Strathallan News
Ten Strathallan Rugby Academy players selected for next step forward
Ten Strathallan Rugby Academy players have been selected to take the next step in their rugby development with six students joining the Glasgow Warriors U18 Training squad and four pupils selected for the Caledonia Midlands U18 regional team.
Six players from Strathallan’s 1st XV have been invited to the Glasgow Warriors Under 18 Training squad after they represented Caledonia District in the FOSROC finals last week.
Archie R, Ellis C, Hamish C, Joe T, Robert C and Murray O have been selected to follow in the footsteps of former Strathallan pupils turned Glasgow Warriors; Zander Fagerson, Matt Fagerson, Ollie Smith, Murphy Walker, Bruce Flockhart, Cameron Fenton and George Horne.
Looking forward to training at Scotstoun, Murray O, ViceCaptain of Strathallan’s 1st XV said, “It’s a big honour to be selected for the training squad, being part of something with a rich history and knowing that so many Strathallan boys who are now playing in the Scotland team have gone through this exact process is really exciting.
“This is a huge opportunity for us to work on ourselves and really excel as we look ahead to playing against Edinburgh and Ealing.”
Advancing their own game, Anna-Lily S, Jos N, Lottie R and Nathalie R have all been selected for the regional Caledonia Midlands squad for the upcoming Girl’s Regional Series, which is an extension of the Development Pathway, part of Scottish Rugby’s Women’s and Girls Strategy.
Previously playing against each other when they represented Stirling County and Tayside, all four Strathallan Rugby Academy scholars said they are delighted to be on the same side again and develop their rugby skills at a higher level.
Nathalie R, Head of Girls Rugby at Strathallan, said, “There’s a healthy amount of competition between us so it’s exciting to all be part of a bigger team. It’s a big step up in training and the standard of rugby is way higher than U16 which is fantastic.”
Jos N, who has been playing for eight years, said, “There’s been a huge change in girls rugby, it’s so fun to play together. Being selected for Midlands gives us something to strive for. It’s a challenge, the coaches push us. I can’t wait to get started.”
Andrew Henderson, Director of Strathallan’s Rugby Academy, said, “It’s fantastic to see so many young players get a chance to continue their development at national and regional levels. Selection to any senior training squad is a huge moment in a player's journey and we wish them all the best and will continue to work with them in the Rugby Academy at Strathallan to develop their skills to take onto the pitch.”
Andrew Henderson, who coached all six internationals in the Scotland squad, as well as Scrum School ambassador Murphy Walker and recent Edinburgh Rugby addition Murray McCallum, added, “Sometimes I need to pinch myself when I see so many of our former pupils in the Scotland squad, ready to represent their country. It only feels like yesterday that they were all charging around the field at school trying to win for Strathallan.”
“I know from speaking to them that being selected for any Six Nations series is a huge honour and to do that alongside teammates you’ve played with for over a decade in the case of Zander and Scotland skipper, Jamie, it is a great source of friendship that often translates to great play. We wish them all the best for this Six Nations campaign as they continue to inspire the next generation of rugby players.”
2 Featured
Rachel selected for national hockey squad
Strathallan School pupil Rachel F has been selected for Scottish Hockey’s National Emerging Girl’s Squad.
Rachel said it was a huge honour to be picked for the team.
“I’m so thankful, it’s a great opportunity and I can’t wait to see what comes next. To get the chance to go abroad and get that type of training will be great.”
Rachel, who first picked up a hockey stick at the age of 8, is no stranger to elite sport with her older brothers Zander and Matt Fagerson both playing rugby internationally for Scotland and were recently selected for the Scottish Six Nations squad.
“Growing up we have always been competitive and always play sport in the garden,” added Rachel. “We were always playing mini rugby matches and having fun but its inspiring watching my brothers get into professional Scottish squads from a very early age and learn from their experiences.”
The Centre-back has her sights set on playing hockey in the United States after she leaves school. Rachel was recently named Player of the Tournament at a recent Hockey Performance Coaching Indoor Tournament after Strathallan 1st XI went undefeated.
