. After the long journey, three tough ties in hot conditions on hard, dry pitches, this group had to draw on its deep well of reserves. The game was tough but the big moments were fought for by our boys in blue and a 19-5 win, in the toughest game of the day, was hugely satisfying. The squad was playing as one, with each player confident in his team mate to do his job, and every boy giving every ounce of energy to the cause. Arran and Ben showed pace in the wide channels to convert the chances presented to them by the play makers in the middle of the field, Isaac, Gregor and Matthew. Glen, Tom and Torin were continuing their progress in the shorter game from the home tournament and relishing the physical confrontation that the opposition brought. Alex showed great versatility moving between wing and prop and Luke was back to claiming everything and anything in the air. Drew made some big plays in attack and brought out some skills worthy of the HSBC 7s circuit. The squad was led again by Lachlan, who continued to show maturity in his performances and great understanding of 7s.

Day 2 was going to be a challenge! The first tie was against Tonbridge, very similar in make up to Merchiston, with bags of pace throughout their team. The game was to be played on one of the pitches with the cameras and live streaming on the RP7s website. It was amazing to know that many would be watching back home: receiving footage of the Pringle classroom going wild when we won

is a very happy memory for all who were involved and another sign of the impact this squad is having on the School community. The final score was 21-12 and meant the final game of the group, against Queen Ethelburga’s, would determine the squad’s advance into the knockout stage of the Vase. Oli produced a moment of magic from an attacking line-out that gave a great platform for one of the tries of the day. Oli had stepped into the squad on Day 2, after an injury, and he rose to the occasion.

Queen Ethelburga’s was the biggest, most physical team the squad had faced, and although it went right down to the final play, it had been one game too far for this squad. Losing 19-12 after responding to going behind for the first time in two days was an amazing effort, and the pride from the coaches and small band of supporters was enormous.

As the squad gathered for one last huddle, it was emotional for all at the end of a fantastic season: the Upper Sixth boys had played their last game in a Merchiston shirt and had left it in a better place for the younger boys to step into. The Lower Sixth boys have had a taste of what is possible, which will be great fuel of motivation for the future.

The bus ride to King’s Cross through the streets of London at sunset was stunning. The spirits were high as we travelled north, satisfied that everything had been given to the cause and no regrets were felt - after all, that is the “Merchiston Way”.

Bruce Aitchison, 1XV Coach

2XV RUGBY

The 2XV squad achieved the highest levels of performance in 2021-22, with an unbeaten season across eleven fixtures, scoring 396 points and conceding 98.

As a squad, we train alongside the 1XV and 3XV, which allows boys to strive for their own level of excellence. In the course of the season, many progressed to the 1XV, with Amaan R, Gordie S, Oliver P, Ben R, and 2XV captain, Max G, all taking their place in the Scottish Schools Cup Final.

Special memories were made during the season, including the fixtures against Strathallan and Fettes, where the boys enjoyed free-flowing attack and displayed exceptional offloading and evasion skills. No-one displayed this style of play more than player of the season Gregor T. The fixtures against Dollar allowed for greater development of game management: the team managed territory and

3XV RUGBY

UNBEATEN

If you think you are beaten, you are: If you think you are the best, don’t. If you’d like to be unbeaten, but don't work hard, you can’tIt’s almost a given you won’t.

If you think you are weak, you’re lost: For out of Merchiston School, we find Success breeds success and hopefully good will; It’s all in the state of mind.

was clinical in taking chances. The strong bond between the boys was evident in the combative nature of the competition, and learning around defending the set piece helped to ensure our future success. Local rivals, Watson’s and Stewart’s Melville, provided our biggest challenges. Special mention should be made of the athleticism of Arran C and the game awareness of William T and the part they played in the victory over Watson’s. Our Lower Sixth Form players took on the challenge of Stewart’s Melville in the worst weather conditions seen all season. In the end, grit and team spirit prevailed, and made all the difference for us. Thomas S and Jamie F, in particular, impressed that day – I will be excited to see their future development.

Iain Noble, 2XV Coach

If you think you're beaten, you are: You have to enjoy the journey to rise. You've got to be sure of your brothers before You ever win the prize.

Boarding Schools’ battles don’t always go To the stronger or faster man: But sooner or later, the man who wins the TIE Is the one who thinks he can.

MERCHISTON U18 OCTOBER RUGBY FESTIVAL 2021

It was wonderful to see our U18 October Rugby Festival back up and running, with a new format of twelve teams playing over two days.

Our goal is always to grow the game and to give all participating teams the opportunity to move out of their comfort zone and test themselves against different opposition. We are very passionate about the game and we feel that bringing the schools and clubs together will only strengthen our partnerships and allow more boys to experience quality rugby, which will ultimately allow them to develop further.

We loved seeing different styles of play and many ferociously competitive games over the weekend. The standard of rugby was very high and it was rewarding to

see all boys expressing themselves in a highly competitive environment. A special mention goes to our 2XV/3XV squad, which stepped in at the last minute and displayed real courage and commitment against high quality opposition.

We are expanding the Festival again this year and already have sixteen teams which have committed for October 2022. We are very excited about the level of competition that will be on show and the opportunity it will give many players to have fun and enjoy themselves. Many thanks to everyone who helped in the build-up and over the weekend to allow this Festival to be a huge success.

Roddy Deans, Director of Rugby

DAY 1 RESULTS

Group A

Merchiston Castle School 22 – 0 Wycliffe College

Ayr RFC 14 – 19 Bedford School

Bedford School 7 – 7 Merchiston Castle School

Ayr RFC 10 – 7 Wycliffe College

Ayr RFC 0 – 40 Merchiston Castle School Bedford School 31 – 5 Wycliffe College

Group B

Stewart’s Melville College 10 – 12 Seaford College

Boroughmuir RFC 12 – 0 Uppingham School

Boroughmuir RFC 12 – 0 Stewart’s Melville College

Seaford College 31 – 0 Uppingham School

Stewart’s Melville College 5 – 26 Uppingham School

Boroughmuir RFC 12 – 3 Seaford College

Group C

Colston’s School 3 – 3 Stirling County RFC

George Watson’s College 7 – 0 Merchiston Castle School 2XV

Colston’s School 7 – 17 George Watson’s College

Stirling County RFC 28 – 7 Merchiston Castle School 2XV

George Watson’s College 14 – 15 Stirling RFC Colston’s School 36 – 0 Merchiston Castle School 2XV

DAY 2 RESULTS

Cup A

Bedford School 14 – 0 Stirling County RFC

Bedford School 14 – 5 Boroughmuir RFC Stirling RFC 5 – 12 Boroughmuir RFC

Cup B

George Watson’s College 7 – 17 Seaford College

George Watson’s College 3 – 3 Merchiston Castle School

Seaford College 5 – 0 Merchiston Castle School

Plate A

Uppingham School 5 – 5 Wycliffe College

Uppingham School 5 – 19 Colston’s School

Wycliffe College 5 – 24 Colston’s School

Plate B

Bedford School

Merchiston Castle School

George Watson’s College

Stirling RFC

Colston’s School

Uppingham School

Stewart’s Melville College

Wycliffe College

Stewart’s Melville College

– 0 Merchiston Castle School 2XV Ayr RFC 17 – 0 Merchiston Castle School 2XV

Merchiston Castle School 2XV

U16 RUGBY

Moving into the 2021/22 rugby season, many coaches, including myself and Mr Hall, likely underestimated the extent of the impact on our rugby players of having missed a full year of competitive rugby in 2020/21 as a result of the pandemic. Whilst we were delighted to be back on the rugby field, schoolboy rugby teams across Scotland and the UK were having to start from scratch, revisiting the basics, all the while preparing hurriedly for their first competitive fixtures in over a year. Adding to this pressure, the format of the Scottish U16 Schools Cup had changed from previous seasons, with Conference results dictating whether or not a team would qualify for the latter stages of the Cup in the New Year.

Having met the players following a short period of preseason training at the end of August, the players set goals for the season ahead. In what proved to be a productive meeting, the players agreed on three collective goals for the upcoming season: to reach their full potential, to finish the Conference with four wins and to reach the semi-final stages of the Schools Cup.

Following a disappointing loss to Dollar Academy in a friendly fixture at the beginning of September, the extent of the task ahead for the U16s came to light in the opening Conference game of the season at home against Fettes College. In a scrappy, error-strewn game, the boys were defeated 19-13, leaving them firmly bottom of the Conference table. In the wake of this loss, the players redoubled their efforts in preparation for what was to be must-win fixture against Strathallan School the following week. Unsurprisingly, Strathallan proved to be dogged opponents and after a lethargic first-half performance, Merchiston trailed 10-3 at the break. After some choice words, the boys fought back to secure a dramatic 19-17 victory with the last kick of the game. Galvanised by their win over Strathallan, the U16s put in another strong performance away to Conference leaders Stewart’s Melville College, before securing a well-earned victory over Edinburgh Academy in early November. After another tough loss in an away fixture at Dollar Academy the following week, the U16s bounced back to put together a fine team performance against a determined Heriot’s side at Golden Acre, scoring an impressive eleven tries in the process. With three wins from six games in the Conference and with other results working in their favour, the boys had all but secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Schools Cup before the final Conference fixture at home to

local rivals, Watson’s, in early December. Despite a disappointing 22-12 loss, the players’ performance demonstrated how far they had progressed both individually and collectively since the beginning of the season and laid solid foundations for the quarter-final stages of the Cup in the New Year.

Having drawn St Aloysius’ College in the quarter-finals, the boys trained with real intent in early January, boosted by eligible players from the U15 and senior squads. Following an impressive 11-7 victory over Dollar Academy in a friendly fixture mid-January, the boys went into the quarter-final against St Aloysius’ with high hopes. Played in extremely challenging weather conditions, once again, the players proved their resilience by battling to a 13-12 victory to secure their place in the Scottish U16 Schools Cup semi-finals.

Following their victory over St Aloysius’, Merchiston was drawn against local rivals Watson’s in the semi-final, with the fixture scheduled to take place under floodlights on the main pitch at Myreside Stadium in late February. After a disjointed period of preparation following half term and inclement weather, the boys travelled to Myreside knowing they would have to perform to their optimum level if they were to have any chance of upsetting the Schools Cup favourites. Unfortunately, on the night, a combination of poor discipline and a lack of accuracy both in attack and defence proved costly as Watson’s cantered to a comfortable 45-12 victory, securing their place in the 2022 Scottish U16 Schools Cup Final at BT Murrayfield.

As Head Coach, this season has proven to be bittersweet. On one hand, I cannot deny my frustration at the lacklustre performance in the semi-final fixture against Watson’s; however, on the other hand, I am proud of this group of players for their determination in achieving their goals. I would like to pay special thanks to Captain, Hamish M, and Vice-Captain, Todd B, for leading the team and to my Assistant Coach, Ben Hall, for his invaluable help and support throughout the season.

Stephen Douglas, U16 Coach

U15 RUGBY NATIONAL SCHOOLS RUGBY FESTIVAL

SATURDAY

Game 1 Merchiston 12 – 5 Norwich School

Game 2 Merchiston 12 – 7 Trinity School

Game 3 Merchiston 0 – 19 Wellington College

SUNDAY

Game 1 Merchiston 5 – 19 RGS Newcastle

Game 2 Merchiston 12 – 12 St Peter’s RC High School

On Friday 15 October 2021, the Merchiston U15 squad started the long drive south for the Langley U15 National Schools Rugby Festival. With the tournament having been postponed for two years due to COVID-19, there was plenty of excitement from the boys, who were clearly looking forward to a mini rugby tour and getting on the road.

The bus departed with a healthy travelling squad of 22 players, supported by Mr Gray and Mr Glover. Despite an arduous 12-hour journey, the bus was filled with plenty of buzz, chatter and team bonding. A special mention goes to Mr Gray for hosting a bus sing-along, with several fine individual solo performances from the boys!

On arrival, we were warmly greeted by the Langley School staff and shown to our cosy boarding house, where the boys got unpacked and settled. After an evening team meeting discussing tactics, strategies and mindset ahead of the tournament, it was straight to bed for a muchneeded rest.

The tournament was structured into four pools consisting of four teams each. Where you finished in your pool on the Saturday would determine who you would play on the Sunday.

On Saturday, the squad awoke to a beautiful sunrise and absolutely perfect conditions for positive, running rugby. A morning team meeting followed a hearty breakfast, after which the boys headed out to the pitches to prepare for their first game against Norwich School.

As the only Scottish team in the tournament, there was a lot of pride amongst the squad to represent their School and Scotland. Our travelling supporters were out in force, and younger brother to Lyle, Calum R, piped the team onto the pitch. Despite a positive start and dominating the majority of possession and territory, Merchiston only led 50 at half-time. Mr Gray spoke at half-time about converting pressure into points and playing the game in the right areas of the pitch. Despite conceding an early try in the second half, the boys were able to edge ahead through an excellent team try, ending the game with a well-deserved 12-5 win.

In our second game of the day, Merchiston was scheduled to play Trinity School. The game was a very physical affair and the Merchiston side picked up several injuries. Despite this setback, the boys kept up their tempo and held on to win another closely-contested game 12-7.

The final game on Saturday was against tournament favourites, Wellington College, a well-known school south of the border, which had also won its previous two games. This would be the pool decider. Despite being without some key starters in the team, Merchiston put up a strong defence against a formidable attacking Wellington side. Ultimately, Wellington’s ability to pass the ball quickly to the wing proved to be an effective winner, and they ran in three tries, to win 0-19.

Despite a bruising defeat, the boys remained upbeat and excited for the Sunday games. A team meal followed by a team meeting allowed the squad to re-focus and address issues faced earlier in the day. The evening’s entertainment included a Kangaroo Court and movie, which the boys enjoyed.

On Sunday, Merchiston was drawn against Royal Grammar School Newcastle. RGS Newcastle came into the game with a superior record compared to Wellington. As a result, the Merchiston squad was ready for a challenging opponent. Merchiston played arguably its best rugby of the weekend against the strongest team it had faced. With a half-time score of 5-12 to RGS Newcastle, there was hope that an upset could be on the cards in Merchiston’s favour. A valiant effort by the boys, however, was not enough to contain our opponents, and a final score resulted in a 5-19 loss for Merchiston.

The final game saw Merchiston face St Peter’s Roman Catholic High School. St Peter’s had enjoyed a similar record

to that of Merchiston and a challenging game was anticipated. With several of our boys suffering from the minor injuries that they had picked up over the course of the tournament, the squad was significantly reduced going into this final game. However, following a motivational speech from the coaches, the boys were up for the challenge. St Peter’s proved to be one of the more physical teams we had encountered in the tournament and this tested the boys’ defence. The boys showed incredible strength in depth, with several members of the team playing out of position, due to injury, by the end of the first half. With the depleted numbers, the boys had to dig deep for their team, with the scoreboard being neck and neck at half time, at 7-7. The second half brought more hard-fought battles and, again, our physicality kept us in the game. Merchiston struck first with a well-worked team try through many phases of keeping the ball. However, St Peter’s were quick to respond, levelling the scoreboard again to 12-12. This deadlock was maintained, despite St Peter's sustained pressure on Merchiston’s 5 metre line. The boys displayed incredible heart and discipline to defend for multiple phases into extra time, resulting in a St Peter’s error which ended the game. The monumental defensive effort displayed by the boys was the highlight of the coaches’ weekend and was an incredible way to end the campaign. Despite being the team that had travelled the farthest, the Merchiston group of supporters was by far the largest and loudest on the touchline. The staff would like to thank them for their support and generosity over the weekend - you made the experience even more special for the boys.

Cameron Gray, Under 15 Coach

B1 RUGBY

As we approached the start of our first full season in over two years, we sat down as a group and the coaches asked two simple questions: “What is momentum?” and “How do we build and control it when we have it?” This was an exciting group of players, with some new boys to the School. However, a new season needed a fresh start and there were so many unpredictables, with so much rugby missed.

The second game of the season against Fettes was a wake-up call (24-24 draw), with a virtually non-existent defensive performance. The following three weeks allowed us to get to grips with a new defensive and attacking system. The momentum started to shift for the first time, with wins against Strathallan, Stewart’s Melville and Dollar. The squad then travelled to the Langley Festival. What is wonderful about the trip is that it’s not just about the rugby: it’s the opportunity to be away with team mates both on and off the pitch. We had 29 players who represented the B1s this year, and this was a breakthrough weekend for a number of boys who had started the season in the B2s. Momentum was now starting to gather pace. On our return from half-term, the boys recorded convincing wins against Edinburgh Academy, Dollar Academy and George Heriot’s. These were followed up with a wonderful game of schoolboy rugby against George Watson’s: a mammoth defensive display, resulting in a 1910 victory. This handed the boys the East Conference win. We were half-way through the season: the boys’ commitment to the Strength and Conditioning programme was improving, and agreed standards in training were more consistent. After Christmas, with

B2 RUGBY

After the pandemic, the 2021/22 season was challenging. However, the boys picked up from where they previously left off, grasped age-grade law variations and learnt new position-specific skills, applying technical and tactical learning effectively. With a number of newcomers, some new to rugby, there were further challenges, but all did exceptionally well, committing eagerly and enthusiastically to every training session.

momentum built, the group had to work out how to hold on to it. The possibility of an unbeaten season was suddenly an extra motivator, with no Conference to work towards. With a good run of games against Ayr, Peebles and Boroughmuir RFC, the boys continued to mature on the pitch. However, the away fixture against Stirling County was a highlight. The players showed their most impressive start to a match all season, combined with a dominant and disciplined defensive performance, which was topped off with some clinical finishing in attack. So, this was an unbeaten season for this year’s B1s, a team which has an exciting few years ahead.

This was a very enjoyable season, both on and off the field. The coaches left the boys with these thoughts for the future: be prepared to work hard when you are not always close to winning; do not copy the energy of your opponents – we are Merchiston; and be positive about outside distractions.

Thanks go to Mr Gray, for his coaching support and integral role as Strength and Conditioning lead, and to the parents for their continued support on the touchline – we missed it!

Congratulations go to the end of season award winners: Coaches’ Player of the Season -Luca M Players’ Player Award -Theo DM Most Improved Player of the Season -John T SOLID CASTLE Award -Lyall R

Rory McCann, B1 Coach

Our first game was away to Dollar, a steep learning curve and the first competitive fixture for some. Our hosts threw everything at us, exposing some soft defence; however, confidence grew, as did ambition and bravery in defence. After some magical tries, the respectable final score was 4433 to Dollar. Although a loss, excitement and enthusiasm to train and improve were high. Clear progress was then shown by a narrower loss, 38-43, to a strong Fettes side.

Training went from strength to strength as boys got to grips with their roles and positions. Soon, they were on the road again, this time to Strathallan. They were clearly ready and, as worked on in training, won the race to everything and dominated collisions, beating the opposition to the gain-line and commanding possession. An impressive and mature performance from an inexperienced team resulted in our first win, 12-31. Our next success came at Edinburgh Academy, in sun, horizontal rain and even snow! The team showed real grit and determination: early on, Alvaro refused to be tackled and ran 50 metres with three Academy players hanging off him, setting the tone for the rest of the game, which ended 5-39 in our favour.

The coaches’ “game of the season” was surprisingly not a win. After one of our biggest defeats, against Dollar, our progress was measured when we met again at home in the Conference, when our resilience was tested as the score swung both ways. A strong Dollar team proved dangerous in attack through rapid speed of ball and ability to offload, causing us a few defence issues. However, we worked incredibly hard and stopped a handful of tries through scramble defence, whilst in attack, we carried hard, winning

B3 RUGBY

These lads deserve a report – their own “fifteen lines of fame” in a Merchistonian magazine. I have had the privilege of coaching the B3 rugby XV this year, and I mean the word “privilege” sincerely. We have had an unbeaten season –hooray! However, we played no games – boo!

What we did not quite have in numbers, we made up for in enthusiasm, and the boys came out to training just as many days as the “higher” teams. There was a lot of laughter and enjoyment and, I hope, learning too. One wonders if the days of “great” 3rds teams are in the past – no other school seems to have them! This group is one that I will

the race to the breakdown and collision battle, resulting in a well-fought draw, 26-26: a monumental effort and a result to be proud of.

In the final game, we played Watson's at home. Having lost 62-20 to them earlier in the season, the boys were keen to showcase their improvement: their strong start was maintained throughout and, with some excellent tries, the game ended in victory, 26-19.

The strength and depth of the team was demonstrated throughout by the large number of boys who transitioned into the B1 team and maintained their position. Overall, a total of thirty-five boys played for the team - a huge achievement in its own right. At the end of the season, the coaches made the following awards:

Players’ Player of the Year -Alvaro Most Improved Player - David Solid Castle Award - Hamish Coaches’ Player of the Year -Sam

Cameron Gray, B2 Coach

long remember: Jerry (captain), Adrian, Viktor, James, Jibrail, Johannes, Emmanuel, Tommy, Philip, Jeffrey and Sam –with a few other B3 “wannabees” who sometimes moonlighted for the B2s. Thank you to them all for many fun training sessions. I just wonder if we might have seen the last B3 team for a while…. We often save the best to last.

Nick Blair, B3 Coach

C1 RUGBY

With a new squad in place, we had key targets to achieve: to concentrate our attention on the finer details, and really progress in all facets as individuals. The contact zone was a big area to highlight: with the game becoming ever more technical and physical, ruck-time, our bullet speed and tackle technique were all areas that would be vital to success, not to mention simple, hand-catch-pass skills that had been ingrained over years of hard work. However, these skills still needed progressing in terms of individual skill-set and personal development.

Every game was going to be hard, but we targeted those against Dollar Academy, Stewart’s Melville and George Watson’s as ones in which we could cause an upset in the pressurised Conference season. The tone was set by a ‘warm-up’ fixture against a strong Dollar side on the first weekend back, which highlighted how much needed to be done. So, the task was set! Victories against Strathallan, Edinburgh Academy and George Heriot’s meant that we finished mid-table in the Conference at the Christmas break - a fair reflection of our performance. The group got ‘stuck in’, battled, and, most importantly, adapted superbly to churn out performance after performance. There was not one weekend when we had a set XV on the pitch: with injury, COVID and general disruption, it was very hard to gain momentum through the tough winter months, but the players were fantastic!

After Christmas, we decided to focus all our attention on the end of term Merchiston 7s - if everything went smoothly, we could potentially ‘do something’. Day after day, week after week of 7s skills, fitness and tactical training made the boys fitter and more aware than ever. However, we still needed to perform on the XVs circuit, against some incredibly tough opposition. Fantastic wins against our rugby club friends and rivals, Ayr, Peebles and Stirling County, all in horrific conditions, set us up brilliantly for the 7s.

After five years of no Merchiston 7s, we found ourselves placed in a tough group. With wins against some big, physical sides, we came out top in the group and played Stewart’s Melville in the semi-final, to which we had lost twice in the course of the season. We played brilliantly, and although there were some casualties after a long day, we successfully progressed to the final against George Watson’s. Unfortunately, with numbers down against a brilliant Watson’s side, we came out second. However, it had been an excellent day, which we will all remember as a huge highlight, demonstrating how far this group had come through a long and difficult season.

Credit must go to each and every member of the C1 and C2 groups. There were weeks when we genuinely struggled to get a side together, showing the real camaraderie between the boys in both squads. As coach, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with this group and seeing them all progress and develop their skills in each and every training session. A year to remember!