She continued, “We started the hockey season really well, we haven’t lost an indoor match yet so we hope to keep that going.”
Director of Sport, Jim Thompson, said, “Over the last few years we have seen successes across the whole school, both indoor and outdoor, which has been fantastic to see. We are really proud to see Rachel and a number of other girls and boys going on to play at regional and national level hockey.”
Max lands a spot on top skateboard team
Strathallan School pupil Max E has landed a spot on one of Scotland’s top skate teams after impressing the owners of Route One with big tricks in the capital.
Max, who has been skating for 11 years, said the support from Route One was a dream come true.
“It makes me want to skate harder and keep going,” said Max. “Skateboarding is pretty misunderstood, people think it's antisocial but actually it’s about family. Route One is a big family of skateboarders who support each other and push each other to do better. I’ve done some tricks recently that I wouldn’t have thought possible a few years ago.”
Looking ahead, Max said his sponsorship with Route One gives him high hopes for the future.
“Skateboarding is a legitimate Olympic sport. I want to go pro and who knows what I can do next with support like this.”
Ross Salitura, Manager of Edinburgh Route One, said, “I was excited to bring Max onto the Skate Team as he has an undeniable passion for Skateboarding and a talent that deserves recognition. Since joining the Team, Max has continued to progress through his hard work and dedication."
"He has represented the Shop in Scottish skate competitions, placing and winning prizes, and continues to create high-quality skate videos and content for Route One. He is a credit to our team and continues to spread a positive light on skateboarding across the Scottish skate scene. I look forward to seeing just how far Max can take his skateboarding.”
When he’s not cruising the streets of Edinburgh, Max can often be found on the rugby field training for the sport he has flourished at in school. He recently played hooker at Murrayfield for the U16A Strathallan squad in the Scottish Schools Cup final against ESMS late last year.
3
Nine former Strathallan pupils making their mark in the 2023 Six Nations
Over the first weekend of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations and the under-20 equivalent, six former Strathallan School pupils played in games versus England with three more involved in the wider Scotland squad.
Former pupil Jamie Ritchie captained Scotland to an amazing 29-23 win over the English at Twickenham on Saturday to make sure that Gregor Townsend’s men lifted the Calcutta Cup for the third time in a row.
He was alongside Matt Fagerson in the back-row, the No.8 making a quite astounding 27 tackles during the game, while George Horne came off the bench at scrum-half and was lively to help Scotland close out the triumph.
Tighthead prop Zander Fagerson is due back from injury and could well feature against Wales at BT Murrayfield in round two this coming Saturday while second-row Cameron Henderson and full-back/wing Ollie Smith are part of the wider 40-man Scotland training group too.
The night before Scotland played, the under-20s were nearby at the Twickenham Stoop and played their part in a brilliant game which their English opponents only just managed to win 41-36.
Former pupil Harris McLeod scored a try from the second-row before being forced off injured while Jonny Morris made some great breaks from No.8 before he too had to go off at the end of the first half.
Callum Norrie, who played for the under-20s whilst still at school last year, did a good job at tighthead prop and Scotland’s youngsters can take a lot of heart from the performance heading into Friday evening’s clash with Wales at Scotstoun in Glasgow.
Andrew Henderson, now Head of the Rugby Academy at the school, worked with all of the players mentioned during his time as Director of Rugby. He said, “I am so pleased for all of the boys because they all have one thing in common: they work very hard. They all have different strengths and different ways of going about things, but their work ethic at school - and as they have gone on - has always been brilliant and we like to think that Strathallan has helped to instil than in them.
“To see Jamie as captain of Scotland is a very proud moment for me and all connected with the school while it inspires the pupils who are still at Strath because they can see his picture on the wall and can relate to him.
“Matt is playing some of the best rugby of his life while George is looking very sharp just now and it is great to hear that Zander is back to full fitness while being in and around the main squad will be invaluable experience for Cameron and Ollie.