Raikes, C1 Coach

Michael

C2 RUGBY

The C2 squad of British, Spanish, and Chinese boys made for an entertaining continental free-flowing style of rugby. Plenty of speed was shown on the wings and, with some creative positive mid-field passing between the half-backs, George, Jaime and Luis, it ensured that the team scored points in all but one of their eight matches. Pablo’s penalty kicking proved surprisingly successful from close range. The matches against Fettes and Watson’s were the closest, and the 7-10 defeat to Watson’s in September proved to be the

D1 RUGBY

After a long period with no competitive fixtures, the boys responded brilliantly to a long and competitive season, divided into two separate phases: a mixed U12 and U13 team selection in the Autumn, followed by an U13 team in the Lent Term.

In the Autumn Term, the squad launched onto the scene with a run of six consecutive wins, the team sheet changing weekly as competition for selection was fierce. By October, team selection was a little more settled and a clear platform of attacking out wide and a strong defensive shape began to emerge. The winning streak came to an end against an impressive Stewart’s Melville side, to which we lost 12-22. We then bounced back, notching up a further seven consecutive wins, including notable victories against Edinburgh Academy, Dollar and Loretto. The D1 squad became well known as a team that tended to start a little slowly and needed time to build into games, which resulted in some astonishing come backs and wins at the

best outcome for the team. Our weakest skill was tackling, which was tested against the opposition, which often appeared significantly bigger than us! This area needs more individual and collective effort next season, but I could not fault the boys’ enthusiasm or commitment, whatever the match situation or the length of the practice session: they always wanted more. Well done, boys!

Peter Golden, C2 Coach

death for Merchiston, most notably in the fixture against Cargilfield. An unbelievable finish to a tense game defined the resilience and perseverance of the D1 team and came to embody its team spirt throughout the season.

December presented the toughest challenge for the team with back-to-back games against Belhaven and conference leaders Watson’s. In the former, the score changed hands a total of seven times throughout the game; despite a last minute surge, the D1s lost 24-30. In the away fixture against an unbeaten Watson’s side, the D1s defended fiercely as they dispelled attack after attack from Watson’s. 10-0 down at half time, it was a tough road back for the Merchiston side but achievable nonetheless. A

Merchiston mistake was punished by another Watson’s score, after which we rallied, but the game sadly ended early due to an injury to one of the Watson’s players –fortunately, he made a full recovery.

The season was defined by an excellent team spirit and attitude from the boys. They trained well throughout the season and were rewarded with an impressive sixteen wins and four losses, providing a strong platform on which to build next year. Thanks go to the coaches, officials and spectators, who have helped to make this a season to remember.

Richard Glover, D1 Coach

D2 RUGBY

What a memorable season the D2s have had! Seeing them all having fun whilst improving their fundamental rugby skills has been fantastic. Each player's confidence and skill set improved throughout the season, which made this team a force to be reckoned with. To each training session, they brought energy and a willingness to learn their trade, and thanks must go to Mr Glover, who also played a vital role in their development. Within the team, we had boys who were keen to play up a level and also boys who were new to the game, so this brought its own challenges, but good team morale always prevailed.

Congratulations go to Angus R, who captained this year's D2s and played a significant role in motivating the boys in tough games against Cargilfield and Fettes. These two games highlighted the spirit of the team, as both games came down to last minute tries to secure a victory.

Congratulations must also go to Toby G, who was the team’s top try scorer. He often set the tone for the games with his blistering pace and hard running lines. He was a joy to watch with ball in hand, and was a handful for the

opposition’s defence. Alvaro A and Bosco VD were new to the game but took to it like a “duck to water”. They were also pivotal in the brand of rugby we tried to play as they brought a lot of speed and strength into the starting team. I could list all the boys in the squad and the journey they have had, but for me, all I hope for is that the boys look back on this season with fond memories, as I certainly will. The opportunities the boys have within the Merchiston Juniors rugby schedule is second to none, and I know those in this squad seized the opportunity fully.

Well done to all the boys in the D2s: I look forward to seeing you progress through your rugby journey at Merchiston. I now set you all a challenge: can you be the next Matthew DV or Robbie D, who were just like you when they were in Pringle? Both current 1XV captains have played over 200 matches for the School, and went on to be Scottish Champions at U16 and U18 – an amazing legacy.

Craig Harrison, D2 Coach

D3 RUGBY

Autumn Term

By its very nature, the D3 rugby team is an eclectic bunch of players, ranging from boys with a sound grounding in rugby, to others who have a knowledge of the game but never played it, and finally those who have no idea about the game. Therefore, the main aim of our first few weeks was to set about learning the basics of the game and work on passing and tackling. However, the team’s fledgling skills received an early baptism of fire against an organised Watson’s team, which inflicted a maiden defeat.

Nevertheless, the team learned quickly from initial mistakes and performed much better against Clifton Hall and Stewart’s Melville. Buoyed by their wins, the team began to gain confidence and set about training with greater focus. As a result, they were only narrowly beaten by Watson’s at their next meeting. The boys’ hard work in training and practice games began to pay dividends with a notable improvement in their basic skills and understanding of the game. Reward came when they finally defeated their nemesis, Watson’s, albeit a win by the narrowest of margins – nonetheless, a remarkable fightback from 10 – 0 down in the first half. As Christmas approached, the team finished on a high with another narrow win away against Watson’s - another spirited performance from the entire team, recovering from an initial setback.

Autumn Term Results

11 September v George Watson’s (h) – lost: 18 – 9

15 September v Clifton Hall (h) – won: 12 – 10

2 October v Stewart’s Melville (h) – won: 19 – 0

9 October v Stewart’s Melville – cancelled

6 November v Watson’s (a) – lost: 7 – 6

6 November v Edinburgh Academy – cancelled

17 November v Fettes (h) – won: 7 – 5

27 November v Watson’s (h) – won: 14 – 13

4 December v Watson’s (a) – won: 9 – 7

Lent Term

The Lent Term started in earnest with more team training. On 29 January, as Storm Malik battered the UK, a mixed D2 / D3 team faced Stewart’s Melville at Inverleith. Although they met with defeat, watching from the side line, this was the performance which impressed me the most: they showed great tenacity in defence, worked hard for each other and, whenever the opportunity arose, demonstrated

real flair in attack. Happily, the season ended on a high with yet another close-fought game against Watson’s.

This has been my first year assisting with rugby at Merchiston and I think I have probably learnt as much as the boys. It was great to see the majority of boys grow in confidence and start to relish playing games, whilst others, despite initial reservations, really began to enjoy participating and developing their skills. Finally, the initially bemused students had transformed, now shouting “Ready, Ready, Up!”, intently focussed on tackling that opposition player carrying the egg-shaped ball!

Lent Term Results

29 January v Stewart’s Melville (a) – lost: 10 – 5

26 February v Watson’s (h) – won: 14 – 13

Stephen McLaughlin, D3 Coach

F1 RUGBY

This was another enjoyable season coaching the F1 rugby team. We got off to a winning start in a close-fought match against St Mary’s, Melrose. From then on, we managed to record sixteen victories and four draws. One of the most notable performances was the win against Dollar (12 tries to 2) in January. This was a particularly pleasing performance as we had drawn against the same Dollar side back in September. This is testament to the hard work the boys put in at our training sessions.

On the field, we exuded the Merchiston philosophy of fast, attacking rugby, scoring some magnificent tries. Particular mention goes to the elusive running of Raife; Logan made some huge clear outs; Ollie flying down the wing; Theo running hard and straight; Issa making some great passes; Barney the scampering scrum-half; Nayte’s performance v St Mary’s; Jack’s defensive skills; Evan’s turn

of pace; Aziz linking with great pop passes; Stepan running into space; and the all-round attacking and defensive skills of Will.

The season culminated with our excellent display of skill and desire at the Merchiston Sevens. We got off to a great start with a 7-2 win over Craigclowan. Next up, we were over-powered by a strong Watson’s team. However, a win versus St Mary’s (5 tries to 2) sent us through to the semifinals against Stewart’s Melville. This is one of the toughest fought matches I have seen at U11 level and the boys should be commended for their effort and commitment. It wasn’t to be that day; however, I hope the boys will use it as a positive learning experience going into “D” Rugby next year.

Stevie Gilmour, F1 Coach

U10 RUGBY

The U10 rugby team has had an exciting season, playing a wealth of other schools and teams: St Mary's Preparatory School (Melrose), Clifton Hall School, Loretto Junior, Craigclowan School, Stewart’s Melville, Ardvreck, George Heriot’s, Ayr RFC, Boroughmuir RFC and Fettes.

The boys developed their rugby skills throughout the season, showing examples of open rugby, with attacking running and solid tackling. Some key focuses for the season were developing basic core skills: catching, passing, tackling, and, of course, making sure we really enjoyed playing rugby!

We have been impressed by the team spirit in which the

boys have all played – especially during some of the most testing of weather conditions, which included horizontal rain, sleet, hail and gale force winds! The boys played as a team, supported each other and learnt from each other.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the boys for their effort and determination during the season. We had some targets for improvement to work on, such as supporting each other during open play and working throughout the game to a high level of intensity. Both of these targets were achieved game after game.

Will Ogilvie-Jones, U10 Coach

CRICKET 1XI

There has been a total of seventeen boys representing the 1XI this year, from V Form to UVI. With our first season back in over two years, this was always going to be a challenging one but the boys could not wait! There were lots of fixtures to look forward to - in fact, we were able to get through fifteen completed fixtures across both T20 and longer format games.

The pre-season tour to Northern Ireland in the Easter holiday was a great success, building the foundations for an excellent season. The boys enjoyed their time together and the matches against the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Campbell College. This was an opportunity for boys to dust off the cobwebs and build some momentum into the start of term. Isaac C had a brilliant start, scoring his first century for the School against Campbell College 1XI.

T20 is becoming a very popular format of the game and an aspect of the game which the boys at Merchiston thoroughly enjoy. Winning the U18 T20 Schools Cup was an agreed target for the squad. They got off to an excellent start in the early stages of the competition, with wins against Stewart’s Melville and George Heriot’s. There were notable performances with the bat from Isaac C, Isaac F, William F, Matthew DV, Freddie C and Oscar J.

Off the back of the excellent T20 wins, it was back to the longer 35-over format of the game. The boys continued their fine run of form with wins against Fettes College, Glenalmond, Loretto, George Watson’s and Dollar Academy. They were building some real momentum by the half-term break, being unbeaten in all matches so far.

After the half-term break, the squad started as it left off, with good wins against Stewart’s Melville and Edinburgh Academy. We were then drawn against Fettes College in the semi-final of the T20 Cup. It was a super game of schoolboy cricket in tough, windy conditions. Unfortunately, we fell short in the final ball of the match. This was a disappointing end to the Cup run.

Our fixture list has evolved over the past few years, with the second half of term allowing the boys to focus on the longer format of the game. We have an exciting run in to the end of term with the MCC match, George Watson’s, Stewart’s Melville and now RGS Newcastle fixtures. Alongside this, the boys have to balance their time effectively to avoid clashes with external exams during the busy June period. I could not have asked for more from the group: their communication, commitment and eagerness

to improve was first-class throughout.

The penultimate game of the season was our traditional fixture against the MCC. This is historically, the toughest fixture of the season. The MCC team this year had Merchistonians, internationalists and schoolboy internationalists in it. The MCC posted 231-5. After losing a couple of early wickets, the team dug in for a draw, with some excellent defensive batting from Isaac F and Will F.

This year’s 1XI players were such a fun group to be around. I look forward to working with a number of these boys over the next few years and will miss those who are leaving. Well done to Co-Captains of cricket, Oscar J and Will F. They have been an important leadership team throughout the year and are showing a much more knowledgeable approach to the game. They have committed to the cricket programme throughout their time at the School and I wish them all the best for the future.

A huge thank you must go 2XI coach, Mr Hillier, and 3XI coach, Mr Blair. We are one of very few schools that can put out three teams at senior level, which shows that the game is alive and kicking at Merchiston.

I must also mention Mr Chalmers and his team who continue to do a fantastic job maintaining our fantastic grounds.

Finally, thank you to Merchistonian, Jamie Kerr and his company, Ben Property, for their continued support of cricket in the School. This year, we have been able to invest in another set of nets.

With a winter international tour to South Africa in February 2023, there is plenty to look forward to.

Well done to all the Awards winners this year;

• The Thompson Cup for Outstanding Service to the XI- Oscar J

• The Mrs Rowland Fraser Bat - Isaac C

• The Van der Byl Prize for Batting - William F

• The Knight Cup for Bowling - Matthew DV

• The Richard Swan Cup for Fielding - Freddie C

• The Barbados Bat for the Most Promising Cricketer- Isaac F

Rory McCann, Director of Sport & Head of Cricket

CRICKET 2XI

The 2XI season started in impressive fashion, with a convincing victory at home to Glenalmond. Bowling first, we skittled the opposition out for only 71, with captain Robbie D taking 4-9 in three overs. We knocked off the runs in only 6.5 overs, Todd B top scoring with 26*. An excellent 8-wicket opening victory.

Unfortunately, a fixture against a full-strength Heriot’s 1XI side followed, which scored 124-5 batting first. We were bowled out for a meagre 59 runs against far too strong an opposition, resulting in a 65-run loss.

However, the quest to prove ourselves to be the best 2XI in Scotland continued and the boys quickly put aside their disappointment and bounced back impressively against Loretto. Bowling first, we skittled the opposition out for only 55 runs (Robbie D 3-6 and Callum A 2-4), before knocking the runs off at a rapid rate in only 6.3 overs to win by 8 wickets (Thomas R 34*).

A thumping victory over Stewart’s Melville followed next. Batting first, we made a colossal 226-4 in 20 overs, with Teo T making 52 and Robbie D scoring an outrageous 95* off only 34 balls, including 11 sixes! In response, Stew Mel made a good fist of the chase, ending up on 153-6, giving Merchiston a 73-run win.

An extra game against a mixed 1/2XI from the High School of Glasgow followed. The HSOG batted well, scoring 159-6: a tough task to chase against good bowling, but after a solid 27 from Harry D at the top of the order, Robbie D again “went ballistic”, scoring 70* from only 26 balls, bringing us home in the 18th over. An impressive 4-wicket win.

Another tough fixture came next against Fettes, which made a very competitive 158-8 in its 20 overs. Robbie D again produced a sublime Captain’s innings, smashing 93* off 43 balls, including 10 sixes, as we came out as victors by 5 wickets.

The second Loretto fixture was no less dominant than the first, despite them fielding a mixed 1/2XI team. Batting first, Harry D made another good score of 47 off 32, supported by William G with 34 off 27. After a huge middle order collapse, we managed to get up to 127 all out. In response, we again reduced the opposition to a small total, this time 77 all out, with Freddie A taking an impressive 514 in his four-over spell.

The Stewart’s Melville rematch followed: in difficult conditions, we restricted the opposition to 69 all out, with Harry D taking 4-18. In reply, Teo T held his nerve under the pressure of wickets falling regularly at the other end, making 39* as Merchiston won by 5 wickets.

A tough match up against a strong Edinburgh Academy side was the penultimate game of the season, which amassed a challenging 146-8 in its 20 overs (Glen C 4-31). In reply, Isaac F (71*) and Thomas R (40) batted very well to secure a Merchiston victory by 7 wickets.

The final game of the season was coined the “2XI Championship” against a George Watson’s side that was also unbeaten against 2XI opposition. Bowling first, GWC made a competitive 141 all out, despite Freddie A taking an impressive 5-17. In response, a regular loss of wickets put us in a difficult spot, and despite a late 39 off 26 balls from Jamie N, we were bowled out for 124. A 17-run loss. Overall, it was a fantastic season; a great group of boys to coach, who played with so much enthusiasm and effort throughout. Special mention should be made of captain Robbie D, who led the side so impressively and had such a positive influence on the younger boys. As the only UVI leaver in the team, he will be missed. However, the rest of the squad will return next year, eager for that illusive unbeaten season.

Matthew Hillier, 2XI Coach

CRICKET 3XI

Have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time? Sixteen months ago, I wandered across to watch the 1XI, and whilst standing beside Mr McCann, Director of Sport, we were approached by two (then) Lower Sixth Formers, who asked: “What about a 3XI, Sir?”. The reply came, “If we can find someone to coach, it will happen”.

My words of wisdom from this encounter are: 1. Never stand beside the Director of Sport; 2. Saying “I have never played cricket” is not an excuse.

For the past two seasons, I have been the “caretaker” (not coach) of a wonderfully enthusiastic group. Its core value has been ‘respectful but fun’ – surely the heart of any 3rds team.

The core of about eight players over those two years has won every match, sometimes against, on paper, much better opposition. I found old abandoned cups around the School and each game, we played to win one – a bit of 3rds silliness whilst retaining our core values. We are the current holders of the JH Alexander 1908 2nd prize tankard for 100 yards and the Collins Cup for Pringle fiction! The record is as follows: Played – 6; won – 6. To be a 3rds man is almost an accolade – surely what “Sport for all” means!

A 3rds tie has been produced, not for official School wear, but for anyone who has ever played for the 3rds at any level in any sport - present and past pupils, and parents. No strict accreditation search will be carried out! The proceeds from the sale of the tie will be split between our nominated charities.

Nick Blair, 3XI “Coach”

U15A CRICKET

It was fantastic to get so much cricket this term for the U15A team. The team completed 18 fixtures, winning 10 and losing 8.

The team highlight was the final over victory against Stewart’s Melville. Having restricted them to 123 in 20 overs, George R stepped up with a fine 62 not out, so sealing the victory with just one ball to spare.

Henry W really developed his batting throughout the season, keeping out the good balls and really attacking anything off the stumps. He ended up the leading run scorer, with 350 runs; including two half centuries.

Henry S was our leading wicket taker, with 17 for the

U15B CRICKET

season at an average under 20. I was also particularly impressed when he stepped up to bowl the last over against Dollar, bowling us to a fine win.

The all-round skills of U14 player Fergus F should also be noted. In just nine matches, he racked up 311 runs at an impressive average of 77.75, took 10 wickets and was a key contributor in the field with catches and run outs.

All in all, nineteen boys represented the A team and I thank each and every one of them for their efforts and energy towards cricket this term.

Stevie Gilmour, U15A Coach

The U15B XI has brought together a group of players with a wide range of cricketing experience, and it was wonderful to see the progress made. The season was one of mixed fortunes, with four games won and six lost. Of the wins, the victory at George Watson’s late in the season stands out, with the boys – especially Carl N, 51* - first of all batting skilfully, before showing great togetherness and tenacity in the field, winning the game by 61 runs. Carl was one of a few fine finds for the XI this season, showing real brutality at times in dispatching the short ball to the boundary. A call-up to the U15A squad for their final few games of the season was well deserved. Juan-Pablo A-C was another gem, after discovering at an evening nets session with housemates that he had a knack for seam bowling. We hope that he finds a club back in Mexico. Logan B too, revealed an impressive skillset with the ball as the season progressed, continuing to demonstrate his growing value to School sports as a true all-rounder. Although things did not always go our way, we had our fair share of great balls, stunning catches – Kieran W in particular – and some wonderful shots and slogs too. The boys played with great spirit and togetherness and we hope they are looking forward to a spot of senior cricket next year.

Calum Mechie and Bruce Aitchison, U15B Coaches

U14A CRICKET

It was a pleasure to coach this young group of players over the course of a dry Summer Term, when, miraculously, no games were lost to the weather or Covid. There were many notable performances with bat and ball throughout the term in what was a successful season overall for the team, which included eight wins and five losses.

The Summer Term started brilliantly for Nick dV (55*) and Zaydan S (6-4) in a big win against Glenalmond. Fergus F (81*) then led the team to a superb win away to Fettes in the second game, as we sneaked home with three runs to spare. More runs from Fergus and wickets for Max A secured the win against Loretto, and we followed this up with three more wins before we entered the month of June.

Fergus was in a rich vein of form throughout the season, including a run of scores of 18, 81*, 79*, 115 and 85*. This included his first century in our win against Stewart’s Melville.

June was altogether more challenging, as we struggled to contain Fettes in the return fixture and were soundly beaten by strong Edinburgh Academy, Watson’s and Newcastle School for Boys teams. We clocked up another win against Stewart’s Melville and Loretto before rounding off the season with a tame loss to Strathallan.

It was certainly a season of ups and downs, but all of the boys in the squad contributed greatly to the team with their performances, and also with their camaraderie and

support for each other. Fergus finished with a mammoth 559 runs for the season, whilst Nick broke through the 200 mark. Cameron S, Lucas F and Josh C all scored over 100 through the season, which should give them confidence to build on this next season. Zaydan finished top of the wicket charts after his bamboozling leg spin claimed 15 wickets overall. Max A grabbed 10 with his slow nagging swingers whilst Daniel R, Reggie H, Lucas F, Miles R and even our wicket keeper, Murray B-O, grabbed a few wickets too!

The most entertaining phase of the season must have been in our second game against Loretto. Max A had waited patiently for his first chance to bat all season and calmly knocked his first ball off for one, only to be run out in his next ball by Daniel R…Daniel, also batting for the first time of the season, was distraught for Max and was subsequently run out, in exactly the same fashion, two balls later. Disastrous stuff, but that’s cricket! The boys both picked up wickets in the second innings and all was forgiven.

The 2022 U14A squad was a keen crop of cricketers and, with some work, should develop into a handy group of players in the Senior School. I look forward to seeing their progress in the years to come, whilst mostly hoping that they continue to enjoy playing this terrific sport together.

Richard McCorkell, U14A Coach

U14B CRICKET

The season started against a very good Fettes side, which showed the boys that to win a game of cricket, you need take catches, hit the ball off the square and run between the wickets! These three aspects of the game were the focus in training, and playing hit-and-run certainly improved the running between the wickets. A convincing win against Loretto, followed by a narrow loss against Stewart’s Melville, demonstrated the improvements that were being made. The Spanish contingent of the teamPablo, Carlos, Jaime, Luis and Nico - showed real enthusiasm for the game and it was great to see this enthusiasm spread throughout the team. With excellent fielding and some strong batting, the team then went on

a four-game unbeaten streak against High School of Glasgow, Edinburgh Academy, Stewart’s Melville and Loretto. With boys missing, the Watson’s team proved to be too strong. This was an enjoyable season of cricket and it was great to see many of the players make significant strides in their cricketing ability. Thank you to Ismael W for captaining the team and Mr Golding for his expert input.

Ben Hall, U14B Coach

Played Won Lost

PRINGLE 1XI CRICKET

potential, we realised our mistakes, especially with the ball, and came up with a game plan for what was ahead.

The next four games saw some outstanding performances from the team: big wins against Loretto, Dollar, Belhaven Hill and Ardvreck saw the boys come along hugely, but it was specifically the Belhaven Hill game of which I was incredibly proud. This was the highlight of the season, and a real testament to both sides, which played some incredible cricket throughout. To put in some context, the Pringle 1XI batted first and when we were 30-0 off 5 overs, I thought we had got off to a fantastic start. We then plummeted to 40 for 7, and hit the panic button! Somehow, we managed to scrape through to 78 off our 20 overs, and felt like we had to bowl and field like demons in order to have any chance of winning this tight game. We did just that, and fielded and bowled unbelievably well, showing control, aggression and brilliant tactical awareness, resulting in us bowling Belhaven out for 72 in the final over - a historic win and one that the boys and I will not forget in future seasons!

Although a relatively short season, the Pringle 1XI managed to cram in fourteen fantastic games of cricket within just nine weeks of term-time. The start of the season is always tough, especially whilst trying to enjoy the lovely mild and sunny Scottish weather… (not really the best for playing cricket in!). It has been tough for other reasons, however, as we faced off against some of our best rivals in Sedbergh and Cargilfield Prep Schools in the first weekend back, arguably the strongest opposition we would face throughout the season.

A fantastic win against Sedbergh in the opening fixture of our annual triangular, set us up perfectly to play Cargilfield in the next encounter. Unfortunately, we came up second best, but showed some serious potential for what lay ahead for this group of boys in the games to come.

Craigclowan came next and another home game for us on our treasured ‘Corner Square’: we batted first and posted a serious score of 195 off our 20 overs. We followed this up with the ball, but could not bowl out the Craigclowan batting attack, limiting the visitors to just 66 in their innings. Tough games against Cargilfield once again and Fettes followed, unfortunately both finishing in losses for the Pringle 1XI: although we definitely did not play to our full

It was fantastic to have our home ‘Super 8s’ competition up and running again, and with the Festival continuing to grow, we knew that we had a hard day on our hands. Tying our first group game against Carlton Cricket Club, and beating Belhaven once again, meant that we finished joint top of the group with Carlton CC - a bowl-off would decide who would go through as top of the table. Unfortunately, we lost and played Cargilfield in our 3rd vs 4th play-off, losing in another tightly contested battle, with the better side coming through victorious.

The local encounter against our friendly rivals and nextdoor neighbours, George Watson’s, was the final game of our season. It did not disappoint. Setting an impressive total of 133-0 off our 20 overs on a large field, set the stall out early. Bowling consistently well, and with some impressive wicket keeping to assist, meant that we were able to bowl the “boys in maroon” out for just 104 - another outstanding performance, and one which showed how far this group had come, with both bat and ball.

A long winter lies ahead, but one which will offer plenty of club cricket for the majority of the Pringle 1XI players, giving a chance to expand their games during the remainder of the summer months (weather permitting). Exciting times ahead!

Raikes, Pringle 1XI Coach

Michael

Played Won Drawn Tied Lost

PRINGLE 2XI CRICKET

The Pringle 2XI boys have had an excellent season, scoring plenty of runs, showing increasing accuracy with their bowling, and encouraging each other positively in the field. After many thumping wins, they rounded off the season with a tense, but ultimately successful run chase, to seal victory against George

U10 CRICKET

The U10 team has had a number of cricket fixtures this season, and in each one all players have improved and honed their skills. The match at Craigclowan was very much a highlight: a victory by 72 runs, with each boy in the team playing his part in securing the win on a sunny April afternoon. The fixture against Cargilfield took place on a blustery afternoon

Watson’s. Stand-out performances have come from Ruaidhri V and James R with the bat, Arjun K and Freddie A with the ball, and Ryan M with the gloves. Well played, boys!

Peter Kiln, Pringle 2XI Coach

in May. There was some slick bowling, with many of the boys taking wickets. The boys all played well, but Cargilfield proved to be too strong and, with a very organised fielding system, the fixture ended in a loss by ten wickets.

Will Ogilvie-Jones, U10 Coach

ATHLETICS 2021-22

WOW – what a season! It featured new School records, medals at Scottish Schools and two very successful games days! This has been a memorable season, in which the squads have been very busy with matches against Heriot’s, Fettes, Stewart’s Melville and George Watson’s. All have been excellent fixtures, with the most memorable being our impressive win against Heriot’s at Golden Acre.

Below are the five big highlights: Highlight number one was back in January, when we took seventeen boys to compete at the Scottish Schools Indoor Championships at the Emirates arena in Glasgow. This

competition is always a chance for our boys to set benchmarks for the Summer Term. Alex C and Cole M were the stand-outs, both securing Bronze Medals in the 016 age category.

Indoor Championships

O16 Long Jump: Bronze Medal - Cole M

O16 High Jump: Bronze Medal - Alex C

Our second major highlight was on Friday 25 May, when Mr Noble and I took five enthusiastic and excited relay teams through to Hutchesons’ Grammar School for the

annual National Relay Championships. This is always a highlight of the Summer Term athletics programme, which the boys thoroughly enjoy. We knew that the 017 4x100m team was very strong as in 2019 they were gold medallists in the U17 championships, but unfortunately, due to the pandemic, they had missed the opportunity to display their talents further. Amaan R, Arran C, Alex C and Drew MS had been training well and had run superbly against a strong Fettes team the week before. Our other three relay teams obviously had not competed together due to the lack of competitions in the past two years: nevertheless, they represented the School superbly and gained invaluable experience at a national level.

Relay Championships

GOLD Medallists:

O17 Boys 4x100m - Amaan R, Arran C, Alex C, Drew MS

BRONZE Medallists: Open Event 4x400m - Hamish M, Johan VB, Finlay P, Jamie F

On 10 and 11 June, our elite athletes challenged themselves against the best athletes in the country at the National Individual Championships at Grangemouth. This was our third major highlight of the season, and was an extremely successful two days. It clearly shows that the summer programme that we offer in School is extremely strong and that our coaches deliver a great opportunity to the boys to develop.

Individual Championships

O17 Boys 400m: Bronze Medal - Luke M

O17 Boys Shot Putt: Bronze Medal - Robbie D

O17 Boys 100m: Bronze Medal - Arran C

O17 Boys Long Jump: Silver Medal - Cole M

O17 Boys Shot Putt: Silver Medal - Torin M

U14 Boys Javelin: Gold Medal - Angus J

The fourth highlight took place in the last few weeks of the Summer Term, when three new School records were seta remarkable achievement in any season.

New School Records

In the U13 200m, Toby G beat the old record set by Finlay M of 27.94s. Toby managed to beat this time on Saturday 25 June at the Junior Games, with a time of 27.27s. Toby’s brother, Barnay (J5), also set a new School record in the cricket ball throwing, beating Issac F's record of 34.40m by 10cm. Arran C has also set a new 017 100m School record during qualifiers for Sports Day, beating Rufus McLean’s record of 10.8s. Arran set the new record of 10.5s, which makes him the fastest ever 100m runner in the history of the School.

Our final highlight of the season was from this year’s Captain of Athletics. Amaan R has had a great season and has been a fantastic role model to the rest of the School. Amaan was a vital cog in the 4x100m Boys A relay team, which won the Scottish Schools with an impressive time of 44.62s. Amaan possesses all the qualities of a young professional and his achievements on the track have been known to many since he was in Chalmers West. Amaan leaves the School still with the record U15 200m time of 24.15s which he achieved at The Games in 2018. Furthermore, watching Amaan train shows the dedication and love he has for the sport: I hope the younger pupils in the School can replicate his approach. Well done, Amaan!

Craig Harrison, Head of Athletics

The

MCS Juniors

winners of the three races and also the overall clan winners were as follows: Craig Harrison, Head of Physical Education

BADMINTON

In the first two terms of the academic year, badminton sessions have been run on Friday afternoons in the Sports Hall. Around twenty players, from Fourth Form to Sixth Form, have enjoyed attending regularly, meaning that court space has often been at a premium. Fixtures this season have been fewer than we would have liked because of Covid restrictions. In the two fixtures played, our team, captained by Bion Y, suffered losses to George Watson’s and to Heriot’s. Nonetheless, it has been great to see the boys improving their racquet skills, court coverage and game play, and their enjoyment of playing this sport.

Peter Kiln, Common Room

FIVES

It has been an excellent year for Merchiston fives, with much success at domestic and national level. Although some disruption remained, it was a relief to begin domestic fixtures again, which served as excellent preparation for the annual Scottish tournaments in the Lent Term. Sam P and William G played with much dedication throughout the year and were rewarded with success by winning the U16 Edinburgh Schools Doubles Cup. Lachlan F, captain of fives, finished as runner-up in the U18 Scottish Schools Singles. At the end of the Lent Term, eight boys travelled to London for the UK National Schools Fives Championships at St Paul’s. In the U18s, Lachlan F and Isaac C both put in good performances, with Lachlan winning his group and reaching the last 16 of the singles. In the U14s, Nicholas DV, Reggie H, Fergus F and Lucas F were representing the School. In the doubles, Nick and Reggie lost in the last 16, before going on to win the Bowl. Fergus and Lucas went through the rounds comfortably in the Cup, before falling just short in the final to finish as runners-up. In the U14 singles, Fergus and Lucas both won their groups, with Fergus eventually reaching the quarterfinals. Lucas played some exceptional fives to reach the Cup final and finish as runner-up. Top two in the UK at U14 singles and doubles is something to be very proud of. In the U16s, William G and Sam P reached the semi-final of the doubles. However, the U16s singles is where we had the most success; Sam moved through the rounds before winning a fiercely-contested final to become the U16 National Schools Champion. This is only the sixth national trophy in Merchiston's history; a serious achievement and an excellent way to end the season.

Matthew Hillier, Master i/c Fives

FOOTBALL 2021-22

The 2021-22 football season was one of transition; we had said “farewell” the previous year to a large group of talented footballers who, sadly, could not pass on their expertise and experience to their younger charges due to the very understandable pause in School sport. However, we are very lucky to have a fantastic group of enthusiastic and talented younger players coming through from the Shell Form and above.

At the beginning of the season, we trusted our youth development structure, with an encouraging number of Fifth Form boys picking up the mantle and leading the way. However, we did have a rather challenging start as we experimented with formations and positions with our new crop of footballers.

Our first glimmer of success and signs that we had found the perfect combination of player, formation and tactics came in our match against Stewart’s Melville A team, when, despite the 5-2 loss, we put in a decent performance and started to look like the beginnings of a team that could play football. Goals came from Monty H (debut goal) and Theo, and it was around this time that Mr Lieberman coined the infamous 4-1-4-1 formation, nicknamed “the Christmas tree”. It was said that the defensive midfielder was the most important player in the team and has to sit and protect the back four, to allow one of the central midfielders to push higher up. They were NOT to cross the halfway line!

We then began our SISFA Cup adventure with our first game against George Watson’s Bs, which could have started better – unfortunately, we were 1-0 down within 10 seconds, with Watson’s kicking off and scoring almost immediately. However, we rallied in the first half and kept the score and the game competitive until late in the second half, with Watson’s running out 4-1 winners.

In the late Autumn and early Lent Terms, the football season really ramps up and we often have a game a week, and sometimes more when you include 2XI and U16 matches. Our 2XI played six games in the 2021-22 season, including an amazing Leavers’ game vs Fettes, which finished 3-3, with two late goals from Oscar J, to complete an unlikely comeback from 3-1 down. Oscar had promised a hat trick, having moved from defence to attack with only ten minutes to play – if only there had been more time!

We were also delighted to have our very first U15 match and also our very first football match vs Edinburgh Academy. It was wonderful to see the Shell boys in action - there are a number of very exciting players in this year

group. We are looking forward to seeing these boys play senior football next year and also to welcoming Edinburgh Academy back for more matches in the future.

The 1XI season continued into November and we had a nail-bitingly close game against Fettes shortly after the October half-term break, which ended 2-1 to Fettes. However, we were buoyed by our performance and looked forward to our first SISFA Cup game at home vs Loretto.

The game began and the first ten to fifteen minutes saw both teams trying to establish themselves, with some shaky but assured defence from Merchiston. Loretto was unable to find a way through the backline, that seemed to have been rebuilt with the use of titanium alloy! With good linkup play down the right-hand side between Freddie C, David F and Callum C, Loretto appeared to shift its defensive focus to the ever-growing threat. This link-up play opened space in the midfield and left wings, allowing Kyle M, Jonathan LN and Reuben F to play sequences of passes out from deep in our own territory leading to Jonathan LN, who was unplayable on the left wing. A goal was coming, and what a goal! A scramble for the ball in the Loretto box led to a Loretto clearance that was recycled along the backline and played forward to Jonathan LN: with two swift passes, Alex B was teed up from what seemed like 300 yards out - surely not? But the great Dane struck it sweetly and there was silence… aside from the noise of ball-on-net contact in the top right-hand corner of the net. 1-0: our goal of the season.

With Theo H entering play during half time, we enjoyed seeing him score his second goal of the season. Freddie C also scored from one of his famous free kicks, showing why they compare him to Ronaldo! Freddie C was to continue his fine form; pulling from his country heritage, leaping like a fresh salmon from the Spey, he was hit by the ball in the face and, whilst concerned with his hair, he realised the ball had hit the net, and he had his hat trick. The game ended 7-2. This was undoubtedly our best performance of the season, and also brought our goal of the season from Alex B and the first SISFA hat trick of the season from Freddie C.

Having beaten Stewart’s Melville B team in the SISFA Cup the previous week, we were suddenly in a promising position in the East division; however, we knew there were tough opponents ahead for us. Our best performance of the season came in a fiercely competitive fixture against Stewart’s Melville A on the Arboretum pitch. The 1XI was fantastic and, on another day, could have taken the victory.

A wild and windy day provided challenging conditions, but due to some outstanding performances across the team, we held the game at 1-1 until the very final moments. Three quick goals in the final five minutes saw the game slip away from us.

Defeats to Stewart’s Melville A, George Watson’s A and Heriot’s saw our hopes of qualification diminish, but the experience of playing against these top sides will benefit our team in the coming seasons.

We finished, as we always do, with a grandstand game against Fettes at Spartans. We played courageously and enjoyed the best of the first half, going in at 1-0. However, a talented Fettes team played us down on the seemingly endless grandstand pitch and ran out well-deserved 1-5 winners. Although a year of transition, it has been enjoyable nonetheless, with so many wonderful memories and performances for the boys to take away. Many thanks to our 1XI leavers: David F (Captain), Alexander B (Player of the Season), Christian B, Reuben F, Luke M, Freddie C, Monty H, Callum C, Jamie L, and James L. We also owe a huge debt of gratitude to Kevin Macdonald, our professional coach from the Kevin Thomson Academy. Kevin worked tirelessly throughout the season and travelled extensively with us to coach, advise and support the 1XI boys. His expertise is invaluable to the boys’ individual development as well as the team performance. Very many thanks indeed.

End of season awards: Players’ Player of the Season: Alex B

Players’ Young Player of the Season: Kyle M

Top Goal scorer: Monty H

Goal of the Season: Alex B vs Loretto

Nicholas Lieberman, Master i/c Football

GOLF 2021-22

With Covid restrictions lifted for the first time in over two years, the Golf Academy had a busy schedule planned. With new boys in and a renewed excitement from within the squad, the boys were ready to play some golf again, travel the country, and to finally start competing again.

The first tournament of the year was the ISGA Southern Open at the Marriott Tudor, Kent, at which many of the UK top schools competed. The boys played well with a fine team performance, finishing in the top 10. Archie C led the way with a hard-fought 76, closely followed by Tim R, with a creditable 77.

parents travel all that way to support to the boys. They fared well, with a top 10 place finish in the team event. Individually, Tim R finished in 12th place (74,70,76).

The Junior team started its season with a long journey down to London, where it competed in its first event of the season, the ISGA Junior Schools Cup, played at the world famous Sunningdale Heath. James R and Harry M competed well as a team, finishing in the top 10.

It was not long before the Senior boys were back on the road, again, this time to play in the Alex Quin Invitational, a world amateur ranking event played at the Ryder Cup venue, Celtic Manor in Wales. What an honour it was to play in such a prestigious event! It was great to have some

The schedule turned next to Manchester, where the ISGA Northern Open Schools Cup was played at The Marriott Worsley: another challenging course lay in wait! Merchiston entered two teams of three players, giving more boys the opportunity to experience great competition. There were many great individual performances, especially from Andoni A, Archie C and Tim R.

Next came the British Schools Northern Open at Fleetwood Golf Club. Merchiston took a large squad to compete at a national level; giving more boys the opportunity to experience top level competition. Merchiston B team, Will A and Archie C finished in the top 5 in the team event, with Will A shooting a par 72 and Archie C a very respectable 74. Archie was so close to winning individual honours in the U15 event. Well done to Ross S in his first National event: he finished runner up in the individual net.

Throughout the tournament time, the boys really built a real togetherness and team spirit - such trips are invaluable experiences.

Throughout the year, Merchiston played in the National Matchplay Competition. This is the flagship event of the year, with the Scottish finalists qualifying for the UK National finals. Congratulations go to Lyle M (Captain), William A and Tim R, as they qualified for the finals.

Finally, the boys had the opportunity to play in the ISGA Scottish Open, at Gullane Golf Club, a tournament just ‘down the road’, which gave another opportunity to have more boys learning and playing in a National Open competition. This was another excellent performance in what must be said was one of the strongest fields of the year: an excellent 73 score from Captain Lyle M, giving him a strong individual performance, and closely followed up by Tim R with a 75. Merchiston A finished in the top 10 in the team event: fine scores from both Imran J and Ross S helped them finish high up individually in the individual net competition.

Having qualified for the National Finals through the Matchplay event, the boys headed to Formby Golf Club in great spirits. With the top 22 schools competing for the coveted title of the year, it was all to play for.

With an exceptionally young team competing, the boys finishing inside the top 15 was a very respectable result. Archie C, aged 14, led the way with two fantastic scores: 74 and 74. Archie played some incredible golf and really thrived in the top-class competition. Tim and York will be the first to say that their A games were just not there; however, the battling qualities they showed were wonderful to see. Tim had a fighting 75 and York a 76.

It has been great to see more boys from Pringle competing alongside Golf Academy players in the ISGA Junior Golf Leagues. James R, Harry M, Alan T and Logan M are doing very well in the league.

Alan Murdoch, Director of the Golf Academy

HOCKEY 2021-22

Hockey continues to grow as a sport at Merchiston and it was great to have a full year of fixtures without major disruption due to Covid. This year, we had fixtures for boys from U10 through to the 1XI in the Senior School, showing a continuing trend of boys choosing to play hockey alongside the major games.

The U10 and U11 boys had a selection of 7-a-side fixtures against the prep schools at Ardvreck, Cargilfield, Fettes, Craigclowan and Belhaven. The U13 boys additionally hosted George Watson’s and Stewart’s Melville in a successful season of five wins and only two losses. It was fantastic to see the enjoyment of the boys throughout the Lent Term and the dramatic improvements made with each passing game.

The U14 and U15 boys both struggled in terms of results, but both happily signed off the Lent Term with wins against Fettes and Glenalmond.

The 1XI had a “mixed bag” of a season, which was

hampered slightly by the rugby cups moving to the Lent Term. The 1XI did at least claim one win in the end, with Michael C finishing the season strongly with three goals, which give us hope of real progression next year.

The U16s played one game against Stewart’s Melville and came away with a credible 3-3 draw after a pulsating game. Teo T, Isaac F and Freddie J scored the goals.

The highlight of the year was Teo and Freddie earning their first caps when they represented Scotland U16 against Wales in Swansea over the Easter break. They become the second and third Internationalists for the School, which is a fantastic achievement. We look forward to seeing their continued development next year as we hope the hockey programme will continue to go from strength to strength.

Richard McCorkell, Master i/c Hockey

POLO

Polo was added to the School’s activity programme in Summer 2021 and has been a great success. The boys travel to Stewarton Polo Club, which is Scotland’s largest polo club, and which is ideally located on the edge of the beautiful Dundas Estate in South Queensferry, just twenty minutes from the Merchiston gates.

Karina Bowlby is the club owner and an HPA accredited coach. She has a handicap of 0 goals. She has been trained by some of the world’s top experts in sport psychology, biometrics and fitness, and coached the SUPA Young England Polo Team for many years.

The boys have their lessons with Juan Martin Sepulveda, a 2-goal professional trainer from Argentina. Juan has worked throughout Europe and has had many years of experience, both playing and coaching. He is a force to be reckoned with on the field and the boys thoroughly enjoy trying to take the ball off him and practising their riding off. Under his jovial teaching, the boys have come on in leaps

and bounds. We have had boys join us with no previous riding experience, but who are now doing complicated nearside shots and backhands.

In June, the Merchiston polo team travelled to Cirencester to take part in the SUPA National polo Championships. The boys played brilliantly and came away with a bronze third place in their category. Magnus T also took silver, as he played for two teams. The two stand-out games were against Radley, which they won 1-0, with some outstanding defensive play, and Millfield, which they lost 1-0, but did a brilliant job keeping the score down against a novice team, which included one boy who definitely should have been handicapped highly. Well done to Magnus T, Lukas M and Max A. Vinzent P sadly could not play on the day, but trained and prepared with these boys.

Alexandra

Torrance, Common Room

SMALL-BORE SHOOTING 2022

To say that the pandemic had an effect on small-bore shooting at Merchiston would be an understatement, added to which, two coaches moved on from the School, affecting the amount of range time on offer. In the light of this, the achievements of the boys over the course of the year are to be celebrated.

In this academic year, over thirty boys have shot in the range, ranging from those who have never shot before to our High Performance Squad; all producing personal best scores and competition achievements. From the boys who have never shot before, Ptolemy R (LVI) and Daniel R (IV Form) have progressed to the High Performance Squad and represented the School in competition. A few more of the younger boys have proved worthy of entry to the squad: however, that age old conflict of being participants in other sports within the School affected the time they could have in the range. We look forward to welcoming these boys back to shooting in the next academic year.

On the competition front, we have had representation in the UK County Postal Competition, the British School Small-bore Association Home Internationals and a Shoulder-to-Shoulder Shoot against the Merchistonians. Stephan H (UVI) represented the School in the UK County Postal Competition, which required eight NSRA 10 bull targets to be shot and submitted during Autumn and Lent Terms. Unfortunately, due to Covid, other participants were unable to complete the competition, resulting in overall scores for Counties being affected. However, Stephan produced some very commendable scores in his league, achieving a higher score than his submitted averages. Stephan H and Robbie S (both UVI) were selected to represent Scotland in the British Schools Small-bore Association Home Internationals and, at the time of writing, have submitted both cards and await the results. Both boys achieved creditable results, which are notable due to the fact that they have had limited time in the range over the

past two years.

On the afternoon of Sunday 15 May, the Merchiston Small-bore shooting team welcomed the Merchistonians in the Miller Range, after a two-year hiatus, to compete in the annual competition. The boys’ team comprised of Stephan H, (UVI) Robbie S (UVI), Ptolemy R (LVI), Richard T (V Form) and Daniel R (IV Form). Each team was required to submit sixteen cards of NSRA 10 bull configuration, giving a Highest Possible Score (HPS) of 1600. The Merchistonians had a team of eight, each firing two cards, with the boys firing three cards each, and with Stephan H firing four to complete the sixteen required. The boys proved to be strong competition for the Merchistonians. Stephan H, Robbie S, Richard T and Ptolemy R all shot impressive cards, matching or improving on this term’s averages. Daniel R achieved a personal best on a card and raised his term average overall. The final scores read Merchistonians 1476/1600, with the boys achieving a very creditable 1424/1600 - a narrow defeat in shooting terms. However, all the boys should be rightly proud of this result given the lack of range time over the last two years. Well done to them all for the shoot and the manner in which they conducted themselves in welcoming the Merchistonians.