“Cameron has been unlucky with injuries at key times in the past, but is now edging closer to a full cap while Ollie has been capped already and has really come on in the last year or so.
“And the three boys in the under-20s all have exciting futures ahead of them - it has been great to see how they have got to where they are in such a short space of time.”
Current Director of Rugby Nick Hill said, “The players in the Scotland and under-20s squads are inspirational to both the staff and the pupils at Strathallan. It is clear now that there is a path from Strath to professional rugby thanks to the hard work that Andrew Henderson and others have put in over the years.
“The staff who coach the teams lower down the school play an important part in all of this because they lay the groundwork for these types of players to go on and do what they are doing now. The coaches help all pupils at Strathallan enjoy their rugby, teach them how to play as part of a team and help them learn at the right pace.
“The players are also good examples of how you can balance your academic studies and sport successfully and all of the pupils at Strath are given support to get that balance right depending on their own individual needs.
“We are very proud of what these guys are doing - and continue to do - while the numbers of former Strath pupils playing the sport at a high level just now shows people on the outside what a positive environment we have here at the school.”
4
Marcus set to serve at the University of Stirling
Strathallan School student Marcus McL has earned himself a place at the University of Stirling on a prestigious tennis scholarship.
The 17-year-old said it was a dream come true to receive a full scholarship to the University of Stirling’s Tennis programme.
He said, “My tennis over the last two years has seen a huge improvement. I have worked hard at things I wasn’t confident in and put it into practice on court, getting better and better results at the Men’s British Tour events and Under 18 Nationals.
The pupil from Perth added, “It means a lot for me to get this chance to study at Stirling. I’ve wanted to go there ever since I started training 5 years ago. I can’t wait to join their performance programme.”
Marcus recently represented the North of Scotland in the Men’s Winter County Cup, where he recorded a second win against a world-ranked opponent. This follows a very successful period where Marcus won a Grade 2 British National Doubles title, made the final at an ITF in Loughborough and played regularly at British Tour main draw level.
He added, “Ideally, I want to go on to play doubles at a good standard and hopefully make it professionally.”
Head of Tennis at Strathallan, Tommy Ogilvie, said, “I am so pleased for Marcus, and his family. The sacrifices he has made and the support from his family have been so important in achieving this scholarship.”
“It really is a fantastic opportunity for Marcus, to train upwards of 20 hours a week with some of the best players in the country and just being in and around that environment should give him a fantastic platform for the next stage of his development. Marcus has been at Strathallan for almost 9 years now and we wish him well and good luck with everything to come, and I look forward to watching his tennis continue to thrive over the next few years.”
Offering year-round opportunities to practice and play, Strathallan School was named Tennis Scotland’s School of the Year in 2022. Pupils from the Perthshire school have recently competed at regional and national championships up and down the British Isles, including the Road to Wimbledon and the Four Nations Junior Championships.
Charity Sleep Out
40 Sixth Formers slept rough to raise funds for charities that support the homeless in Perth.
Well done to all the students, House Staff and Chaplain who took part.
Did you see us on CBBC
Saturday Mash Up's Stanley visited our school to learn all about Rugby ahead of the Six Nations.
A huge thank you to all our students and staff who helped make this possible.
5
Our world is changing and we need to Bee the Change
Pupils in our Prep School are launching a new initiative next month to inspire themselves and others to make tiny, incremental, collaborative changes, in the hopes that collectively all our small sustainable changes can make a big difference.
They presented this video and their ideas to the United Nations Water Conference.
Our Planet's Health is our Health.
Ali sets sights on Olympic and Commonwealth targets
Strathallan School pupil Alasdair T (Ali) has set his sights on the Olympic and Commonwealth Games after being invited to join the Scottish Olympic Trap Development programme.
2021 Sporting Colts World Champion with a brace of recent wins under his belt including High Gun at the 2022 Scottish Game Fair and shooting for Scotland in the Home International, Ali has been shooting clays since he was nine years old.