Stephan H and Robbie S, as leavers this year, are also completing the Range Conducting Officers course, recognised by the National Small-bore Rifle Association, and should leave with this national qualification. We are hopeful of being in a position to offer more range time in the Autumn Term, with a member of staff also being trained as a Range Conducting Officer and Coach. The building blocks from this year should provide a promising start to shooting next year, in both the provision of shooting as a sport and in bolstering the numbers in our High Performance Squad.

Alan Ewing, Master i/c Shooting

TENNIS 2021-22

There has been a strong, competitive element to our progress during the year, and many pleasing achievements within our Tennis Academy programme. All the boys are improving their level of tennis and there is opportunity for all the boys to maximise their tennis education on site, using our own facilities.

Notable achievements this year include:

Year 9/10 national finalists at Bolton

Sam P, Forbes H, Lewis A, Lance N

3rd place at the Under 18 National Glanville Cup in Nottingham

Lachie M, Will G, Luke M, Marcus M, Euan M, Rohan R

U18 Scottish Cup Winners

Luke M, Michael C, Alex B, Euan M

In addition to the performance element of our programme, the “Merchi Mini Night” was well received, with a good level of participation. This allowed pupils to ‘discover’ the game and, hopefully, plant a life-long love of the game into the next generation of tennis players. Overall, approximately sixty boys play tennis every week, which is 15% of our School population.

Simon Pender, Director of the Tennis Academy

ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT AND VI FORM SPORTS SCHOLARS’ PROGRAMME

This year, we have further enhanced our Sports Scholars’ programme with the introduction of individualised and tailored sessions for all VI Form Sports Scholars. The outcome of the programme is to achieve enhanced sportspecific performance for the selected athletes. The group of twenty-four performance athletes were put into small groups, working closely with our Head of Athletic Development, Mr Gray.

The individual sessions are timetabled around the boys’ academic lessons. The year began with individual player meetings, which aimed to identify each scholar's development needs. Scholars then work collaboratively with coaches to create process-driven goals. Based on these meetings, specific physical testing and analysis of fundamental movements are completed for each scholar. The outcome of this is that each scholar receives a tailored Strength and Conditioning programme which they can complete within their timetabled sessions. These programmes are regularly assessed and updated as the scholars progress and meet their goals. Furthermore, the flexibility of these sessions allows scholars to decide if there are other aspects of their performance that need to be targeted.

Some of our Sports Scholars comment below about the support given to them:

“Being a sports scholar at this School is a testament of perseverance through hard work and dedication. It is a privilege to be rewarded for all the hours put into the sports this School offers. By having a sports scholarship, it gives me confidence to improve on any work-ons and set new personal goals. Moreover, it gives me the opportunity to have extra S&C, or sport-specific training sessions during my free time in the week. Thanks to the effective coaching by Mr Gray in my scholarship sessions, I have been able to reach and surpass my goals set at the start of the year.”

Amaan R, Upper VI (Rugby & Athletics)

“The sports scholars’ programme has been one of the best additions to my timetable this year. There is always a great atmosphere whenever it is on and it encourages us

to take all the right steps to improve in our sports. I have found a massive benefit in having the sports scholars’ programme due to its flexibility. It offers stretching and rehab work in the days up to and after tournaments and fixtures, and it also offers tailor-made strength and conditioning programmes that cover all bases. Throughout the year, I have seen an increase in my physical performance on the court and shorter recovery times after tournaments. Overall, I think that the sports scholars’ programme is a huge asset to any athlete at the School and I would recommend it to anyone to whom it is offered.”

Alex B, Upper VI (Tennis Academy)

“The sports scholars’ sessions have helped a lot. Having three different sessions in the 8-day timetable is really useful as it has allowed me to have three extra sessions of either strength, speed, skills, or analysis. I really enjoy the variety of all of my sessions, but the skills sessions are the best as there is usually a fun competition. The sessions have allowed me to improve my gym technique, hone my rugby skills, improve my weaknesses and enjoy it at the same time. I thoroughly recommend these sessions, especially with the amazing coaching of Mr Gray.”

Robbie D, Upper VI (Rugby, Cricket & Athletics)

“Three words characterise our sports scholars’ programme: personalised, efficient, challenging. These extra gym sessions helped me a lot to develop my physical fitness and achieve my athletic goals. I improved my speed and my explosive strength, and also my flexibility and mobility, which is really important for a high-level golf swing. I really enjoy working with Mr Gray, because we work hard in a relaxed environment. The one-to-one coaching pushes me to my limits, resulting in top physical performances and great standards I can use for College Golf. I would strongly recommend doing the scholars’ sessions whenever there is time between lessons, because it refreshes and gives a little break for getting your head free. A quote which describes the scholars’ gym sessions? “Remember the person who gave up? Neither does anyone else.”

Tim R, Lower VI (Golf Academy)

The sessions also allow for skill-specific training. Due to a strong link with all of the sports’ governing bodies, sports scholars have also received specialist training from lead coaches, whereby coaches have come in to take a session surrounding specific key themes. The information collected

at the School is correlated with outside stakeholders to build an accurate picture of the athlete’s progress.

Rory McCann, Director of Sport

EVENTS, SPEECHES & DINNERS

REVISED SCHEDULE OF CELEBRATIONS & PRIZEGIVINGS

As Covid-19 restrictions eased and society scrambled to get back to ‘normal’, we made plans for our traditional end-ofyear events and celebrations. These differed in some respects from what has happened in previous years, principally with the aim of maximising the opportunities for parents to be involved after two frustrating years in which such opportunities have been few and far between.

The final programme of events was established, all of which are expanded upon in what follows:

Prizegiving and Commemoration, Saturday 25 June, 5.00pm

An event for all boys and all parents, focusing on the following:

• Commemoration of the School’s founders and benefactors;

• The awarding of all prizes (academic and co-curricular), except for Pringle prizes (awarded separately) and UVI prizes (again, awarded separately);

• Addresses from a guest speaker, the Chairman of the Governors and the Headmaster;

• House garden parties following the conclusion of the service;

• Fireworks for pupils to conclude the evening.

Pringle Prizegiving and Graduation, Friday 01 July, 11.30am

An event for Pringle boys and parents, involving:

• The awarding of all Pringle prizes;

• A graduation ceremony for III Form boys;

• The end of term for Pringle pupils.

Leavers’ Ball, Friday 01 July, 6.30pm

An event for all UVI Leavers and their families, held at the Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh.

Graduation Ceremony, Saturday 02 July, 10.00am

An event for all Senior School (IV-UVI) pupils and for UVI parents.

Danny Rowlands, Deputy Head Wellbeing

MERCHISTON’S SERVICE OF COMMEMORATION AND PRIZEGIVING 2022 CHAIR

OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS' SPEECH

Ladies and gentlemen, may I add to the Headmaster`s welcome – it is an absolute joy to gather here today with our boys and their families. The whole Merchiston community has sorely missed these gatherings over the past two and a half years during the pandemic.

May I offer a special welcome to Andrew Marshall, who will give us the Commemoration Day Address later in the proceedings. I first heard of Andrew from a parent of a member of the Schools` Cup Final winning team, who was so grateful to Andrew for his kindness in inviting the boys

and their families to Carlowrie Castle for a celebratory reception. One of the outstanding features of that evening was that, for some families, it was the first opportunity they had to meet other families due to the constraints of Covid. Andrew`s CV is absolutely stellar: he left Merchiston in 1994 to study at Robert Gordon`s University in Aberdeen, after which he moved to London. He started his first business at the age of 23 in lifestyle management and concierge companies, soon adding building services and property management in central London to his portfolio. He has

numerous awards for excellence in design and architecture and is the Founder and CEO of Carlowrie Group, which he has run for over fifteen years. The Carlowrie Group operates companies and charitable projects employing over 100 people in Scotland, Norway, France and England. Carlowrie Castle is an award-winning wedding venue, he runs a tax and financial advisory services business, a vineyard in the Loire valley and is setting up Edinburgh Street Food. He has a great passion for helping the homeless – he founded RESTART in central London, which, over the past eleven years, has served over 50,000 hot meals. He has now set up the Breakfast Bothy in the Meadows here in Edinburgh from an old police box, and such is the demand, he is now serving lunch as well. Andrew lives in Oslo, has a great team to which he credits much of his success, and says that he doesn`t need much sleep!

My brief address to you today will look back over the last year and the considerable achievements of the pupils here at Merchiston, as well as changes that have been implemented.

Like everyone else, the School had to deal with constant change due to the Covid pandemic: I would like to pay tribute to our whole team here at Merchiston for the extreme workload they endured in getting the School though the many obstacles presented by the pandemic. In re-reading Board papers from the last twelve months, it has been very daunting trying to keep the running of the School on an even keel and it is of enormous credit to the Headmaster and his team, to the boys and to you, the parent body, that we have successfully reached the end of a very challenging year with such a level of achievement. We have a Board meeting on Monday and I note that in the Headmaster`s report to the Board, he says that for the first time in twenty-seven months, there is nothing to report on Covid. I daresay there will be bumps in the road to come, but hopefully the vaccination policy will prevent such upset as we have seen over the last two years.

The other burden we had to cope with was the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. As you know, Merchiston was called to the Inquiry along with several other Scottish independent schools, with witnesses giving evidence from up to sixty years ago. The amount of work that our team here at Merchiston has put in over the last three years to assemble documents and records for the Inquiry has been phenomenal. Lady Anne Smith will produce her report at some stage over the course of the next year and we look forward to her conclusions. I would like to pay tribute to the team who carried out this work and to our Headmaster, who contributed much to the Inquiry, particularly in describing to Lady Smith and her QC about the regulatory systems in place south of the border.

On a much more positive note, we have seen new teams established as long-standing members of staff have retired after superb service to Merchiston. At the beginning of the year, we saw a new Senior Leadership Team in place: its members had to hit the ground running in the face of the two challenges mentioned earlier and they have had an extremely strong year. The refurbishment of Chalmers West, which is to be immediately followed by Chalmers East, has focussed the SLT`s minds on future strategic development and the initiatives they have brought to the Board are both ambitious and deliverable.

We were joined earlier in the year by Rob Bryson, who is our new Operations and Lets Manager. Rob has brought a wealth of experience to this new post and he has already made his mark in ensuring that the refurbishment process for the two Chalmers Houses is fit for purpose and that the relaying of the driveway was completed satisfactorily and on budget.

Our Grounds Team members have taken to their task with gusto and pride and the beauty of this campus says much about the quality and commitment of their work. They also take enormous pride in what the campus delivers, whether that`s the “wow factor” as prospective parents come through the gates for the first time or the fun and excellence of what is delivered on the sports field. I saw two members of the team immediately after the School`s Cup Final, and to say that they were as pleased as punch would be a major understatement. Whilst we are on the subject of the School`s Cup Final success, I would like to congratulate all our boys on a host of achievements in all walks of School life over this last year. The Headmaster`s Headlines have reported extraordinary accomplishments on a weekly basis and the range of activity was extremely impressive. Returning to the Cup Final, I have to admit that when I saw the Stewart’s Melville “man mountain” pack running out onto the Murrayfield pitch and then shoving the Merchiston pack back at the first scrum, I was fearful of the outcome of the game. We all know how they responded with such attractive rugby and it was a great night for our team and our School. To top it all off, our support, although massively outnumbered, was absolutely magnificent, supporting the team with any amount of noise and great humour. I still do not know what the significance of waving their shoes at the opposition fans was, but it still makes me laugh when I think about it!

The spirit of the team that night and the gracious manner they adopted as victors greatly impressed (just as impressive was the generous reaction of the Stewart’s Melville team as losers): the manner in which our boys in the stand behaved spoke much about another change adopted over the year when we introduced a new strapline for the School in our “Young Men of Integrity” initiative. When I first saw the video,

it seemed to me that it encompassed everything our team here at Merchiston is trying to instil into the boys and, hopefully, that you as parents have bought into. It has captured that Merchiston stamp that resonated with my wife and I when our son came here in 2005. It takes quite a bit of living up to, but if Merchiston can send its young men out into the world with that mindset, then the School has done its job.

On a business note, I am delighted to report that recruitment is healthy and on target, and our campus lets and camps are extremely strong and will do much to temper fee increases which, to the best of our knowledge, will be at the lower end of the scale in comparison to other schools. Pippa Axon`s Bursary department continues to ensure that the finances of the School are well cared for and it is to her credit that, once again, we achieved a clean audit. There is quite a feeling of momentum amongst Board members and we will ensure that we embark upon any new projects with care and diligence.

I would like to thank my fellow Governors for their input and dedication to Merchiston over the course of the year. For all of you in business, you will be acutely aware that being responsible for any business, never mind a school, is difficult at any time. Doing so on Zoom makes the task even more so, and they have supported the School with great commitment. In particular, I would like to thank Richard Nutton, Allan Fraser and Gill Hinton, who step down from the Board after great service to the School.

To our parent body which missed so much of School life as the constraints of the pandemic were enforced, I offer sincere thanks for your commitment to Merchiston. I hope

that it is cause for pride for you that your boys have stuck in so well over what has been a difficult time for them.

And also to our staff, from top to bottom, who have done the heavy lifting to keep the School going and deliver so well for the boys. We have asked an awful lot of them and they have stepped up to the plate willingly.

Finally, I would like to thank our Headmaster, Jonathan Anderson, for his commitment and delivery over the course of the year. When Lady Smith asked me at the Inquiry about headship, I said to her that I would not take the job on for all the tea in China. Having chaired a Board of Governors herself, she has seen up close what an onerous position headship is – I am sure that my comment resonated with her. To have to cope with a public inquiry, a pandemic, run a school and have the extreme worry of Matilda`s illness takes a considerable measure of steel, and this has been fully demonstrated by his successful directing and managing of the School. He has said to me on more than one occasion how touched he and Bethan have been by kind messages of support from everyone, but most especially from the boys. I sometimes think that kindness is a much overlooked and under-emphasised quality in today`s society – to my mind, it is deeply embedded in what we are looking for in our “Young Men of Integrity” and it is reassuring that it shone through with our boys.

To our leavers, I hope that you have a great Leavers` Ball and I wish you all the best for the future – please make sure that you come back and see us.

Thank you.

Gareth Baird, Chair of the Board of Governors

HEADMASTER’S SPEECH

Ladies and Gentlemen, Invited Guests, Governors and Boys - good morning.

Today, in this gathering, we bring together our Commemoration of the foundation of Merchiston Castle School and our Prizegiving ceremony.

In doing so, we begin by remembering the history of our glorious School and its founder, Charles Chalmers. Having started a School in the late 1820s, in May 1833, he took the lease of Merchiston Castle, the former home of John Napier of logarithm fame, which then stood in rural surroundings, and opened his Academy - yes, we started as “Merchiston Castle Academy”. Charles Chalmers started with thirty boys. We took on the Napier motto “Ready, ay ready”, which exists to this day and remains embedded within our School values. Like his famous brother, the mathematician, physicist and theologian Dr Thomas Chalmers, Charles was an original thinker in Maths and Science. However, his vision was also broader than that: languages were taughtquite a novelty at the time - and a depth of intellectual curiosity in the wider arts fostered. As Merchiston grew, so did the boundaries of the City of Edinburgh. After WW1, in 1919 the School applied to the city council for permission to build a memorial hall. Apparently, permission was refused, so the Governors made the enlightened decision to move the School to Colinton, so that the 210 students should once again enjoy the advantages of both town and country; the new School opened its doors in 1930 and today’s roll stands at almost twice that number.

Today is about celebrating the founding of this School and honouring those who had and have the vision to make it what it is today. It’s also about celebrating and honouring those who will lead us on into the future, our prize winners, and I am delighted that we can all gather here once again, as a community - as one - to commemorate and celebrate all that Merchiston stands for.

It was in 2019 when I last stood in front of you, our parents, guests and pupil body for a ‘live’ Prizegiving – and how our world has changed! However, at the same time, today feels reassuringly familiar – familiar and familial: our commitment to this, our community, remains as strong as ever.

Back in 2019, I left our leavers of that year with a quote from the 19th century essayist, Charles Lamb. The words of wisdom I borrowed that day were as follows:

“It is good to love the unknown”.

Little did we know what enormous unknowns lay ahead of us all at that point!But we embraced those unknowns, and all of the challenges; and we are better for that.

It is difficult to express the pride I have in this School and

all who have contributed to its success during the last challenging few years. First and foremost, I think of our boys and their eternal enthusiasm; I think of my colleagues and our governing body for their dedication and initiative; and, of course, I think of our parents for their support. The way in which we have all responded as Merchiston returned to normality this year has been phenomenal. This has been a year full of success, progress and achievement – well done to one and all.

If you will indulge me for a moment or two, I would like to go back to my old friend Charles Lamb, who had a motto and this oft-quoted motto went as follows: “contented with little, yet wishing for more”.

I wondered how might this fit the Merchiston pupil of today. “Contented with little” suggests we are happy to do okay – just enough, no more than is really needed. “Yet wishing for more”: wishing - a lazy assumption that simply wishing and waiting for something to happen will make it so. This is not the Merchiston pupil of today.I don’t think it was what Lamb meant of himself either. Instead, I choose to look at it this way: our boys, in being “contented with little”, are not greedy, arrogant, demanding, takers; they are contributors – they give back. We have seen throughout this year what has been done for those around us and for our community. Perhaps it is unfair to single out one House, but look at Pringle and the way they have thought of others in their fundraising and charitable efforts this year. Equally, this week, Dr Cartwright, Mr Rowlands, Finlay (our Captain of School elect) and myself had the privilege of adjudicating our IV Form’s entries to the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative. YPI is a citizenship programme, empowering young people to make a difference in their communities whilst developing a range of skills. Each team, comprised of our boys, had to engage with a local charity and become their champions in order to secure a grant of £3000 for their charity. We listened to each team and we heard how they committed to their chosen cause, we heard their passion and their care. It was the most worthwhile use of an afternoon in a long time, and a great example of how our boys care for those around them. Contributors – givers – giving back - “Wishing for more”.

Our boys are not day-dreamers; they are aspirational, and they actively seek to be the very best versions of themselves. Our boys want to improve, they want to be better, whether that is in class, in the House, in the sporting arena, or in the multitude of activities and passions they pursue. They are improvers.

Yesterday, we were honoured to welcome back to School Grant Hardie and Hammy McMillan, our

Merchistonian Olympic silver medallist curlers. They, in the typically Merchistonian way, were only too keen to give back to our pupils of today. In modestly sharing their amazing journey and the story of the hard work that it took them to get to the top of their game, they showed us all how we can - and should - seize those opportunities to succeed when they come our way. Again – Improvers.

Without giving too much away, I am most grateful to our guest speaker, Mr Andrew Marshall, for returning to Merchiston today to share with us his journey. I think the themes of contributing and improving will be ones that we might just come back to…..

Looking back at the highlights of this year, for me the biggest highlight has been the leap back to normality - the

normality that is recognition: recognition in today’s awarding of our prizes and recognition beyond these walls, of the exceptional talent our pupils continue to demonstrate.

Our successes through Design and Technology - just this week, we were named national runners-up in a UK-wide competition for inspiring innovation and creativity in engineering. I have been struck by the alacrity with which our boys sitting public examinations have approached this challenge this year. Despite a very different lead-up to these all-important exams, the boys have been courageously determined to adapt to this very new territory. It’s easy to forget that, for this year’s Upper Sixth, there was no opportunity to test their examination skills at GCSE; but

they have pressed on, undaunted. We have had normal service resumed on the sports field – U18 Scottish Tennis Champions, a National Champion in rugby fives, international representation in sports such as hockey, shooting, fencing and, of course, rugby, where, once again we enjoyed a night of success at Murrayfield in the U18 Cup Final. In music, there has been an array of music examination awards and in Duke of Edinburgh, a healthy number of awards at all levels. It has been wonderful see this normality in the boys’ pursuit of excellence return in such positive terms.

None of this would be possible without the hugely dedicated effort of each and every member of staff of this School, and to each and every one of them, I say a heartfelt “thank you” for the energy and commitment they show each and every day in making Merchiston such a great place. When we celebrated the Rugby Cup win, I spoke to the School and told that (probably apocryphal) story of John F Kennedy’s visit to NASA, whereupon he asked a janitor what he did. The janitor replied, ‘I’m helping put a man on the moon’. His role, however modest, was no less worthy of praise and no less valued. All of my colleagues are totally invested in the success of our boys – those you see a lot and those you may not even know. All of them deserve our praise and thanks this afternoon for helping our boys “shoot for the moon”.

I would like to record special, really special thanks to the School Leadership Team of Pippa Axon, Dale Cartwright and Danny Rowlands for the unstintingprofessional and personal support they have offered me and my family over this academic year, but particularly over the last six months.

In looking forward to the year ahead, it is sad to note that alongside our leaving pupils, we also say farewell to three of our teaching staff. Sharon Twyford leaves us after over twenty years’ service to the Physics Department. Despite being part-time for some of these years, it is not an exaggeration to say that the tremendous impact of Sharon’s knowledge and expertise went well beyond the hours she worked. Inspirational and nurturing in equal measure, Sharon’s influence on countless physicists will be sorely missed. We wish her every success as she moves to a new post at St George’s. Peter Kiln joined the Pringle team in 2019, as a resident tutor and teacher in the Pringle Centre. A firm favourite with the boys, his thoughtful and patient approach has been hugely valuable to the Centre. Peter moves on to enjoy more time with his young family and we wish him every success. John Butterfield joined only last year to help in the Maths Department. Teaching part-time, he divided his time between his burgeoning business in the Lake District and Merchiston. Now that his

business is set to take off, John is leaving us, for the time being, but we hope he won’t be lost to us for too long and we may see him back soon in some capacity within the Mathematics Department. Finally, we say a farewell of sorts to Gordon Campbell, our Master i/c of the Pipe Band. Gordon is stepping down after seventeen years of dedicated service. In that time, Gordon has led the Pipe Band with skill and great humour, and has always sought to get the best out of the boys and develop in them a love for piping. Who can forget that wonderful spectacle of 100 Merchi pipers and drummers marking the centenary of the Armistice in 2018? Gordon will remain with us as a peripatetic teacher of piping, so we will see him back; but for now, thank you, Gordon.

I would also like to say a special “thank you” to Mackenzie, Robbie and Oscar for their tremendous leadership of the student body this year, and also to our House Captains, Senior Prefects, Prefects and Senior Leaders. They have led the School with distinction and by example: their humour, humility andcollegiality leave the School all the better for their influence and they have set the bar high – thank you.

So, in conclusion, back to one of those 19th century poets and essayists. This time, it’s Tennyson, who, in 1833 (1833, of course, being the year that Merchiston was founded) wrote the poem Ulysses. I might come back to this next week, when we say “farewell” and “thank you” to our leavers, but there are a few lines in that poem that I would like to share and reflect upon this afternoon. In Tennyson’s Ulysses, the aged eponymous hero looks back on his past glories, but shares his undying desire for new horizons. While reminiscing on his life, Ulysses says: “… all experience is an arch where thro’ Gleams that untravell’d world.”

For me, these lines speak so much to this great place –this is a wonderful message for the future. The ‘experience’ of Merchiston is the fixed and overarching structure, built on sure foundations, through which you see those new horizons, and all that the future has to promise. However, just before these lines, comes the following:

“I am part of all that I have met.”

So much of what we share, and the success we celebrate today, is because of what we have met: our community, our friendships, and our fellowship. We are all part of what we have met – we are all part of Merchiston.

Boys, to you I say thank you, one and all for everything you have achieved and contributed to this year. And to you all, I say thank you listening and for being part of this wonderful School.

Jonathan Anderson, Headmaster

SPEECH FROM GUEST SPEAKER AT COMMEMORATION & PRIZEGIVING ANDREW MARSHALL ('88-'94)

Andrew admirably spoke without notes, but below is an outline, which he provided, prior to speaking at Commemoration and Prizegiving…….

Good afternoon, ladies, gentlemen, and fellow Merchiston boys. It’s fantastic to see you all here.

I know the parents and staff will forgive me if I focus what I have to say on the boys. In fact, I’ve brought along my own son Oliver, who’s 14, so he’s sitting amongst you, more or less where I was sitting thirty odd years ago.

Statistically, most people would rather be in your position than mine. One of the most common phobias is glossophobia, or fear of public speaking. I really don’t do this kind of thing every day, but when I was asked by the School to do this, I said to myself, “If I can learn from it, I’ll do it” - that’s a pretty good reason for doing anything. So this is actually the first time I’ve shared my story with so many people and I thought hard about what might be interesting about that story for boys like you. .

In life, I feel you can only really join up the dots looking backwards. Well, that is how it has been for me, but it makes sense now after twenty-three years running my businesses. Much of my career success has come about from being open to random situations and meeting people where others might walk on by - that and trusting my gut instinct, and the more I use it, the better it gets.

We all have a story, so what is mine? I could give you a fairly straightforward success story. I mean, I was a fairly average schoolboy, … I only scraped into the 5XV for rugby. However, now I have my company name on the shirts of the Merchiston’s Scottish Schools Cup-winning rugby team. I’m the founder and CEO of a thriving, international group of businesses. I’ve made some good money in property and one of my companies has built and sold individual homes that sell for over ten million pounds. However, I’m afraid I don’t have ten top tips you can follow to emulate that success. It doesn’t work like that. I could also tell you about the sleepless nights, the bouts of depression, the times early on when I sat in tears at the age of twenty-three after not sleeping for a few nights after some financial

juggling with bills and salaries.

But, listen: Merchiston boys like you don’t need me to tell you about the importance of working hard and making sacrifices in order to succeed. Instead, I would like to encourage you to think about what we mean by success. That makes a difference when considering what kinds of sacrifice you’re prepared to make and what kinds of rewards will make it worth your while. You also don’t need me to tell you that the education you and I have enjoyed is a wonderful privilege, but I can testify that it doesn’t mean life is all plain sailing from here on in. If anything, it means you have an added responsibility to make the most of that privilege.

Carlowrie Castle, which is now a bustling venue for weddings and other events, was previously my childhood home. So, yes, I came from a wealthy family. My father and grandfather were successful businessmen, but that didn’t mean I was destined to succeed in business any more but it did give me a big passion for trying it myself.

The fact is, I left School without a very clear idea of what I wanted to do. So I went to Robert Gordon’s University to do a General Science degree and then headed down to London to seek my fortune - in telesales for 12 months! It wasn’t the most glamorous way to get started in business but we all have to start somewhere. And once again, I did okay, but I was surrounded by far better salesmen and it’s fair to say it was more of a learning experience than the making of me. It was also a place where I got very comfortable with rejection, which set me up nicely for the future. In truth, I was beginning to drift through life, not that I didn’t make progress. I went on to become head of sales for a company that made pencils from recycled vending machine cups. So, when I was let go by that company one Monday morning, I had to do a bit of soul searching, and as I did so, I felt something bubbling up inside me, something I had been suppressing in my eagerness to progress in my career. It was the desire to do something different, to create something new, to unleash my entrepreneurial spirit. So that’s what I resolved to do.

Perhaps it wouldn’t have occurred to me if I hadn’t come from a business family, or if I hadn’t been to a school as special as Merchiston. Who knows? But it does seem that it took a period of drifting, even a degree of failure, to make me understand what I really wanted to do in life.

So, I set about conceiving, planning and launching my own business at the age of twenty-three, with just me, a phone, £5k in the bank and some flyers in my basement flat in Earls Court, London. Within a couple of months, Urang was up and running as one of London’s first bespoke lifestyle concierge services. In practical terms, that meant we provided domestic services like shopping and laundry for cash-rich, time-poor London professionals, typically City bankers. That business then evolved to offer property repair and maintenance services, and eventually building services too. We had a major boost when we were approached by Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the famously larger-than-life CEO of EasyJet, to build the first ever EasyHotel in West London. The company is still around today and has 150 employees and concentrates on property management and maintenance services. From there, I branched out into property development, creating luxury London homes by digging out double basements in houses and selling them. I wasn’t very popular with some of my neighbours, but some cases of wine smoothed things out!

Let me pause the story there for a moment, because something important is missing. That’s certainly how I felt at the time. By any conventional standards, my life was a success. The business was doing well, I was making good money, creating jobs, and I was happy in my personal life too, at least on the surface, but something was not right. I vividly remember riding my scooter down the King’s Road in Chelsea one day when I noticed an advert on the back of a bus. It was for Alpha Courses. Maybe you’ve heard of them? They ask questions like, “Is this it?”, “Is there more to life than this?”, and “Do I have a purpose?”. Those questions resonated with me. I’d grown up going to church, and, of course, attended chapel here at Merchiston, but at that point, faith was not part of my life in any meaningful way. Seeing that advert changed that. I went along to the Alpha Course, then began attending church again, and gradually I began to feel that I did have a purpose and that there was more to life than material success. I started volunteering for a homeless charity that operated out of London churches, and the irony was not lost on me that, whilst I made my money catering for the needs of the super-rich, I got even more satisfaction from catering for the needs of the very poorest.

After doing that for a year, it occurred to me that I could combine my business skills with my charitable work by setting up a foundation. So, I got together some trustees and founded what became RESTART, based in a church in

South Kensington and offering drop-in services for homeless people. The idea was to break the cycle of homelessness: not just getting people off the streets, but also confronting the issues that got them there, helping them to feel more empowered and resilient, and getting them back into housing and employment. That’s a different but no less meaningful kind of success. It’s incredibly rewarding work and we’ve kept it going ever since. I take particular satisfaction from offering hospitality to the homeless that would not seem out of place in a luxury hotel. This is not surprising when you consider that one of our longest-serving cooks was Nico, a top Parisian chef who fell on hard times and found himself on the streets, but who helped providing excellent food for the homeless. We source food from local supermarkets and suppliers who donate it and then cook it to the highest standards. We’ve had people walking past one of the churches where we operate, smelling the delicious steak cooking and assuming that it’s a new fancy restaurant, not a kitchen for the homeless. For me, it combines the ideal of Christian hospitality with the simple satisfaction of doing something well, and the pride of seeing a satisfied ‘customer’. Today, RESTART is supported in part by the Carlowrie Group.

My story came full circle when I bought Carlowrie Castle from my parents in 2012 and began to transform it into a specialist events venue for weddings, large parties and corporate events. It took two years and a few million pounds to do that, but within a year of opening, the castle was recognised as one of the top three smaller venues in Europe - and when I say smaller, I mean fewer than 200 bedrooms. And we’re continuing to cater for more and more events, with no fewer than 265 this year. The wider Carlowrie Group is still very much involved in the property business in London and beyond, including in Norway, where I have been based for eight years, and we also operate a vineyard in France. We also have a media, retail wing, and a financial consulting wing that helps small and medium-sized businesses with tax and funding. We also have a charity project in Edinburgh that was set up by Carlowrie Castle called “The Breakfast Bothy”, where we provide breakfast and lunch Monday to Friday. I’m especially excited about a new venture launching next year, “Edinburgh Street Food”, which will be a seven-day-a-week food market on Leith Street. And, of course, charitable work remains a baked-in part of everything we do.

For me, the business side and the charitable sides of what we do are really two sides of the same coin. After all, money is a means to an end. What really excites me is creating things, making things happen, and, ideally, giving something back.

And that’s really why I’m here. I hope that there’s

something in my story that will speak to all of you, whether you know exactly what you want to do when you leave School, or whether, like me, you need a little time to see what bubbles up from within. My life so far has very much been a journey of discovery, not just in business, but in faith, and in understanding what it means to work with others to achieve all kinds of goals.

So, my advice to you is never to stop learning. You can’t assume that personal growth just comes with age - in fact, it doesn’t. You have to act in the world, follow your dreams and never give up, because that’s how you learn what you’re really capable of doing. It’s also the only way to be sure you won’t look back on your life with feelings of regret

by not going for it: take yourself out your comfort zone every now and again and test your new skills or learning.

The only thing I would add is that it’s important to be nice to people along the way: we are all struggling in some way or other. Also, remember that great things can come out of random encounters, so be open and keep your eyes peeled. And if you find yourself in a position of leadership, remember to look after your team: I would not be here without my amazing team, because I believe life does have a purpose, which includes our duty to others.

Thank you.

Andrew Marshall (‘88-’94)

LEAVERS’ PRIZEGIVING CEREMONY

HEADMASTER’S SPEECH

Good morning. A warm welcome to you all.

And so, we gather again this morning to say a farewellof sorts - to our leavers of 2022, to celebrate their achievement, and to formally welcome them into the Merchistonian family.

This service is a slight departure from what we have done in the past, but for me, it is so important that we, as a School, dedicate a special time to thank these boys and their parents, for all that they have contributed to the School in their time here, whether that be just one year or more than ten.

In deciding who we would ask to speak to you this morning, our change to tradition gave us an opportunity to launch, hopefully, a new tradition. For the parents of our leavers, this is such a momentous day – a real milestone for you in your son’s journey.

And so, I thought it would be apt to hear that parental voice. This year, we are fortunate that one such parent is our very own Chaplain, Rev’d Blair, so this morning he speaks to us all as our Chaplain and, crucially, as a parent of a leaver. My sincere thanks go to Nick for agreeing to do this for us.

I would also like to thank some of the mothers of our leavers, who have agreed to read for us this morning. They too are members of staff at the School, working across the academic and pastoral spectrum.

This morning, I am delighted to welcome Mr Gavin Thain, President of the Merchistonian Club, who joins us to present our leavers their Club ties, and also Gareth Baird, our Chair of Governors, who returns to help with the presentation of prizes.

For my part, my message will be brief, but no less heartfelt. Boys, today is about remembering all that is important from what you have learned here, but taking it forward, with positivity and pride, and into the world beyond. Your time is now.

Last week, at our Commemoration and earlier Prizegiving, I made reference to a poem by Tennyson and I promised that I would return briefly to it today.

“I am part of all that I have met

Yet all experience is an arch where thro’

Gleams that untravell’d world”

In a little while, you will walk from this Memorial Hall, through that arch that is our Castle Walls and out into that world of opportunity and promise that you will shape; that you will define; remembering all that you have learned here. You will take with you the knowledge that this place will always be your place and those around you will be your life-long companions. The temptation to be sad and perhaps a little emotional is strong, but today is a happy day for your all.

In the United States, such addresses to gathered graduands are known as commencement speeches –I like the connotation. If you look for synonyms of Commencement, you find the following – beginning, start – yes, a new start. Very apt, I think.

And on the theme of commencement speeches, whilst researching, I was reminded of the writer Mary Schmich’s tribute to a Leavers’ Speech that she wrote in an article in The Chicago Tribune in 1997 – it became the basis of the wonderful track by Baz Lurhmann called Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen, released in 1999 – I couldn’t believe it was that long ago! If you can’t remember the song, or are too young to remember it, boys, listen to it on YouTube. You will be relieved to hear that I’m not going to sing it! Indeed, I’m not even going to recite the lyrics, but I am going to borrow one line from Mary’s original article: “Advice, like youth, is probably wasted on the young”. My advice to you is - Do not allow this to be the case!!

So, what are my messages to you today? They are very simple:

Listen - Listen to those around you and keep in touch with those around you and listen to yourself;

Keep your perspective – it’s never as good or never as bad as you like to think – success and failure are just things, one is no more valuable that the other.

Don’t stop learning.

Rev Blair is going to speak to the power of wisdom in his address to you: this theme put me in mind of a poetry anthology I was recently given, entitled “The Wisdom Of Knowing You Know Nothing”. I will let Rev Blair explore that motif further when he speaks to you.

So, remember boys: Listen; Keep your perspective; Keep learning; Seize every opportunity.

Parents and families, thank you for allowing us the opportunity and the privilege of sharing in this group of leavers’ journey – I know that you are as proud of them as

we are. Thank you for the sacrifices and the commitment you have made to support their journey.

Boys, I thank you so much for all that you have done –you have been a truly remarkable year group in spite of the challenges of the years just passed, you have been a fine example to us all of what can be achieved with the right mindset and the right support.

Jonathan Anderson, Headmaster

ADDRESS GIVEN BY REV NICK BLAIR

When the Headmaster asked me if I would speak at the graduation ceremony, I hesitated. “It’s not like you to hesitate to prattle on”, I almost hear you say! And that’s just the parents!

Many of you have heard my stories: some for a couple of years; some since the First Form; a few for a very long time; and for a couple, it might even feel like you have been listening all your life!

I thought I might get a bit emotional this morning, along with others who have been out to 3am at the Leavers’ Ball! But here it is what I have to say to you, with no personal or family anecdotes - that has been a family-imposed condition! A graduation speech should not be full of stories about the past. You will have time enough to do so over the rest of your life. This is about you celebrating your achievements now. The many achievements, some of which have we awarded and some of which we don’t even know yet...until August”. Enjoy the moment...pause ...deep breath ...observe ...take in!

But you don’t just graduate from something - you graduate to something. The Latin word “Gradus” means step. You are stepping from here: this place, its familiarity, all that you have done and been ...the “Ready, Ay Ready” ...to something.... well ...who knows? You may have loved this Merchiston island but may not necessarily immediately

love your next Island. Who knows when one is going to love an Island (for the parents, that “Love Island” play on words is a topical reference...... I’ve lost count of the number Upper Sixth boys who have said to me “I wish I was Younger” (reference to former pupil appearing in the current series of Love Island on television).

It took me a while to catch up! ”Sure, I wish I was younger too”, I would say to 18 year olds, trying but failing to empathise!...and completely missing the point!

This is the exciting thing about being a teacher or a chaplain in a school: I am working with potential and possibilities - never, the end product.

So, I have two tag lines for this speech. The first one is from the book of Proverbs, Chapter 4: “Above all, get Wisdom.”

You heard Dr Nugent, Mrs Coyne and Mrs Blair read that. Wisdom is so difficult to quantify....there is a whole Google kingdom dedicated to wise advice ...a googledom of wise advice! I think it is knowing the right thing to do or say at the right time, to know what you should think and feel, and how to deal with what you actually do think and feel. The book of Proverbs says “get wisdom... it’s better than silver or gold or rubies”. Are we not beginning to realise that our inner wellbeing is more precious than anything else?

So, what wisdom would I impart to you this morning, my

piece of “Wisdom Googledom”? For the Irish amongst you, it is my “anti-Eegit” formula

So, stand by for the second tag line of what might be the most unpopular graduation speech ever. What will it be?

You are wonderful?

You are amazing?

You are the best?

No, none of this, even if it were true, or even if some of the glazy-eyed parents in the audience have thought it was true. I believe this is the beginning of wisdom - that wisdom you and I so desperately need.

So here is the message! Our Chair of Governors read it to you in Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “…not that I have obtained all things or have already been made perfect ....but I press on”.

Gentlemen, you are not the finished article” - you have not taken hold of it yet! What a “parent thing” to say! But I promise you, gentlemen, I am not playing to the parent crowd (although I know I am going to get the odd “high five” and sneaky gifted beer afterwards!) I believe that knowing this is the beginning of wisdom. You are not the finished article - the tragedy and failure of this place would be if we let you leave thinking you were!

You are accomplished, talented, unique and gifted. We have taught you life lessons, academic lessons, practical lessons to the best of our abilities (and in RS you may even have watched a few videos!), but that is not all there is! You are not finished yet: you have so much more to learn, so many lessons not just to learn but to embed in your life.

I hear you question “How can I say this? What do you know? How dare you say I am not the finished article!! I am the product of many, many thousands of pounds of education”. I understand your question. I suspect “ We will not give you the finished article” will never be a good marketing campaign for an Independent School, but it is true!

How can I say this? I can tell you this because I am not the finished article, far from it - to be alive is to learn. The education continues for a life time. The desire to learn starts with a need: I need to know more; I know I am not finished. As an example, I want to be dangerous for a moment and ask you to put your hand up if you think you are the finished article, with nothing left to learn in life?

And now, I am going to ask one more difficult question, which requires an active response: put your hand up if you know you are not the finished article…… Look around, Upper Sixth. There are more than a few grey hairs, your parents, grandparents and your teachers admitting this!

So, I turn back as I often to ancient wisdom and to Proverbs Chapter 4:

“Above all, gain wisdom”......realise you need wisdom ...realise you need help....realise you are not the finished article.

Why is this wisdom so precious? It is because when you are at your lowest, in the valley, if you ever feel done, beaten, finished, remember this: you are not the finished article yet ....there is hope! Folks, there is always hope, even in the worst of circumstances....hope always... never finished. I have seen it time and time again: ask the “grey hairs” - you get grey hairs by knowing you are not finished yet. Or, if they are not grey, they have coloured it! Even that is another sign of saying “I am not finished yet”!

Also, when you are on the top of the mountain, surfing the wave, flexing it (as I think the current phrase is), it’s important to believe that you are not finished yet Arrogance is the enemy of progression. The Merchiston boy has a quiet confidence but not an arrogance - confidence and arrogance are very different. Confidence is knowing what you can achieve and have achieved. Arrogance is thinking you are only one who can achieve it, that you have made it and can do it all.

So, go into the world, you brilliant, inspirational, full of potential, but not the finished article young men that you are. Go and change the world - and if it goes dreadfully at any stage, you are not finished yet. And if it goes brilliantly, you are not finished yet. This is life-saving Wisdom!

You are loved by God - commit your way to him. I believe in a God who gives fresh beginnings and fresh starts, but also loves us too much to let us think we are the finished article. Whether in the deepest of valleys or the highest of hills, you are not finished yet, and He is with you!

I promised there would be no personal stories – but even in promises, I am not the finished article yet! So, one personal story….. When I was 40, Fi and I had just had our third child and I was home visiting my father in Northern Ireland. I asked my Father, who was a kind but firm ex-WW2 soldier, who never gave too much away and was pretty strict - but had a twinkle in his eye:

“Dad!”, I said. “I am 40 now, I have three wonderful children, I have married well, have a good job. I have done well I think! Do you think you have done a good job as a father?”, I asked, fishing for a compliment. Sipping his whiskey, he paused, put the glass down on the table and leant forward. “Too soon to say!”, he replied.

Gentlemen, you are never the finished article. It’s too soon to say .....it’s always too soon to say. This is not an ending but a beginning. May God bless you richly as explore the adventures ahead. Thank you.

Rev Nick Blair, Chaplain & Upper VI Parent

CAPTAIN OF SCHOOL’S SPEECH

Good morning, Headmaster, Governors, Parents, Ladies and Gentlemen. I would like to welcome you all on behalf of the Upper Sixth boys to our Graduation ceremony. I have been dreading for months coming up here to make this speech, not because of nerves but because it is the end of our day-to-day life at Merchiston, after having been together for so many years.

I will talk about our life together and experiences shortly, but beforehand, I would like to thank the many people that have made this journey possible for all of us.

Firstly, we must never underestimate the many sacrifices parents, grandparents and guardians have made for so many years to allow us all the privilege to experience a life and education at Merchiston. I remember when I joined Pringle in 2014, I asked my parents how long I would be at Merchiston for. “At least eight years”, my Dad said, “As long as you don’t get expelled”!!! When so young, eight years seemed like an eternity, but my time here has genuinely passed in the blink of an eye.

I would now like to thank the numerous members of staff who have looked after all of us on a daily basis. Every year group here has dedicated personnel who cater for all aspects of our education and well-being, but what we don’t appreciate is the total number of staff employed to look after the boys. Unfortunately, I have not got the time to thank all staff individually but I would like to recognise as many as possible. Firstly, I would like to thank the numerous people involved in the Music Department, Administration, IT, Marketing, Admissions and Accounts, who all ensure the

efficient running of these essential departments.

A department that is very close to every boy’s heart and mind is the kitchen and the many staff who cook us breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. This department has fuelled many individuals and teams, which has helped us win numerous accolades on the playing fields and also provided a vital ingredient for concentration in the classroom.

I would now like to thank the teachers and housemasters who have tirelessly educated us in the vast curriculum the School offers and who have also trained and developed us on the sports field. For a relatively small school our achievements have been herculean relative to our size.

Another special mention is for Reverend Blair, who has not only taught us Religious Studies and mentored us when we needed help, but has also introduced us all to his now famous and hugely popular “curry nights”. We will miss his delicious cooking and extra-large portions. One of the pinnacles of his career is coaching the mighty 3XI. Due to his gritty determination and skill set, this has led them to an unbeaten season for the last two years. Many thanks, Reverend Blair.

Finally, I would like to say a special “thank you” to our Headmaster, Jonathan Anderson. He has been at the helm and steered and guided the School over the last two and a half years through one of the most difficult periods in the School’s history. His day-to-day job is hard enough, never mind having to deal with the huge additional pressures of navigating the School through all the well-publicised restrictions of Covid. Mr Anderson - thank you for everything you have done.

My final words today are for all the boys in Upper Sixth who are about to embark on a journey beyond the School gates. I will miss the small catch ups in the dining hall and sharing the rugby pitch with many of you. Most of all, my fondest memory is when we all congregate in Sunday Chapel to sing hymns and the School song.

It is with great sadness and a lump in my throat that I am bringing our time together to a conclusion and to bid everyone a fond farewell. It has been an honour to serve as Head Boy, but it pales into insignificance compared to the amazing Upper Sixth year Group I have had the privilege to be a small part of. I know we have all made many lifelong friends and I will dearly miss all my brothers after we leave this wonderful School.

Ready, ay Ready. Thank You.

Mackenzie B, Captain of School 2021-22

UVI LEAVERS’ BALL

Friday 1 July 2022 will remain in the memory as a significant and emotional day for many at Merchiston: it is the date that the Leavers’ Ball returned to the School calendar, having, understandably, been rescheduled in 2020 and 2021. The Prestonfield Hotel in Edinburgh was the perfect setting for the Ball and the sun was shining over the hotel grounds as the boys and their guests arrived for their welcome drink. For many, this was the first time meeting many of the parents, guardians and Merchiston staff: another rather poignant moment for all attending.

The sun-filled splendour of the Stables’ gardens was then swapped for the grandeur of the reception room inside for dinner. Mr Raikes began the event with an enthusiastic welcome, leading the charge with “whoops & cheers”, after which we then prepared for dinner with a poignant grace from Rev Blair. High spirits and celebration continued as we enjoyed our starter of tomato, broad bean and pickled fennel salad, followed by the main course of Angus Beef Wellington with Bavarois sauce with Jersey Royal potatoes and radish and watercress salad. To finish the meal, we were served with clotted cream parfait, mixed berries and almond meringue. 228 guests over 25 tables thoroughly enjoyed their meal and the wonderful atmosphere of celebration.