Now, he is aiming for the Olympic and Commonwealth Games after he was selected to join the Scottish Development squad in a whole new discipline.
Ali said, “I’m really excited because it’s a new discipline for me; I was just going to try it out so being selected is a huge honour. It’s different to sporting clays, it’s very fast and reactive so it’s great to see my skills transfer to this new style of shooting.”
Awards & Colours
Many congratulations to all of the pupils who received sports awards and colours across 11 different sports in assembly
Sponsored by County Clays and Foxholes Country Pursuits, the Perthshire pupil said it’s thanks to his supportive family and the school’s facilities that he has the Olympics in mind.
He added, “Training hasn’t stopped: with Worlds in July and competitions starting in March, it’s just been ramping up, but I want to thank everyone who has supported me this far, especially the Shooting Academy here at Strathallan which means I get to train three times a week. It has meant I can focus on my passion and see where it takes me.”
Paul Vallot, Head of Strathallan Shooting Academy, said, “We are incredibly proud of Ali that he has been selected for the Olympic Trap training squad. Having won the Colts World Championship, he is now taking the next steps forward to hopefully represent the country at the Olympics and or Commonwealths. We look forward to seeing him there.”
6
Strathallan Netball team named School Team of the Year
Strathallan Under 15 Netball team have been named ‘School Team of the Year’ at the Perth & Kinross Sports Awards, recognising their incredible teamwork and achievements in 2022.
The team, who won were crowned National Under 14 Netball champions in April 2022, were thrilled to be awarded ‘School Team of the Year’ at the competitive awards held on Friday 3rd March.
Now in its 33rd year, the awards recognise the achievements of athletes, volunteers, and clubs in the region and announced Eve Muirhead as Sports Personality of the Year at the same ceremony the Strathallan side were celebrated for their outstanding performance on the netball court, going unbeaten and scoring 210 points during the season.
Co-captain Olivia D said, “We are so grateful to be named as Perth and Kinross School Team of the Year, this was an outcome of an absolutely amazing year of netball and 100% drive from our team and coaches.”
Co-Captain Flora R, added, “Winning the Scottish Cup and being co-captain of the team has definitely been my best achievement at Strathallan so far. I am glad I am part of such a great team, and we couldn’t have done it without each other. I look forward to playing more netball and improving with the team in future seasons.”
Head of Netball, Louise Waugh, said: “I’m incredibly proud of this team, I’ve worked with them for two years and they have worked incredibly hard together. We are so thrilled they have had this recognition from Perth and Kinross Sports Council. We wish them all the best as they advance through Netball Scotland’s Scottish Schools Cup this year.”
Joshua rallies to become double Scottish Fencing Champion
Joshua was on the back foot in his first final at the Scottish Youth Fencing Championships. Scoring enough points to claim Bronze in the U17 Cadet Class he used his experience to push harder, going on to claim Gold in both the U15s and U20s.
Joshua, who has represented Team GB in Romania, Hungry and Bulgaria, said the Scottish Youth Fencing Championship was a turning point.
He said, “I was down a lot of points in my first few rounds and knew I had to pull something out of the bag. I’m so happy that all the hard work has paid off.”
Currently ranked 8th in the United Kingdom for Cadet U17 Sabre Class, Joshua recently won Bronze in the Team U20s Commonwealth Games 2022. The Perthshire teen has big plans for his future in Fencing.
He added, “Under 20s is much physically harder than anything I’ve competed in so far but I want to go to the Olympics. After the Commonwealth Games in the summer, I know that I want to keep fighting as much as possible.”
Joshua, a Fencing Scholar at Strathallan School, trains five times a week at Salle Ossian, representing the club and the school on piste. He recently came 5th out of 103 entries from across Europe in the U15 Challenge in Poland.
His next major competition is the British Youth Championships in Sheffield this May where he will compete in the U16 class.
Director of Sport, Jim Thompson said, “We are incredibly proud of Joshua and his recent wins. His hard work is paying off and now he is taking steps toward his dream of competing in the Olympics. We look forward to seeing what he goes on to achieve this summer.”