Mackenzie B, Captain of School, was our next speaker, giving a vote of thanks to all and the message of “look ahead with optimism and expect the unexpected”. After the meal, the Hot Scotch Ceilidh Band then kicked off the dancing and the dance floor was packed immediately for the first dance, the ‘Gay Gordons’. All the while, there was a wonderful hum of conversation, catching up and reminiscing about the years gone by and plans for future.

The end of the evening was all-too-fast approaching and the boys turned DJs, each playing their favourite and most memorable songs. Dancing, singing and much laughter were enjoyed before the final ‘Sunshine on Leith’ to close proceedings.

The Leavers’ Ball was truly exceptional and as significant a moment in time as we have seen for a few years: necessary separation and, at times, isolation, seem to have brought us even more together. Although the boys now head on to pastures new, we are absolutely delighted to see them all succeed and head on optimistically and ambitiously to the next stage in their lives as confident, well-rounded gentlemen and proud Merchistonians.

Nicholas Lieberman, Laidlaw South Housemaster

REMEMBRANCE SERVICE

ADDRESS GIVEN BY THE SCHOOL CHAPLAIN, REV NICK BLAIR

Symbols matter! ...they matter! Symbolic colours matter: Ireland, who normally play in Green, played in purple last weekend?? I didn’t know what to think! Club crests, flags, anthems (God save our... Flower of Scotland!), School songs (Ready ay Ready), they matter. We invest a lot of emotional energy and significance into themsometimes, perhaps, too much. But symbols matter! Symbols that unite, those that draw together as many as possible, are the ideal, although I admit that not everybody agrees. I believe that the poppy adopted in this country 100 years ago, as the symbol of Remembrance, is a symbol that can and should unite and also teach us. The poem “In Flanders fields”, written by Canadian Surgeon John McCrae, perhaps was the inspiration for this symbol. It is thought he wrote it on 3 May 1915 after attending the funeral of one of his closest friends, Alexis Helmer - it was May and the countryside was blooming. By coincidence, I have in my hand a letter written by my Great Uncle, Robert Blair, ten days later on 13 May, an Irish Canadian posted in exactly the same sector. He writes, having been just pulled back from the front line:

“The country here is looking nice and green! The potatoes are well through! (“well through” means growing well) and the trees are almost in full leaf and the flowers in bloom.”

John McCrae wrote:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

Such little things really matter in times of hardship.

Soldiers and civilians have seen in nature images that speak to them - the poppy was one of these: it blossomed during the “prime fighting season”, from May to September; It was red, like the blood the soldiers shed; It was fragile, far more fragile than the paper ones you wear; it spoke of the fragility of life. And it grew in the worst of circumstances –everywhere: on the battlefield; on the graves; a fragile flower of beauty seemingly surviving in the midst of utter destruction. The poppy was for them a symbol of sacrifice, fragility and survival - what better symbol for us, of conflict and remembrance and hope.

Whether you are in the Memorial Hall or watching on live stream, can I reiterate the message that life is precious, life is beautiful, life is fragile, but life is incredibly resilient when we come together and support each other. This is what they did 100 years ago when they adopted the poppy. Wearing it said: ”I am with you”, ”I understand”, ”we are together in our grief and remembrance” - so powerful!

Verse 2

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields.

McCrae’s second verse simply says to us: ”We are you! We were you!” Are you warmed by the sunshine? Do you marvel at sunsets? Have you ever loved and been loved? We are you! We were you!

Remembrance is about recognising a common humanity.

I remember, as a child, visiting the war memorial in Coleraine and being told that one of the brass names was my Uncle Bruce - just a name in brass; I never met him. Yet through family stories, I did. Pictures made a difference too.

Let me introduce you to some family stories from Merchiston. I will simply show them without comment. These are the sets of brothers on our war memorial, and one father and son!

(a powerpoint followed at this point).

I hope you get the idea that every soldier, every civilian killed in war is....was a fellow human being. They lived, felt the warmth of the sun, saw sunset, loved and were loved. Today we don’t celebrate war. Let me say that again - we do not celebrate war! But we do recognise sacrifice. We do remember individual stories. Just as each individual here wears a poppy, each of these men and women were individuals just like us. If you don’t understand that, you don’t understand the magnitude of the sacrifice that was made.

Final verse

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe!? Some have wondered about this, especially in the light of Jesus’s words, read so well by Mackenzie: “This is my command, love one another”. Quarrelling? Love? Incompatible, surely! But It depends on the foe, doesn’t it? There are some foes, some enemies that are surely worth quarrelling with - because of Love!

Injustice

Inequality

Racism

Self-interest

What was interesting when I went through this with the Third Form yesterday, they got it. These were their suggestions:

All these are quarrels that are based in a deep Love, a deep love of Justice and for the one who has been illtreated, a deep love for one’s fellow human being and a

quarrel with the thought that anyone - anyone should be ill-treated because of circumstances of birth, skin colour, religious belief. Surely, we need to grow and nurture and encourage young men and women who have a great love!

A great love for their fellow human being; A great love for justice and equality; A great love for freedom; A great love for truth.

It was a great love which for many of these young men was exemplified by Christ’s sacrifice for them on the cross: “Greater love has no-one than this than someone lays down their life for their friends”.

And here is the key for me, why I think that Remembrance will always continue to be relevant: the continuing importance of sacrifice for the greater good. We do not celebrate war but we honour sacrifice!

The most important thing in our lives may have to be protected by sacrifice. After all, we sacrifice time to exercise - we know it is good for us. We sacrifice a night out because we have a game the next day – short-term pain for longterm gain! As parents, we sacrifice to try and give our children the best chance in life. However, the most important things in humanity’s life may require our sacrifice to protect. Please God, not the ultimate sacrifice that so many made in the past, but personal sacrifices nevertheless. What will it require from us to rescue and protect -

Our fellow human beings, our brothers and sisters?

Our freedoms and liberty?

Our planet?

It is one thing to sacrifice for your own benefit. But to give up something for the common good, for the good of others – well, that is deserving of recognition, it is deserving of remembrance....it is, in the words of Jesus, “laying down your life for your friends“.

It poses a question for us. What am I prepared to give up (sacrifice) for the common good?

Your forebears planned this Memorial Hall 100 years ago so we could remember and consider such things. I am so grateful to them. They cut to the very heart of who we are as a School and as human beings! “What do you believe in?”, they asked. “What are your core values?”

By building this Hall, they said to future generations, “Don’t dare forget such things as sacrifice, and friendship, and freedom”. They gave us a Hall where we can contemplate what is truly important!

As John McCrae said: “The torch (of sacrifice) has been thrown”. Hold it high, Merchiston. Hold it high!

THE QUEEN’S PLATINUM JUBILEE AT MERCHISTON

The year 2022 marks the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation. This Platinum Jubilee is a chance for a celebration, not only of the Queen’s reign, but of the past seven decades of history. In her seventy years as Queen, she has seen 14 Prime Ministers, 14 US Presidents, man walking on the Moon, the fall of the Berlin Wall, 9/11, and, most recently, the Covid 19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

As a way of commemorating this event, a competition was held to create a design for the School’s Jubilee mug. Whilst lots of entries were received, the winning design was by Juan M-A, II Form

Platinum Jubilee Mug Design Competition

The Platinum Jubilee Pringle Garden Party

Merchiston’s Jubilee celebrations started with Pringle’s Garden Party on 20 May. Pringle House was adorned with bunting, and in the garden, the boys were running raffle stalls, bake sales, jewellery stalls, and, of course, the Jubilee Mug stall.

The Pringle boys were brilliant. They were natural salesmen! Our caterers set up sandwiches, cakes, and drinks for the children, parents and teachers. It was a gorgeous afternoon and the event was a huge success, with lots of money being raised for Hope and Homes for Children

The Platinum Jubilee Whole School Street Party

The next event was the Whole School Street Party on 7 June. To start a beautiful summer’s evening, the event was kicked off by the School’s Pipe Band marching along the drive into the Rogerson quad. Catering had organised a delicious barbeque and the PE staff and Houseparents had set up various games for everyone to enjoy. We had stalls selling the Jubilee mugs, head boppers, flags, and Union Jack bowler hats. We also had a lottery with various prizes to be won, but the main prize was a commemorative Platinum Jubilee coin donated by the Blair family, and won by Jacobo D from III Form.

This was the first Whole School event since the Covid pandemic, so it was another huge success, with even more money raised for Hope and Homes for Children

This was the first Whole School event since the

Platinum Jubilee Time Capsule

The final event was the EAL Department’s Platinum Jubilee Time Capsule. The idea is for the box to be opened in seventy years’ time in 2092, by future Merchistonians. Inside were newspaper clippings from the important events of 2022, writings by the boys describing life today, …… and most importantly for future Merchistonians, a photo of the winning rugby team at Murrayfield in March 2022. The boys also chose an item that they thought would be important to share with future students. We had a cricket ball signed by Luis and Keith (IV Form), ties by Max, Tim and Andrew (LVI Form), a Spanish flag from Pablo,

Hope and Homes for Children

Merchiston’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations were held to mark the Queen’s seventy years on the throne. Whilst being the leader of the United Kingdom, she is also the figurehead of the Commonwealth. In a serendipitous event, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, held this year, 2022, marks a great achievement for Hope and Homes for Children All 54 Commonwealth nations have announced a historic commitment to eliminate orphanages. Over a third of the world’s children live in the commonwealth and this commitment will liberate children from harmful orphanages and invest in families and communities to provide the love and protection to which

Carlos and Eduardo (IV Form), a Hong Kong coin from Tim (IV Form), pictures from Miguel and Juan’s favourite games (II Form), a Whole School photo from Wilson, Michael and Calvin (LVI), a photo of everyone in Rogerson from Alvaro and Teo (Shell), Ukrainian and Russian flags from Nicolas, Hippolyte and Audric (IV Form) and writings about Chinese history from Sam and Jerry (Shell). In their groups, the boys also gave a presentation about the Time Capsule and their items and these videos will be shared with the EAL Department at Merchiston International School, Shenzhen.

It was buried on the 30 June, next to the Platinum Jubilee Tree in the grounds of Merchiston.

All the profits from Merchiston’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations went to the amazing charity, Hope and Homes for Children

all children have a right. This agreement is a milestone moment in the movement to rid the world of harmful and unnecessary orphanages - orphanages that deprive children of a family and expose them to neglect and abuse. They fight for every child to feel the love and belonging of a safe family home.Since 1994, Hope and Homes for Children has been working to stop the institutionalisation of children. They are 200 people, in multiple countries, inspiring organisations, including the UN, EU and governments around the world, to close the doors of orphanages forever.

Charlotte Arrowsmith, EAL Department

SAKURA CHERRY TREES PROJECT DEDICATION CEREMONY

In 2019, Mr Fraser Newham, then a member of Merchiston’s Common Room, made an application on behalf of the School to the Sakura Cherry Trees Project. This Project was part of the Japan-UK Season of Culture 2019-20, held to accompany the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The application was successful, and the ornamental cherry trees now planted in Merchiston’s grounds near the Pavilion are intended to commemorate 150 years of Japan-UK friendship and the thirtieth anniversary of Merchiston’s successful rugby tour of Japan, the first such tour ever undertaken by a Scottish school team.

The trees so kindly donated are beni-yutaka, tai-haku and yedoensis. In Japanese culture, cherry blossom is a symbol of school days. Delivery was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and so the trees were planted on 16 March 2022, seven days after the Merchiston 1XV won the first post-pandemic Scottish Schools Cup Final at Murrayfield.

A Dedication Ceremony for the cherry trees took place on Friday 13 May, at which the guest of honour was Mr Tadashi Fujiwara, Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh. The dedication was also attended by a number of present and

former members of staff, former parents, former and current pupils. It was a particular pleasure to welcome back to Merchiston the former members of staff who led the rugby tour to Japan in 1989, Ken Houston, Frank Hadden and Julian Vaughan, along with members of the touring squad.

After a buffet lunch served in the Pavilion, at which Ken Houston recounted some memories of the Japan tour, the Dedication Ceremony comprised a welcome from the Headmaster, an address given by Mr Fraser Newham, a greeting from Mr Fujiwara, the dedication of the trees and commemorative plaque, the reading of a Haiku written by a current pupil, who won the School’s Haiku-writing competition in honour of the event, and readings by current pupils. Mr Fujiwara was presented with a gift from the School: a lamp made from the wood of another cherry tree in the grounds, with the winning Haiku engraved on its base.

The three cherry trees will provide a permanent reminder in our grounds of Merchiston’s links with Japan. They form a welcome and distinctive addition to the rich variety of trees which we are so fortunate to have on the Merchiston campus.

THE MERCHISTONIAN CLUB

Dear Merchistonians

Welcome to the Merchistonian Club section of this edition of The Merchistonian, which covers the academic year 2021-22.

Although Covid restrictions have continued to play a part in all of our lives over the past twelve months, it has been wonderful to see normal activities starting to resume, both within the School and in the Club. Having read the preceding pages of the magazine, you will know that there has been much to report on at Merchiston, and the boys have certainly relished having an uninterrupted year of learning, including formal external examinations, and the resumption of their sporting and other co-curricular activities, which play such an important part in their daily lives.

In the following pages, you will read of the Club activities which have also started to resume, and we look forward to this process continuing over the academic year 2022-23. Thanks go to all who have contributed articles, which we hope our readers will find interesting reading. The reunions

which have taken place in recent months have been well attended and extremely happy occasions – our thanks go to the year group organisers who worked so hard to ensure the success of these events. Again, we look forward to seeing and welcoming Merchistonians at the events which will take place over the next twelve months.

At Merchiston, we are always very pleased to receive your news, which we can include in future publications and communications. Please contact:

The Merchistonian Club Office t. 0131 312 2201 e. merchistonians@merchiston.co.uk www.merchistonians.co.uk /merchistonians /merchistonian in/merchistonianclub

A Second World War Hero

AA (SANDY) BALLANTINE (’34-’37)

The revised School song, which we still sing today, was sung for the first time in 1948, in time for the unveiling of the School’s World War 2 Memorial. It includes these words:

Her sons are scattered far and wide Beyond the sunset’s glow; But she holds their hearts with silken cord Wherever they may go.

Lest we forget, the “silken cord” can also “hold the hearts” of those who held, and still hold, those “sons” of Merchiston close. And so it proved, when AA (Sandy) Ballantine’s daughter, Christine, contacted the School from Vancouver in Canada.

For many, Arthur Alexander Ballantine (’34-’37) was simply a bronzed name on our WW2 Memorial, but to Christine, who truly holds his heart with a silken cord, he was Sandy, her father.

Sandy was killed in action in June 1944, having landed on Gold Beach, Normandy, on D-Day. He had served in the RAF since early in the War, and, in particular, 255 Squadron (a night fighter squadron), until an operation made him blind in one eye. With an aptitude for radar, he continued with the RAF and worked as Chief Controller, Ground Control Interceptor, landing in Normandy on D-Day to set up the radar units at B2 Airfield, Bazenville. He was severely injured on 18 June 1944, and died of his wounds in hospital

two days later. His final resting place is in Plot 1, Row D, Grave 4, La Deliverande War Cemetery, which is about ten kilometres north of Caen.

Christine, his daughter, was only eight months old when her father died, and has spent recent years researching his life and service history. And across the Atlantic, and almost eighty years later, the “silken cord” tightened and held fast when she contacted us to share his story.

Sandy’s and Christine’s moving story can be found online if you google his name and click the link on –https://www.britishnormandymemorial.org/normandystory/sandy-arthur-alexander-ballantine/1/ Christine and her father were also featured in Episode 2 of Series 2 (“Hull Blitz”) of WW2 Treasure Hunters on television.

It goes almost without saying that if anyone reading this has further personal information, Christine would like to know.

Having personally spent many hours researching various names on our War Memorial, it was a genuine privilege to correspond with Christine, to thank her personally for the wealth of information she has given to us, and to thank her for telling us about and reminding us of “one of our own”, who was “her own”. “Silken cords” are remarkably strong!

We will remember them.

Rev Nick Blair, Chaplain

In the mix with Ed

EDWARD SMITH (’13-’18)

On 10 January 2022, former Merchiston pupil Ed Smith visited the School to chat to some of our pupils who are considering a career in Music. For the past three and a half years, Ed has been studying at one of the top universities for Popular Music, Jazz and Music Production in the world - Berklee College of Music, in Boston, USA.

Stephen Dennis, Director of Music, asked him to speak about his experiences to some of our current pupils.

How have the last three and a half years been at a Music college like Berklee?

“When I arrived, America was a bit of a culture shock, but I got stuck in. For the course, I had to learn a lot of new skills, and music: I began with guitar proficiency and then moved to Jazz performance, which is not my area of expertise. I had to learn four Jazz standards overnight to perform with a band the next day. It was tough, so I had to practise all night, and rely on help from friends, but I felt that I learnt resourcefulness and networking. Although I haven’t continued with Jazz, I do feel it was amazing training.

Berklee is tough: the drop-out rate is 50%, because a lot of students are not able to hack the pace. I found the beginning tough: the teachers were harsh, and gave out a lot of work to test me. It was definitely a maturing experience.

After this, I felt it was going well. but then COVID shut the course down and it went online, but it was during this time that I “found myself” as a musician.

In my time at Berklee, I have had some amazing experiences, and rubbed shoulders with industry professionals: Finneas, who showed us his productions for Billie Eilish, Justin Timberlake and John Mayer. However, the best thing is the teaching quality you get from the lectures - for instance, the likes of Susan Rogers (Princes’ Producer).”

What was it like to change from a school with a varied programme, where your time is organised for you, to a fulltime Music programme in a different country?

“I really enjoyed the change. I love Music, and it’s the only thing I want to do, so the opportunity to study it full-time was a great experience. I found taking responsibility for my life really refreshing and fun, and I gained a lot of confidence through this experience.”

How did a college like Berklee help you to find yourself as a musician? What kind of musician do you feel you are now?

“Two of the great things about Berklee are the connections that you make and the skills you learn to get work. You have to be good at speaking to people, making sure you treat everyone well because you don’t know where it will lead. It’s also the environment that you are immersed in: you are around amazing musicians all the time, and this is inspiring.

I see myself now as a producer, engineer, mixer, and also a software developer. My work will often involve taking a demo that I am sent of a song, then arranging, recording, mixing and bringing out the story the artist wants.”

What were your highlights from your time at Merchiston?

“I had a lot of great times here, and I remember it very fondly. I had my best times in the Music Department, where I felt I could be productive. The department is quite small and I was able to spend a lot of time using its equipment and developing my skills.”

What advice would you give to anyone who wanted to pursue a career in Music?

“I would say that you should get as much experience in as many different areas of Music that you can, study more instruments, and do as many projects as possible as there’s no substitute for experience. Also, if you apply to do something competitive, like Music, you need to be fully committed: it’s harder working in an industry like Music than it is in a standard industry, so you have to be prepared to give it 100%, every day.”

Two of the great things about Berklee are the connections that you make and the skills you learn to get work.

CASK 88

FOUNDED BY EDWARD DAVIDSON (’82-’87)

Edward writes....

“I left Merchiston in 1987. I wasn’t really certain of anything but the fact that, whatever came my way, my time at Merchiston had done so much to prepare me to grab the unfurling possibilities. I’ve had time to have many adventures since then, but the greatest is the one I’m writing about here; about the company I started in 2013 and have watched grow into something that’s taken even me by surprise. I’d like to tell you about my company, Cask 88.

Merchiston is an Edinburgh institution, and we all grow up knowing the importance of whisky to Scotland. It turns out that Scotch whisky has a lot of meaning worldwide, something that was reinforced the more I travelled, the more places I saw, and the more people I met. Many of these people loved Scotch whisky enough to want to get much more involved with it. They collected and drank amazing bottles of rare whisky, but they wanted more than that - they wanted a chance to engage with their own whisky right at the source: the cask.

From this deceptively simple idea, my wife and I founded Cask 88 together. We started small, out of our flat in Macau, with good friendships and friendly contacts helping the fledgling business leave the nest.

When we began, casks were almost exclusively traded within the whisky industry itself, and private cask ownership was barely seen at all. If you weren’t a corporation with access to thousands of casks, you weren’t invited to the party. We felt that this was ripe for a challenge.

Over the last decade, Cask 88 has built up relationships within the Scotch Whisky industry that give us access to exquisite casks of maturing whisky at all ages, from all over Scotland. It was thus one of the first companies in the world

to sell single casks of whisky in their entirety to private buyers on a broader scale.

As Scotch whisky matures, it must remain under bond in an HMRC accredited warehouse - something the great majority of people don’t have access to. Cask 88 has agreements with many bonded warehouses, as well as exclusive use of a beautiful and spacious dunnage warehouse in Speyside, enabling us to act as a custodian of casks on behalf of our customers. Under our care, each cask is properly tracked, insured, stored and maintained, freeing its owner to focus on the existential questions of what they want their whisky to become, and to decide when it has matured enough.

When you become the owner of a cask of whisky, you can guide its maturation, and choose its final form when you decide that it is time to bottle. Maturing casks can be re-racked; transferring the whisky into another cask to grant it new flavours; and samples can be drawn to taste how the maturation is progressing. Settle in, because some maturations can stretch on for decades - waiting for the right moment. You might even make a trip to visit a cask while it matures. At the end, you have a whisky worthy of your highest aspirationsyour own unique dram to celebrate your business, your wedding, the birth of your first child.

This idea has proven popular. More and more people are buying their own casks, and from its humble beginnings in a flat in Macau, Cask 88 has grown to employ people all over the world, from America to Japan. It’s proof that a good idea can be the foundation of so much more. In fact, Cask 88 is no longer alone - it has diversified into several whisky companies, all with different specialities. Buy me a drink at the next old boys’ reunion and I’ll tell you about them…”

At the end, you have a whisky worthy of your highest aspirations - your own unique dram to celebrate…

Family Connections

(’90

’97)

“My family’s connection with Merchiston started just over 130 years ago with John Roberts, the first of eleven members of the Roberts family to attend the School. My two sons are current pupils, and form our fifth family generation at Merchiston.

John Roberts joined Merchiston in 1892 and left in 1894, whilst his two brothers, Alexander (who was a Prefect, won the Chalmers Prize and played for the 1XV) joined in 1896 and left in 1901, and George (who again played for the 1XV), joined in 1921 and left in 1925.

During these 130 years, eleven members of the Roberts family have been educated and developed into young men at Merchiston. If we extend this link to my wider family, to include the Maclarens, Considines and Rutherfords, we add at least another twelve, making twenty-three in all, assuming that we have not missed anyone. My grandfather, Stewart Muir Roberts, who attended the School from 1922 to 1926, went on to become a Governor, serving from 1960 to 1989, and my father, Sandy Roberts (known as “Tank” by his rugby team mates), was a pupil from 1955 to 1960, and was Captain of School in his final year.

I have many fond memories from my own years at Merchiston, which were some of the best years of my life.

Having grown up in Brazil, I had my first experience of snow at the School, including building an igloo (in which some boys slept the night). From members of staff and the work we did in the classroom, on the sports field, as well as being a member of the backstage team in drama productions, I learnt the importance of discipline, respect and empathy. I remember that we were encouraged and given the opportunity to grow and thrive in whatever area we were good at, all in an environment which fostered togetherness in a fantastic and diverse group of boys. My fellow pupils came not only from the UK, but also from all corners of the world, including Japan, China, the USA, Canada, Bahrain, Uganda and Brunei, many of whom I am still in touch with today. I remember that there were some very talented musicians in my year group, as well as scholars, sportsmen and entrepreneurs. Only when I left Merchiston did I begin to appreciate how much this environment prepared me for life: it has helped me to navigate living and working across different continents and cultures over the past twenty years.

Having had this wonderful experience at Merchiston, as well as this long and rich connection to the School, it was never a question for my wife and I as to whether we would send our boys to Merchiston – it was more a question of

GEORGE ROBERTS

–

writes about his long-standing family connection with Merchiston, and compares his experiences as a pupil with those of his sons, who are currently members of the School.

when. A few years ago, we were given a tour of the School by Philip Rossiter, which was a delightful surprise as he was my Housemaster both when I was a boy in Chalmers East and when I returned there as a Prefect in my final year. Following this, we then decided to send our boys to join in Pringle, as I had back in 1990, feeling that this would give them their best start to their time at the School. Previously, they had been educated in Australia and The Netherlands, where I had been working, so starting in Pringle would both benefit them educationally and enable them to adapt to and integrate into the School and the Merchiston community.

There have been major changes to the Merchiston campus since my time as a pupil, including the Robertson Building for IT and Music, the Tennis Centre, the astroturf and Laidlaw House, which replaced the old pitch and putt course. The most significant change, I feel, has been in the use of technology. I remember my first Computing class, using one of the old BBC computers with black screen and green flashing lines. Fast forward to today, we all use technology throughout the day, with boys writing emails and completing prep on their iPads. I cannot even imagine how we would have managed through the COVID pandemic without it! Another great benefit of technology today is that we Facetime our sons three / four times per week – when I was at the School, I would phone my parents once a week, having queued to use the phone box in the House.

Another change has been that, in my day, we had a Chapel service every Sunday dressed in our kilts, and having to be inspected beforehand to check that we looked smart and our shoes well-polished. This was

followed by helping to serve tea and coffee to parents and guests. Today, the boys only have one / two services per term in their kilts, but they still look very presentable. Also, we wore School uniform throughout our time at School, whereas today, the Sixth Formers wear suits.

One element that has not changed is the opportunity to participate in School trips. I was fortunate to tour Argentina with the 1XV – today, sporting tours continue, as well as music tours, ski trips, and other expeditions. Our sons recently went on the ski trip - such experiences are great to have as a young boy growing up. I have also been told on good authority that the School food has greatly improved!

We can already see the impact and benefit that Merchiston is having on our sons: their confidence is growing, they are being pushed academically, and they are learning (with great support from the staff) the importance of being organised, disciplined, independent and respectful, as well as working in a team both on and off the sports field – all this in a fun and structured environment. What gives my wife and I the confidence that this was the right choice for our boys is that, when we speak and exchange stories of our different experiences, although thirty years apart, I can relate to what they are experiencing. I hear the excitement, and sometimes the frustrations, in their voices, and can see the joy on their faces when they are telling us about their successes. All these experiences, along with the friendships they are making, give us the confidence that they will be well equipped for whatever life throws at them”.

Building success: drawing on his School days

Architect ROD BINNS’S (‘85-‘92) deep knowledge of buildings began with illicit investigations down in the School’s foundations. After a career involving various awards and prestigious commissions, he has turned that early love into running a practice with his wife.

What kind of pupil were you?

I think I was probably quite bookish, but you would need to ask some of my contemporaries for an unvarnished response!

What did you get from your time at Merchiston?

Mainly confidence and a love of sport, but my closest group of friends now are still the friends I had at School.

Do you have any great/interesting stories/memories from your time at School?

When we were in Rogerson East, three of us found out how to get into the tunnels that form the School heating system, connecting all of the different buildings. It was very warm down there and we decided that these were perfect conditions for making homebrew beer. Unfortunately, having assembled all the brewing kit in the tunnels, we got rumbled before successfully brewing anything.

Can you tell us a little about your career/life path/key moments from the end of School to now?

I left the School in 1992 and took a year out, working in Holland and then travelling across Africa, which was quite an eye-opener at the age of 18. When I came back to the UK, I started an eight-year process of training to become an architect and passed my registration exams in 2001 whilst working in London. I then got married, and my wife Justine and I lived and worked in South America before coming back to Edinburgh in 2003. Justine is the

‘Fernandes’ of the practice and started the business eight years ago, with me joining in three years ago. We have twin boys who are aged thirteen and keep us on our toes.

Which projects have you worked on that you’re most proud of?

I was project architect for the University of Edinburgh Business School and the Edinburgh Assembly Rooms refurbishment when I was in my 30s. These were particularly challenging projects which both won a number of design awards.

What are you working on currently?

Our work is generally about 75% residential and around 25% educational each year, and we sometimes also have some care home work. We've got a range of new built and refurbishment residential projects in Edinburgh, East Lothian, the Borders, and Fife at various stages of development at the moment. We’re also on site with some work for University of Edinburgh in the Moray House complex and we’re separately starting with some restoration work with one of its Listed Buildings.

What do you hope for the future?

We’d like to gradually grow the business but keep it at a size where we can continue to design the buildings ourselves, which is what we enjoy doing. We are both quite hands-on in our projects and, for example, did most of the building work in our own house ourselves.

The pathway to a professional career in rugby

Two recent Merchistonians, RUFUS McLEAN (’08-’18) and JAMIE DOBIE (’12-’19), are making their mark as young professional rugby players for Glasgow Warriors and at international level. Here, they write about their rugby pathways through Merchiston and their subsequent development.

My rugby journey began at the age of 8, when I joined Pringle as a J4 boarder. I have so many fond memories of playing rugby at the School, particularly in my younger years, as I spent more time out on the Pringle pitch than I did in the classroom! An annual highlight for me at this time was the Pringle rugby dinner, which was always a pleasure to be a part of, especially for me as a young boarder, with many of our parents attending. It also gave us the opportunity to thank the coaches and staff who had invested so much of their time and energy into our rugby development. As I progressed through the School, it became more and more apparent to me that rugby was something that I enjoyed and wanted to take on furtherSchool tours to Dumfries and New Zealand further confirmed this. Although it took more than 24 hours to get there, the New Zealand tour was one of the most unforgettable experiences I have ever had; facing the haka, visiting a Maori village and visiting Eden Park are experiences a lot of people can only imagine, and still to this day I am extremely grateful to the School for facilitating this. It was around the age of 16/17 that I really began to see rugby as a career path for me. However, one thing I really

struggled with was to motivate myself to go to the gym. It honestly took the coaches to sit me down and emphasise its importance for me to really get my head around it! Mr Noble and Mr Deans were completely in the right about this: Strength and Conditioning is now a key part of the game, and as much as I dislike it even to this day, you know it’s for your benefit on the field. As I moved up the School and into my final year, I was given the privilege of being CoCaptain of Rugby, which was a massive honour for me. It was in my final year of School that things began to take off rugby-wise, and at the end of the year I was offered a Stage 3 Academy Contract with Edinburgh.

Unfortunately, at Edinburgh, I had an injury-ridden year and ended up being out of action for most of it, which really set me back in my rugby development. At the end of that year, Glasgow Warriors offered me a contract with the potential to go professional at the end of the season. I took it to experience a different environment and lifestyle from that which I was used to. In 2020, I began my first professional contract with Glasgow and have loved every minute of game time I’ve had with them. I have had a lot of highlights here at Glasgow, notably scoring the winning

try of the season and being called into the Scotland squad for the first time. I was lucky enough to gain my first cap against Tonga in the Autumn Nations Series, which was a special day for my family and me. On top of this, being able to play alongside Jamie Dobie, who I’ve played alongside for more than eight years, just added to this incredible day. I thought that I would be overwhelmed with the whole

occasion in such a big stadium: however, you quickly find your feet when you have a 100 kilo Tongan running at you! I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity and now I’m looking forward to the summer tour to Argentina and Chile, which is set to kick off at the end of June.

Rufus McLean (’08-’18)

Starting out at Merchiston back in 2012, I could never have imagined the path it would lead me down and eventually to the position I am fortunate enough to be in now. Joining the School at the age of 11, I always had a passion for sports of all kinds: from golf and athletics to rugby, which I had started playing at Highland Rugby Club, and particularly tennis - I joined Merchiston as a member of its Tennis Academy. I have some amazing memories of the time I spent in the Tennis Academy, including winning a national championship with the School’s U13 team, alongside some classmates who have gone on to play an extremely high level of tennis across at college in America. Whilst my time in the Tennis Academy was great fun, there was no doubt the enjoyment of playing rugby week in, week out with my best mates drew me towards pursuing it as my main sport at the School.

The rugby programme at Merchi developed us all from the youngest age up to the senior teams on the same pathway, with skill development and enjoyment at the centre. The bonus of trips away from School, ranging from some great times at 7s tournaments in the north of England during my Pringle years to a tour to South Africa before my final year at School, only added to how close we became as a team and, more importantly, as a group of mates. Undoubtedly, my rugby highlight at Merchiston has to be lifting the Scottish Schools Cup in 2018/19, ending the School’s 10-year drought without a cup win. Doing this alongside my best mates, many of who I had been playing alongside since we were 11 in Pringle, was surreal: I hope it inspired the younger boys in the School at that time, as I had been inspired by the 1XV in my early years.

From my last year at School, I was invited to move across to join Glasgow Warriors on a full-time basis, something that was impossible to turn down, despite the natural progression to stay in Edinburgh. My debut back in South Africa, where I had been with the School just a year before, was incredible but a steep learning curve at the same time, with us losing by 30 points. Settling at Glasgow proved to

be easy, both because of the familiar faces there of fellow Merchistonians Paddy Kelly, Stafford McDowall, Rufus McLean and Fraser Brown, but also because of how the School’s rugby programme and the attention to detail was a perfect step to joining the professional game.

As my time and experience in Glasgow grew, I was included as part of the Six Nations squad in 2021, firstly as an ‘apprentice’ and then as a full member of the squad during this campaign. This was my first proper experience as part of the national squad, and whilst I was there on largely a learning basis, it inspired me to push even harder to be a part of the full squad as I was fortunate to be there and to witness how much playing for Scotland means. In particular, the historic wins at Twickenham and in Paris were unbelievable to be a part of.

Whilst the summer tour to Romania and Georgia in 2021 was unfortunately cancelled due to Covid, I was again part of the squad for the Autumn Internationals at Murrayfield, and made my debut in the opening game of the series vs Tonga. This was a moment I had dreamt of as a kid, and to be taking the field alongside my good mate Rufus, with whom I had played from the D1s in Pringle to 1XV, was surreal. It took a while to process the whole journey: from Highland Rugby Club to finding my love for the sport at Merchiston and then on to Glasgow. Then, to be standing singing the National Anthem, this time on the pitch, as I had done so many times as a fan going to the games with the School, was an incredible feeling, and even more so having family, friends and fans present to support in the stands.

Going forward from gaining this cap, my focus has fully been on developing and learning at Glasgow and pushing to add more appearances for Scotland. There is no doubt this will be tough with the strength and depth of the Scotland squad nowadays; however, I have no doubt that the preparation and base Merchiston gave me for challenge and growth will serve me well going forward.

Jamie Dobie (’12-’19)

Historical Research

CHAPLAIN, REV NICK BLAIR, WRITES....

When I first arrived at Merchiston in the early 2000s, I was informed by an older member of staff that there were ancient tunnels below the School grounds, and so recently I have been doing some research…..

Colinton Castle, the ruins of which are adjacent to the Headmaster’s House, Castle Gates, dates back probably to the 1450s, although much of what is left was built in the 16th Century. It was occupied and subsequently burnt down by Oliver Cromwell’s army in 1650. There are stories about an ancient chapel located somewhere on the site, and there is a 16th Century grave stone in the inside wall of Colinton Church that reputedly came from a crypt at the Castle or a chapel nearby. The estate was purchased by Sir James Forbes in about 1790, who built the mansion named Colinton House, now known to us as Gibson House.

The tunnels which I have heard talked about are not, I believe, related to any service tunnels between the Chalmers and Rogerson Houses, which were built in the late 1920s after Merchiston’s Board of Governors had purchased the estate for the School’s relocation to Colinton. They belong to the former era: either from Colinton House (to and from the kitchens?) or possibly even from Colinton Castle in the 15th / 16th Century. An older groundsman told me that he had filled in an entrance to one tunnel when it collapsed in the 1980s – you can still see the dip in the bank of the athletics arena. Another former member of staff (an experienced caver) reported that he has explored it: it had a cobbled floor with an arch that, at its apex, was six feet high. His opinion was that it was more likely of an early 1800s design, although he also confirmed that the direction of the tunnel led from what we call the arena to Colinton House, and, if extended, would go to the Castle. I was told that there is an entrance to this tunnel from

Gibson House, but I have never been shown this. The tunnel was partially demolished when Mappa Mundi, which houses the Languages and History Departments, was built.

On talking to several much older Merchistonians, the oldest of which is aged 93 and was also a teacher here, I do not think that they were aware of these tunnels. I have personally seen the tunnel and one other, both apparently unrelated to the School buildings and the possibly apocryphal tunnels talked about by past generations of pupils between the boarding houses. Now covered up, the tunnel at the back of the staff house named "The Bank" seems to be a ventilation shaft rather than an entrance (photo opposite). The other tunnel runs through the “secret garden” in Pringle, and was uncovered temporarily when the plunge pool was first dug, and later, when the Cedars flats were built, accessed from the Colinton Road, on what was formerly School land.

Of course, perhaps all this is romantic nonsense, but it makes for interesting reading and speculation – possibly, it’s an old sewer! It is, however, what I’ve been told.

As a postscript, and not related to any story about the tunnels, it has been discovered that the garden of “The Bank” was a pet cemetery to the former Colinton House: the first photograph is the grave to Marcus and Hesca, dated 1913 and 1914; the second is the grave to Dandy, dated 1871, and the third is too corroded to reveal any information.

All of this, although some of it speculation, provides an interesting insight into the history of our wonderful campus.

Rev Nick Blair, Chaplain

MERCHISTON’S

Merchistonian News

Class of ‘81 Reunion Friday

10 June 2022

Chris Gray and John McKean arranged a wonderful evening and get together for the Class of ’81 – a ‘hangover’ from last year due to COVID.

We were very pleased to have been able to assemble over forty for the evening, including some old worthies from the year groups above and below, who we knew well from sport, treading the boards at School plays, or, in some cases, even the same classrooms.

The evening started in Indigo Yard, and we were delighted to be joined by Julian Vaughan, our erstwhile Maths teacher and rugby coach, who looked fit and healthy, and in many cases, much younger than our group! We were then joined by Max, son of Chris Gray, who piped us across the road to La P’tite Folie for refection in a suitably atmospheric old hall, reminiscent of Merchiston’s dining hall.

Many had come from far afield, including Graeme Henderson from the US. Others had travelled from England, the Borders, and some even from Glasgow! So many great memories and familiar faces and mannerisms! It had been six years since our previous reunion evening, and it was determined to try again before too long, while everyone was still around!

Chris Gray ‘entertained’ with his light verse ‘COVID – A Toast’, which finished with lines that summed up the spirit of the evening:

So here’s to us who have survived The School when most draconian. It’s made us hard, it’s made us mean, And bred us Merchistonian. Ready, ay ready.

Class of ‘90 Reunion

Saturday 14 May 2022

On Saturday 14 May, thirty-two Merchistonians attended their year group’s reunion, organised by Douglas Macrae (’84-‘90) and Michael Billinghurst (’85-’90). This event was originally planned to take place in 2020 as a thirty-year reunion, but had to be delayed because of Covid. It was fantastic, finally, for us all to get together after the challenges of the past two years.

The School hosted us for coffee in the Old Library, where many photographs of us were on display, found in the archives by Philip Rossiter. We were also given an evocative and informative tour of the School, which gave us a taste of life at Merchiston today. A brief visit to the 1XI match followed, with Merchiston despatching the visiting team

remarkably quickly. After lunch, we toasted Simon Priestley (’86-’90) and Rory McKinlay (’86-’90), who have both sadly passed away in the past four years. It was great to see Philip Rossiter, David Turner, Marion Muetzelfeldt, Julian Vaughan, Frank Hadden, Peter Arter and Charlie Windass – their attendance enriched the day for everyone.

After a reduced overs 15-a-side match, the gathering retired to the Cambridge Bar for dinner, and a few pressed on to Fingers to recall old times! Those of our year who were not able to attend this reunion were all missed, but hopefully we will return soon. Many thanks to everyone at Merchiston for their help in organising such a wonderful weekend, and to all those who attended.

Class of ‘11 Reunion

Saturday 5 March 2022

Due to a delay because of Covid, twenty-five Merchistonians met up in Edinburgh on 5 March 2022 to celebrate their ten-year anniversary of leaving School, organised by Alex Reavley. Some of the group met up the night before for casual drinks, but all met at School on the Saturday morning. Due to Merchiston’s involvement in the Scottish Cup Final, which was to take place on the following

Wednesday, the 1XV match was cancelled, so the group supported the B1s into a win against Stirling County RFC. After the match, they had a tour around the School grounds, seeing the new 3G pitch on the back field. They managed to catch up with their old teachers, Rev Blair, Mrs Binnie and Mr Cordingley when they were there. After the tour, they headed into town for dinner and drinks.

Obituaries

We have been informed of the passing of the following members of the Merchiston community, and send our condolencies to their families and friends.

Where available, the extended obituaries can be found on the Merchistonian Club website (www.merchistonians.co.uk). Every effort has been made to ensure that the information included within the obituaries is accurate and we are grateful to the Merchistonian community for sending in newspaper clippings and published articles for this section.

ACS (Sandy)

Boswell (‘42-’46)

Alexander Crawford Simpson Boswell, always known as Sandy, died peacefully at home in Gifford, East Lothian on 13 November 2021. He was 93 and in recent years had been suffering from Alzheimer’s.

estate around Colinton House (renamed Gibson) in 1930, with the addition of the main School building and Chalmers and Rogerson Houses. He moved into Top North dormitory in Chalmers West, where the housemaster was EO Connell, himself a Merchistonian who taught Maths and Science, retiring in 1967. Sandy’s memory was that one could not have wished for a more dedicated or caring proxy parent.

child,

Sandy, an only child, was born on 3 August 1928, in Sungai Petani in the State of Kedah, then part of the Federated Malay States under British jurisdiction. His birth certificate noted the western date but also recorded the date as 15th Safar, 1347 in the Islamic calendar. His father Alick, one of three Edinburgh sons, had studied at George Watson’s and read Forestry at Edinburgh University. In 1925, he took up an appointment in the Malayan Forestry Service and was posted to then Malaya. Sandy’s grandfather, James Simpson, had worked his way up to be manager of the shop A Boswell, Portmanteau, Trunk, Bag & Brush Manufacturer at 14 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, and inherited the business from the childless owner, Mrs Boswell, on condition that the family name was changed to Boswell, which it was by deed poll on 23 December 1920. Alick’s two younger brothers later inherited the family business.

Sandy spent his first five years in Malaya, was christened in Penang, and remembered more time playing with local children and speaking Malay than being with other expats. As was the convention, at the age of five he was sent “home”, first to Stirling, from where his mother Elsie came, and then to Edinburgh, where he attended the Grange Home School and then Cargilfield. There began a boarding school upbringing which saw very little of his parents, holidays divided equally between two devoted grandmothers in Stirling and Edinburgh.

Having sat the Common Entrance Exam in late 1941, the next year Sandy moved to what were then the still relatively new facilities of Merchiston, which had relocated to the

Having left Malaya in 1933, Sandy had seen his parents only twice before the Pacific War began in December 1941. His father, Alick, had long been an officer in the Malayan Volunteer Force but was not one of the fortunate few to be evacuated. His mother, Elsie, was able to get aboard the departing and ironically named Empress of Japan, whilst Alick was left to suffer three and a half years Japanese internment in Changi Gaol. He was six stone lighter when he emerged from an experience he did not talk about! At Merchiston, Sandy had no idea of the fate of his parents until news came that the Empress of Japan had made it to Durban. The next Sandy knew was when he received a rare phone call, which turned out to be from his mother at Princes Street Station. He instructed her to get on a tram and they were reunited at the Tollcross tram stop.

Sandy’s first report card at Merchiston saw him graded in Scripture, English, Maths, History, French, Latin and German. Whilst not excelling in the latter two, he was aged thirteen and a half in a form where the average age was a year older. He was commended by both Housemaster and Cecil Evans, the Headmaster, a man Sandy came to admire and appreciate later when a prefect. He had a strong School career, excelling in the CCF and the Pioneers, was a decent number 8 for the 1XV, but was bored by cricket and was able to learn to ride instead. Finally, as Captain of School, his riding was of the motorbike variety, as was his privilege.

Following Merchiston, Sandy entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was subsequently commissioned into the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. His 37-year career in the army was an extremely happy and fulfilling one and as he became more senior, he was known for his even temper and good judgement, something that was often aided by long draws on his pipe!

Soon after joining the regiment, Sandy found himself in Hong Kong and then soon after that, in Korea when war broke out in 1950. He was the Battalion Intelligence Officer

(IO) in Korea, a role he disliked because he would far rather have been a platoon commander, and instead found himself tasking fellow subalterns with patrols that inevitably involved substantial risk at a time when the Argylls were taking considerable casualties.

In the mid 1950s, Sandy saw active service in British Guiana and then the aborted Suez campaign.

After successfully completing the exams for Staff College and being selected to attend in 1959, Sandy left his wife Joc, pregnant with their second son Lorne in Bridge of Allan near Stirling, not wishing a son to be born in England, despite Joc being English. The same situation had arisen when the Argylls were stationed in Bury St Edmunds and Joc was dispatched to Edinburgh to give birth to their first son, Leslie.

In 1964, the Argylls were sent to Singapore and, after jungle training, did their first of three tours of duty in Borneo, protecting the border of East Malaysia from Indonesian incursions in their attempt to take over what had been Crown Colonies, but were now newly incorporated into the Federation of Malaysia. Sandy was the Battalion A company Commander for the first tour, based 100 miles inland at Bario, from where they controlled the border and managed a number of successful operations against Indonesian incursions and where he warranted a mention in despatches. With a lack of maps, a considerable amount of Sandy’s time was spent hanging out of helicopters charting the land below. By the time of a less enjoyable second tour, Sandy was the battalion Second in Command.

Sandy took over as the Battalion C.O. in September 1968, but by that time it had been announced that the Regiment was to be disbanded in 1971. Promised one more overseas tour before disbandment, Sandy opted for Berlin, where the Argylls were widely admired for their competence and professionalism.

Following Berlin, the Argylls were posted to Fort George, where on one occasion they were given 48 hours’ notice that, with an unexpected gap in her diary, HM The Queen wished to visit. Sandy took 24 hours to notify HQ Scotland and so, as intended, no HQ staff were able to show up and spoil a very happy day. Most of this time was preoccupied with thoughts about the Regiment’s future and, with the Conservatives back in power in 1970, there was hope of a reprieve. The result, delivered dramatically in a sealed envelope, to be opened and read by Sandy to the Battalion was not what they hoped. The Argylls would continue, but had been downsized to company strength.

In April 1972, now as Brigadier, Sandy took over Command of 39 Infantry Brigade in Belfast, 3 months after the events of Bloody Sunday and thus a very sensitive time.