7
Academic
Vampire hunters
Our A-Level biologists used antibodies to find out who was the vampire in class. Putting an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) into practice, they measured antibodies from biological samples to work out who might be the vampire.
Senior Maths Olympiad
Congratulations to Isabella Z who has received a Certificate of Merit in the Senior Maths Olympiad.
Isabella qualified to take part in the Olympiad, considered one of the UK's toughest maths challenges, after gaining Gold in the UK Mathematics Trust's Senior Maths Challenge.
STEM Event UHI Perth
4th form pupils Sophia G, Dan C, Katie N and Eric M won the prize for bridge construction that could withstand the heaviest weight - 100 Newtons.
8
Strathallan students land top marks in LAMDA
After the 56 pupils achieved Distinction in LAMDA Speech and Drama exams last year, this year’s performances have landed Strathallan students with top marks.
What a day!
The GCSE Religious Studies visit to the Jewish community in Giffnock began with Rabbi Rubin at Giffnock Shul on the importance of the roots of Judaism, continued with an excellent kosher lunch at Mark's Deli - featuring Jewish penicillin, pastrami, liver pate and latkes and finished with Rabbi Tobias at Glasgow Reform Synagogue on the importance of ensuring that Judaism remains relevant in the 21st Century.
At Gold Medal level, four senior students achieved Distinction across the range of LAMDA exams: Chloe McM for Acting and Reading for Performance, Magnus M for The Speaking of Verse and Prose, Ethan W for Speaking in Public and Max M for Speaking in Public.
A group of Ruthven boys in Upper Sixth who had never taken LAMDA exams before, took Bronze Medal Speaking in Public, for which they all achieved Distinction: Nicholas N, Kevin M, Elliot H, Tim A, and Murray O who achieved 96%
Eve B and Gleb J likewise achieved Distinction for Bronze and Madi S took Silver for Speaking in Public.
Isabella D C T achieved a high mark for Silver Medal acting and Fifth Formers Sophie D and Tara G-R gained Distinction for Bronze Medal Acting while Francesco M R obtained Bronze in Speaking in Public. Callum P and Michael N achieved Merit for Bronze Speaking in Public.
Build-a-Plane
Chocks away! The first session of the 'Build-a-Plane' project is happening and will continue on three evenings a week until we are airborne.
9
British Science Week
Years 3-6 in the Prep School enjoyed an action-packed day at Dynamic Earth for British Science Week.
Breaking the mould
Third Form have been carving out intricate mazes for slime mould to solve in Biology.
10
Perform in Perth
Class 22
Ceilidh Bands (Open to all Levels)
1st Strathallan Ceilidh Band (87)
Class 24 Scots Fiddle Solo (Elementary)
2nd Charlie C (84)
Class 25 Scots Fiddle Solo (Unaccompanied U16)
1st Hector C (86)
Class G2 Prepared Reading Gaelic 15-17 years
1st Eriskay McL (87)
Class 127 Vocal Solo Scots Songs – Soprano over 18
2nd Irene McFarlane (84)
Class 147 Piano Recital Class (Open)
1st William L
Class 173 Violin Solo (Level 1)
2nd Phebe M (83)
3rd Katie M (81)
Class 174 Violin Solo (Level 2)
2nd Amy M (86)
Class 176 Violin Solo (Level 4)
2nd Gregory B (87)
Class 177 Violin Solo (Intermediate)
1st Sophie D (88)
Class 240 Flute Solo (Level 4)
3rd Grace H (83)
Class 045 Drumming on pad 11 and under
1st Jack B
2nd Mathew M
Class 046 Novice Snare Drum
1st Zac L
2nd Alfie P
Class 047 Snare Drum (March)
1st = Fionn T