When 9 people were killed and 130 injured on what became Bloody Friday – July 21, 1972, a plan was needed. Operation Motorman ensued, the largest British military operation since Suez, designed to reclaim control of no-go areas that were fuelling much of the trouble. Some 30,000 troops restored control without a shot being fired and this really personified Sandy’s firm but calm and measured style. For his time in Northern Ireland he was awarded the OBE.

After the regiment was restored to full battalion status in 1972, Sandy became the Colonel of the Regiment. There followed a return to Germany, this time as Chief of Staff at 1st British Corp, and then The National Defence College of Canada. In 1978, he returned again to Germany as General Officer Commanding the 2nd Armoured Division - a rare honour for an infantry officer - and then in 1980, on to London as Director of the Territorial Army and Cadets.

His last posting in the army was a particularly meaningful one for him. He returned to Edinburgh as General Officer Commanding Scotland and Governor of Edinburgh Castle. Being back in Edinburgh, he also became a Merchiston governor in 1982, and, to his youngest son Louis’s embarrassment, presented the prizes at the School Prizegiving the same year and took the salute at the CCF parade marking the School’s 150th anniversary in 1983.

Following his army career, he had five very happy years as Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey and then on full retirement returned to Scotland, where he settled in the village of Gifford in East Lothian, was a Deputy Lieutenant for East Lothian, and headed a number of charities for Scottish Soldiers.

In 1956, Sandy married Jocelyn, his wife of 62 years until she died in January 2018. Sandy is survived by their five Merchistonian sons, Leslie (ALS Boswell ‘70-‘75), Lorne (LPS Boswell ‘72-‘77), Lindsay (CLS Boswell ‘73-‘78), Lyall (JLS Boswell ‘75-‘81) and Louis (MLS Boswell ‘80-‘87).

Louis (MLS) Boswell (’80-’87)

Hélène Gray

Head of Modern Foreign Languages at Merchiston from 2007 to 2019, died on 16 February 2022. Her husband, David, has sent us a copy of the eulogy he gave at her funeral, excerpts from which are printed below.

Hélène was born and grew up in rural France, at the southern end of the Massif Central. Her life would take her far from home, firstly to Germany, where she spent a final year at school, then to Lyon, where she studied Law and then English, and then to England, initially

as a French Assistant at the Mount School in York, then to Pocklington School in East Yorkshire, where she spent twenty happy years as a teacher of French, then as a Boarding Housemistress, and ultimately as Head of Boarding at the School. She then moved to Edinburgh as Head of Modern Languages at Merchiston for twelve years until 2019, when she and husband David moved to Brummana High School in Lebanon. There she made a circle of friends amongst colleagues and in the local community, whilst working as a devoted volunteer teacher to refugees and to dispossessed and needy young people.

As a teacher, she was totally committed, highly conscientious, and fun to be with in the classroom. She was respected by her pupils, who found her dependable, industrious and always ready to go the extra mile for them. Generations of staff and pupils at the schools where she taught can be grateful for having known her and worked with her. She was blessed with enormous patience, perhaps as a result of the scoliosis she suffered as a child, following a gymnastics accident. She was not a complainer then, any more than she was when fighting illness in her final months of life.

Hélène’s patience was underpinned by her love of life and of others. She will be sadly missed by her children, Sophie and Anthony, her husband David, and by many in the Merchiston community.

Robert (Bob) Gray (‘57-’63)

Before Merchiston, Bob attended St Mary’s, Melrose, and was chosen as a Scottish schoolboy to play for the public schools. He loved rugby and played many games during his time at Merchiston. After School, he played for Melrose until he relocated to London, where he played for London Scottish for many seasons.

Bob worked for Metal Box in London, and subsequently in the shipping industry in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Later, he became a self-employed Management Consultant, working in the Cotswolds, where he lived until his death in May 2022.

Bob was a much-loved father and grandfather, and is fondly remembered by his wife, Anne, his children, Malcolm, Kate and Sophie, and his seven grandchildren. His funeral service took place on 19 May in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

Sandy (IAM) Roberts (‘55-’60)

Sandy Roberts passed away on Saturday 16 October 2021. Christened Iain Alexander McLaren Roberts, he was born in 1942 at Selkirk Cottage Hospital, once the home of

Andrew Lang, famous for his children`s fairy tales. Sandy went to Merchiston, becoming Head Boy. His grandfather, father and his son George also went to Merchiston Castle, and now grandsons Daniel and Matthew are there.

Sandy played in the School’s 1958 Centenary rugby match against Edinburgh Academy. Don Burrell, an international referee, forgot to limit each half to 35 minutes, so it was particularly memorable and crippling for both sides! Sandy commented that Merchiston won simply because they were fitter and, in those days, had no access to beer!

After the proverbial “best days of his life”, Sandy went on to read Mechanical Sciences (Engineering) at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge. He joined Plenty & Sons Ltd, Newbury, as an Engineering Apprentice, to learn the basics of the trade, and in 1967 moved to Glasgow, where he was introduced to the local dialect and trade unions. He was transferred to Brazil in 1973, where he joined the management team of Hero Equipamentos, a pump manufacturer in Vila Guilherme, Sao Paulo, later becoming their CEO. He continued when they were sold to the North Group of Australia in 1992 and in 1995 joined Global Industries of Dallas to wind down their loss-making subsidiary and continue as a consultant to the company.

In Sao Paulo, Sandy joined the Committee of the Saint Andrew Society of São Paulo, soon becoming Secretary, then Vice President and finally President in 1979. Known as the "Grace" of the Society, maybe for his rendering of "Some hae meat", or because he was born in Selkirk, he was renowned for his epic rendering of the "Ode to a Haggis", all memorised and perfectly rendered every Burns Supper. His grandson, Daniel, has now taken over these duties and can recite the poem like his Grandfather did.

Sandy was a keen golfer in his time, a member of Muirfield in Scotland and the Guarapiranga Golf Club, where he twice, in 1976 and 1977, won the Quaich competition (open to all Scottish golfers in Sao Paulo). Sandy married Kathy in 1978, and they had two children, George and Patricia. He returned to Scotland annually with the family, so they would know their roots and he often went on fishing holidays on Loch Arkaig. Sadly, Kathy was found to have cancer and died when the children were still being educated. He was a very good cook and amongst other things introduced caipirinhas to his Scottish friends and his younger sister Anne in the family home in Selkirk. He also preserved a warm sense of humour right through to the end.

Sandy is remembered by many of the older members of the British community in Brazil as being the source of their Scottish country dancing skills. He was a skilled dancer and a sympathetic but demanding teacher. One recent

testimonial from a Scot stated: “He taught me everything I know about Scottish dancing”. Another Scot commented that he was a “soft spoken, intelligent, delightful chap and a loyal and true friend”. We will all remember him and miss his warm sense of humour and quiet intelligence and, like his two children, believe that he is now in heaven, dancing happily with Kathy.

Obituary submitted by his son, GA Roberts (’90-’97)

Ian Henry Ross (‘56-’59)

Ian died at the age of 79 in November 2021. He grew up on his family’s farm at West Tarbert, Argyll, and followed his father and uncle to Merchiston.

Ian then joined White Horse, starting a career that marked the fourth generation of the family that has perhaps contributed most to the success of the Scotch whisky industry, to which tradition he was a worthy successor. He rapidly rose to be the Export Director of White Horse. From there he became the very successful Managing Director of Old Parr, and eventually Managing Director and then Chairman of Johnnie Walker.

During the controversial 1986 battle between Guinness and James Gulliver to take over the Distillers Company, he personally favoured the latter. The subsequent reorganization by Guinness resulted in the individual brands being subsumed into a broad corporate structure in which Ian became head of the Heritage Department, with global responsibility for promotion of the history and brand personality of all of the company’s world famous whisky names. Ian was wonderful company and a fine public speaker. This, combined with his great personal integrity and enthusiasm for travelling the world, made him uniquely qualified for the task. In 1988, he was invited to become a Keeper of the Quaich in recognition of his many years of distinguished service to the whisky industry.

After retirement, he turned to the independent life of a country gentleman, and to his lifelong love of sailing in the West of Scotland and often much further afield. He was an active trustee for many years of the Ross Foundation, a charity established in 1939 by his great grandfather and founder of the Distillers

Company, William Ross, for research into blindness. The Foundation was a major contributor to the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh.

Ian was completely devoted to his family. He and Trishia married in 1973 and had three children, Alastair, Neil and Nicola, who grew up in awe of their larger-than-life and much-loved father. Five years ago he was delighted to be presented with a granddaughter, Mina Skye, who although far away in Australia, entertained her beloved Grandad by Zoom over the last two years of his life. It was sadly cut short in November 2021 by a tragic accident at his Hampshire home. He will be greatly missed by the family and his many friends who have happy memories of his bonhomie, accompanied by generously-poured glasses of the product for which he did so much.

James Edward Armstrong (‘53-’56)

James (10 August 1939 – 22 April 2022) wanted to be a farmer from earliest childhood, and lived and died doing just that; he had a heart attack doing what he loved best - tending his cows during calving.

James’s formal education began at the local one-room rural elementary school, a mile’s walk away from home. In those days, agriculture required many workers and so there would be a primary school within walking distance of every farm. After the war, he attended a school in Berwick, then moving to Corchester Prep School at Corbridge as a boarder, and thence to Merchiston Castle, where he formed lifelong friendships with a number of Borders’ farmers and from further afield. He held the unique distinction of having his local paper, The Berwick Advertiser, delivered weekly to him at School so he could keep in touch! He stayed just long enough for his O Levels, and left willingly for the real life of hands-on farming.

In the 1950s, farming, even on relatively large farms, was not yet fully mechanised; much work was still done by strong arms. However, James came up to date with a stint at Kirkley Hall Agricultural College for his National Diploma, returning to the farms determined to improve and modernise things. With each generation, it is the same in any family business: the thrusting younger ones always knowing better and pushing to take over the reins. This he did energetically and, as is also the way, things did incrementally improve and the latest technology and techniques began to appear: farming was fast becoming

big, technical and capital intensive. In the late 1980s, an opportunity arose to buy Murton Farm outright, and this James was able to negotiate, thereby securing his family’s future. Just a couple of weeks before he died, I had asked him what so drove him to get up early and work, and he gave the classic farmer’s response: “One just hopes to be able to pass on the land in better fettle than one found it”.

James was a remarkably sociable man, a quality inherited from his forebears. From School, he was active in the Berwick Young Farmers Club, enjoying the social side and rising by step to be regional chairman. He was selected, in the early 1960s, as one of just four young farmers in England, to go on a three-month exchange trip to Canada, sailing there and back (then cheaper than flying). Technically, he was an expert in cattle, particularly with and an early pioneer of the Charolais breed, building an outstanding pedigree herd in the early 1960s, only for it to be destroyed in the 1967 foot and mouth outbreak; he did not have the heart to try to rebuild it. Nevertheless, the farms flourished and he was an excellent judge of stock, a skill which he wielded competitively, frequently, and passed on to the next two Armstrong generations.

James was the youngest ever magistrate appointed in Northumberland (following his paternal grandfather, who chaired the local Bench for many years) and served for almost thirty years. He was appointed Sheriff of Berwick and subsequently an active member of the English Sheriffs’ Association. He was a church elder for over fifty years and a member of many social and charitable organisations, serving as president of the Berwick Rotary Club at his death, and a lifelong supporter of Berwick Rugby Club, of which he was English President (there is also a Scottish President) from 2000 to 2007. His enthusiasm for the game, remarkable for a non-player, extended to the habit of running along the touch line, shouting (VERY loudly) “Run, Laddie, RUN” – particularly embarrassing when this unrequested advice was directed at his sons or grandsons!

James was the fourth Armstrong generation born to farm and, what is the more extraordinary, each successive generation has produced children (sons only, so far) whose main interest in life has been to farm – so, at least six generations actively hands-on farming so far. Both his sons and a grandson have been educated at Merchiston, which pleased him. James certainly lived life to the full and, literally, scarcely had a day’s illness in his life. One can say that he was lucky to die as most of us would want: doing the job he loved above all else. He leaves a widow, Joyce, two sons and a daughter (David, Neil and Claire) and four grandchildren.

Neil Armstrong (’81-’86)

David Grant (‘54-’59)

David Grant died on 5 June 2022, at the age of 81, in Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, after a period of ill health.

After leaving School, he studied at Aberdeen University, from where he graduated with an MA in English. Taking advantage of the “Ten Pound Pom” scheme, he went to Australia to work as a jackaroo and sheep shearer, but returned to the UK for family reasons some eighteen months later. He then spent a period helping at the RSPB’s Loch Garten Osprey site, which continued to extend his interest in ecology, after which he returned to academic study at Edinburgh University, where he was one of the first people in Scotland to obtain an MSc in Wildlife Management and Ecology.

David’s life thereafter was never dull. He worked for a period with Nature Conservancy, but after his first marriage broke up, he returned to travelling to pursue his many interests. The next few years found him working in Africa for a safari travel company, spending months in Chad and Niger, becoming a crofter on Skye, owning a prawn fishing boat, moving to Ballantrae to run a bakery, and working on an ill-fated project to build the Africar in Lancaster, as well as re-marrying and having three children.

The family by now had moved and settled in Orkney, and it was from there that they set out in 1990 in a horse-drawn custom-built caravan to circumnavigate the world. David wrote an account of this in a book entitled The Seven Year Hitch

David finally settled in Balintore, near Kirriemuir, from where he wrote further books, one about a solo kayaking expedition from Sweden to the Black Sea, and another entitled A submarine at war: the brief life of HMS Trooper, on which his half-brother, Alec, had served and lost his life.

At his funeral, a relative described David as “a man who knew in depth about a lot of different things; a man who studied and read voraciously, on subjects of all kinds. He was an adventurer, almost from a bygone Edwardian age of exploration. By the time he was in his mid-thirties, he had done more, and travelled more, than most of us have done in our entire lives”.

David’s former wife, Kate, and three children survive him.

JD (Jim) Watson (‘48-’52) Jim Watson passed away at Perth Royal Infirmary after a short illness, at the age of 87, on 18 June 2022. After leaving Merchiston in 1952, he completed two years of national service in the RAF, during which he was posted to Ceylon. He then went to Agricultural College in Edinburgh, where he continued to play rugby and cricket, and met Pat MacNamara. They moved to Canada and married, but returned to Scotland for the birth of the first of their four children.

Jim set up an agricultural contracting business, then a plant hire business, and finally moved into the farming of soft fruit, eggs, cattle and sheep. Patricia died in 1997, and he then met Ethel, who was his companion for the next twenty-two years. He enjoyed playing golf throughout his life, and was fortunate to be fit enough to do so until only a few weeks before he became ill.

Ian (IMG) Miller (’49-’53): died on 17 June 2021

Peter Roger (1942-2021) (former Governor 1993-2004 and father of Kenneth (’88-’93) and Andrew (’92-’97): died on 24 December 2021

John McLeod (1934-2022) (former Director of Music, 1975-85): died on 24 March 2022

Graham Webster (’53-’58): died on 11 November 2021

Rory McKinlay (’86-’90): died late 2021

Hamish Locke (’98-’07): died suddenly in Sydney, Australia on 15 May 2022

Curling Report 2021-22

We had mixed results in the Wanderers League in the 2021-22 season, with wins against Old Glenalmond and Aberdeen Grammar School FP and losses against Kelvinside Accies (the league winners) and Glasgow Accies. All the matches took place at Greenacres Ice Rink, near Uplawmoor, Renfrewshire. Our pool of curlers this season consisted of John Carruthers, John Duthie, Douglas Harvie, Allan Higgins, John Mitchell and Alastair Campbell. We bid a fond farewell to Ronald Aitchison and David Howie, who have retired from curling, and Graham Webster, who has died. Ronald, in particular, was a stalwart of the team for many years. New recruits for next season are welcome. Please contact Alastair Campbell (ajcampbell82@hotmail.com; tel 0141 638 1753) if you are interested.

Shooting Club Report 2021-22

Over the years, Merchiston has produced some exceptional shots in numerous disciplines, including .22 rifle, full-bore rifle and clay pigeon shooting. Many of these have gone on to compete at both county and international level, with a couple of stand-outs making the GB teams.

Whilst at School, everything is in reach and at hand. It is often difficult after leaving to continue with certain sports, which is why it is so important to run events for Merchistonians: it helps them to keep their hand in and provides a stepping stone for School leavers. With many years of shooting experience under our belts, I am pleased to report that the shooting club is doing well and has good participation levels.

So, what does Merchistonian shooting offer?

Over the years, we have held an annual match vs the School for clay pigeon shooting (usually held at Cluny Clays in Fife) and .22 rifle shot at the School range. Both events take place on the same day and not only provide good competition but also an opportunity to meet old friends and reminisce over a beer or two afterwards. Many years have seen a great turnout, with double digit numbers from various age groups.

In July at Bisley, one team and sometimes more are entered into the Public Schools Veterans Match, which is shot with full-bore rifles at 500 yards and usually follows the Schools Ashburton. The highlight post-shooting is a very social BBQ and drinks for those who can manage to attend.

Finally, and only very recently, a game shoot was organized, which again attracted a great turnout, with a wide array of ages coming together for another very sociable day. It is hoped that this will continue annually too.

So, I am pleased to say that Merchistonian shooting is thriving, and this article gives me a great opportunity to announce that Tom Diggle (‘08-‘16) will be taking over as Merchistonian Shooting Secretary with immediate effect. Tom can be contacted at td@yeomanrigg.com and by phone 07592 548100 and also on the Merchistonian Shooting Facebook page.

Having left in the late ‘80s, I’ve been involved with Merchistonian shooting for 30+ years and would like personally to thank Iain Brechin (‘79-‘84) for all his help and support over the decades too, as the shooting secretary position would switch between us frequently.

Richard Macmillan (’81-’87)

Congratulations to Grant Hardie and Hammy McMillan on their Silver medal in the Winter Olympics.

Alastair Campbell (’62-’67)

Golf Club Report 2021-22

STENHOUSE QUAICH, ELIE – MARCH

At our first event of 2022, at Elie for the Stenhouse Quaich, our team defended poorly, and wound up fourth out of six.

MATCH v SCHOOL, MUIRHOUSE – MARCH

This match was a draw.

HALFORD HEWITT, DEAL - APRIL

The 2022 Halford Hewitt draw, which resulted in a first round draw against Cranleigh, was never going to be an easy ride: they are a strong team with a daunting selection policy, which reputedly excludes a player playing off a 0.7 handicap! Our “batting order” was Stein and Mons, Thomson and Mair, Bremner and Smith, McKean and Ward, and Rolland and Simpson.

Friday 8 April

It was an iconic morning, with Harry Thomson winning his 100th cap, whilst Constantin Mons won his first. Stein and Mons performed brilliantly in the top match, birdieing seven holes out of fourteen, and finishing five under par when they shook hands. There were many excellent shots in this match, but a two iron 255 yards and dead straight in a flat calm by Constantin at the fifth was simply awesome.

The other four matches were all tighter affairs. Merchiston was pretty much one down in all of them at the turn, but in every case, one felt that the situation was redeemable – we just needed to turn two of them around to squeeze through to the next round. As it turned out, that did not happen. Cranleigh did play well, but it also got the run of the ball on several occasions: Thomson and Mair, in particular, suffered from two outrageous “flukes” at holes fourteen and sixteen!

All of the middle three games rather petered out at the seventeenth hole in Cranleigh’s favour. The final match was agreed as a half at the same hole, so no-one got down the eighteenth. The official final score was 3.5 / 1.5 to Cranleigh. Golf Club dates for the remainder of the year are detailed below. As ever, should you wish to be involved, please contact the secretary.

John MacMillan (’70-’75)

Event Date Venue

Representative Matches

Scottish Wayfarers –Stenhouse Quaich 19 & 20 March Elie

Halford Hewitt 7 to 10 April Deal

Senior Scottish Wayfarers 23 & 24 April Panmure

Senior Wayfarers vs the Schools 21 June Prestwick

Cyril Gray 23 to 25 June Worplesdon Queen Elizabeth –Coronation Cup 16 to 18 September Royal Burgess

Open Events/Matches

School 13 March Muirfield Under 35s vs Over 35s 5 June Prestwick Loretto & Glenalmond 12 June Prestwick

Annual Meeting 2 September Duddingston Sedbergh 23 October Prestwick

Sailing Club Report 2021-22

With the gradual retreat of Covid, Merchistonians are getting back on the water.

I was delighted to hear that last year, Neil Speed had met up with Stephen Quayle, and also had a barbecue with Angus Cartwright on the lovely island of Gigha.

Perhaps our most spectacular sailor is Roddy Coleman, who has for many years been involved with the Golden Hinde, a faithful replica of Drake's original Golden Hind and for which he has been the Skipper. Peter Watson remembers meeting him when he sailed the Golden Hinde into Vancouver in 1986! Roddy has now sold his lovely Joan, a Mason 54 and a fine ocean-going cruising yacht, but still keeps his hand in with a Frances 26, which is going to be berthed in Portland Harbour. The Golden Hinde is undergoing a refit in London, just by London Bridge, and is open to visitors.

Robert Wilson has "swallowed the anchor" and sold his boat and retired from sailing, but he is very happy with his decision - the time has to come! Meanwhile, Ian Malcolm (’66-’71) reports that, approaching the age of 70, he still actively races a Laser, and his home club is St Mary’s Loch Sailing Club in the Scottish Borders. When time permits, he also does some day-sailing in a Jaguar 23 on the Forth from Port Edgar.

Peter Watson still sails his Beneteau 44 on the BC and Washington State coastline between Prince Rupert Island, near the Alaska border, and Seattle, an amazing sailing ground. He is mainly centred on Vancouver and his brothers, Gerry (‘58-‘62) and Mike (‘62-‘66), are regular visitors. Mike now sails a Malo 37, in which he crossed the Atlantic to St Lucia with brothers Gerry and Peter and son Jamie (‘91-‘96) as crew, and spent four wonderful seasons cruising in the Caribbean. Caught out by Covid, he had to ship the boat back to England and she is now based in Plymouth. I hope to catch up with him later this year.

My own sailing last year with Bagheera of Whitby, my Bowman 40, was confined to south-western waters, with two glorious visits to the Isles of Scilly and some fun discovering new anchorages in Cornwall. This year, I have sailed from Dartmouth to Connemara, an amazing area. Sadly, the weather did not co-operate and we spent nine days stormbound out of the outbound journey of twenty-eight days! Happily, the weather turned favourable for the return south and we had fabulous visits to the Kenmare River (as shown in the photograph) and Bantry Bay.

David Clements (‘57-‘62)

Squash Club Report 2021-22

A squash fixture took place between Merchistonians and Watsonians at Myreside on Friday 1 April 2022. All matches were closely contested, and Merchistonians came out on top, 6 – 3. At the end of the match, Merchistonian Andy Duff (’99-’06) was presented the trophy by Paul Macari of Watsonians.

At the time of writing, a return fixture is planned in September at Colinton Castle. Anyone interested in playing for the Merchistonians should contact – a.duff@virgin.net

Andy Duff (’99-’06)

Lower VI Art

A Boarding and Day School for Boys aged 7-18.

Merchiston Castle School, Colinton Road, Edinburgh, EH13 0PU, Scotland Tel: +44 (0)131 312 2200 Web: www.merchiston.co.uk