1st = Bertie M
2nd = Lucy W
2nd = Isabella A
Class 049 Novice Tenor Drum
1st Medeleine E
2nd Sunria C
Class 036 Novice Bagpipes 13 and under
2nd = Archie C
2nd = Robert F
3rd = James S
3rd = Fergus B
Class 039 Bagpies (Jig) Under 15
2nd Archie C
Class 040 Bagpipes 15 - 17 years (MSR)
1st Harry T
Class 041 Bagpipes 15-17 years (Jig)
2nd Harry T
3rd Carter R
11
Class 398 (a)
Prepared Reading aged 11 or 12
2 Alexander W (86)
Class 398 (b) Prepared Reading aged 11 or 12
3rd George M (85)
Class 424 Scots Poem aged 9 or 10
1st David L (85)
Class 425 Scots Poem aged 11 or 12
1st Reiya M (84)
2nd Madeleine E (83)
Class 399
Class 400
Prepared Reading aged 13 or 14
1st Ivianna Y (86)
Prepared Reading Open
1st James Magnus M (88)
2nd Chloe M (87)
Class 403 Prepared Speech aged 13 or 14
1st Ben W (85)
Class 404
Class 405
Prepared Speech aged 15-17
1st Eriskay M (87)
Prepared Speech 18 & Over
1st Ethan W (86)
Class 408 Bible Reading aged 11 or 12
1st Beatrice P (85)
2nd Emily G (84)
Class 409 Bible Reading aged 13 or 14
1st Tom N (87)
2nd Amy A (86)
3rd Douglas P (85)
Class 410 Bible Reading aged 15-17
1st Chloe M (88)
Class 413 Verse Speaking Choir
1st Strathallan Prep School Year 6 (85)
3rd = Sunaya C (82)
3rd = Matthew F (82)
3rd = Hector M (82)
Class 432 Scots Poem aged 13 or 14
1st Douglas P (86)
2nd Isla S (85)
3rd Eric M (84)
Class 434 Burns Poem – 18 & Over
1st Irene McFarlane
Class 442
Dramatic Solo aged 11 or 12
2nd Will D (85)
3rd = Phebe M (84)
3rd = Tinaye-John P (84)
3rd = Matthew F (84)
Class 443
Dramatic Solo aged 13 or 14
1st Francesca W (88)
2nd Tom N (86)
Class 449
Class 450
Dramatic Duologue aged 11 and Under
1st Harris C-H & Blair M (85)
Dramatic Duologue 11 or 12
1st Madeleine E & Sunaya C (87)
2nd Charlie S & Jacob S (86)
3rd Beatrice P & Emily G (84)
Class 419
Verse Speaking aged 11 or 12
2nd Alexander W (86)
3rd George M (85)
Class 451
Dramatic Duologue aged 13 or 14
1st Isla S & Amy A (87)
2nd Anna P & Ivianna Y
Class 420
Verse Speaking aged 13 or 14
1st Taylor M (86)
Class 421 Verse Speaking aged 15-17
1st Chloe M (85)
Class 452
Dramatic Duologue aged 15-17
1st Iona F & Isla C
12
Piping Lifetime Achievement
We are delighted to share that renowned piper Ian Duncan will be celebrated for his lifetime of achievements in music at the Celtic Connections Names and Places 2023 concert.
Director of Trad. Music and Scottish Culture, Craig Muirhead, said, "We are delighted to have Ian Duncan with us at Strathallan School. He brings an incredible amount of experience to the school, his passion for piping that he shares with our pupils every week is inspirational. We wish him all the very best for the concert in his honour at Celtic Connections on Saturday."
Ian, who joined Strathallan’s growing Traditional Music and Scottish Culture department in November, said that although he hasn’t played in front of a crowd in over 20 years he is looking forward to getting back on stage.
The Annual Pipe Band concert will explore music from The Vale of Atholl's 1990 album and will feature The National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland, Tryst, Gary West, Gaelic singer Maggie MacInnes and Ian Duncan himself.
Scottish School Pipe Band Championships
Strathallan Pipe Band gave a strong performance, coming second in the Nov Juv B Category and our Folk Band joined the Pipe Band for a unique performance of Greenland Whale Fisheries, taking second place in the Freestyle Category.
Mr Craig Muirhead, Director of Scottish Culture and Traditional Music said, “Congratulations to all our pupils on their incredible performances and my sincere thanks to Mr Fraser, Mr Richardson, Mr Howie, Mr Bailie and Mr Duncan for all of their efforts with the pupils!”
Piping Centre
We are delighted to share a glimpse inside our Robertson Piping and Drumming Centre.
Developed on-site thanks to a generous donation from the Robertson family, the newly refurbished rooms and brand new soundproof pods will allow even more of our growing Piping and Drumming department to practice every day.
13
Strathallan students share the stage with Skerryvore
Pupils from Strathallan School took to the stage with the award-winning Scottish Celtic Rock group, Skerryvore at Perth Concert Hall.
Members of the Perthshire School’s senior Pipe Band were invited to join Skerryvore on stage to perform ‘The Rise’ during their new Tempus Tour of Scotland.
Strathallan Pipe Major, Josh Fraser, said, “I could not have been prouder of the pupils in the Pipe Band on Saturday night. It was a fantastic show for them to be part of and they were all extremely professional, performing excellently on stage. Thank you to our friends, Skerryvore, for allowing us to rock the stage with them! It was an experience they will never forget!”
Music
Music Scholar Workshop
We were delighted to welcome Dr Zack Moir, Associate Professor of Music at Edinburgh Napier University, to host an improvisation workshop for our Music Scholars.
It was great to see many of our pupils being challenged and improvising for the first time ever!
14
House Music 2023
And the winner is THORNBANK
Congratulations to everyone involved in this year’s outstanding House Music competition.
15
Design & Technology
Antique Restoration
Our Lower Sixth woodworking students had a surprise visit from renowned antique restoration expert Jeremy Gow.
Jeremy, who is planning a series of exciting restoration projects with Strathallan students in the near future, caught up with our pupils today as they continued to craft their final exam pieces.
He also brought in a chair table from 1623 that he previously painstakingly restored to inspire them.
Art
Painting sunsets on a Saturday
Year 6 loved their art lesson learning about primary colours and mixing.
16
Performing Arts
ONCE The Musical
Let’s begin at the end, with a complaint:
“You put the lights up too early! I was still crying!”
It was difficult – on any of the three performances - to find a dry eye in the house at the end of ‘Once.’ Laura B and Angus K held their audience entranced as the fated connection between two strangers played out on a set that was both a thoroughly convincing Dublin bar and a magical fantasy of lighted glass and gave us one of the most beautiful shows Strathallan has ever produced.
That our leads were perfect: musically accomplished and breath-taking in their characterisation, only tells part of the story of the show’s success. For the cast as a whole were tremendous – and what a journey the audience were taken on.
The show opened with an immersive experience as the bar opened early! They were treated to pre-show drinks, music and interaction with the cast of characters they were about to meet as they were welcomed in not to their seats but the on-stage bar instead. The whole score is lyrically beautiful traditional folk music with the actor-musicians supported by a wonderful array of pupils from the school’s folk band. A tremendously engaging play then unfolds with actors bringing the wonderfully eclectic cast and story to life. Really strong performances (and Irish accents) were evident from all, the experience of Alice M, Eva DL and Isla C was met by the fresh talent and performance of Kyle F, Carter R and – at last – Owen C. Youngsters shone: Iviana Y, and Imogen S continuing their theatrical journey and Megan A making a lasting impression with her incredible vocals. The award for ‘having most fun’ on stage has to go to Constantine B – though I think Carter’s melodrama threatened to upstage everyone at its peak! The incredibly strong ensemble cast was strengthened by George B, Amy A and Emma K , all of whom show such potential for future roles.
The vision of David Foster in his last senior show, and of Neil Hamilton who knows exactly what will suit his musicians was beautifully realised. Thanks as always go to Robyn Goodfellow for her choreography and to Oliver Beetschen for quite simply a stunning transformation with the set and lighting. Finally, the smooth running of the show is due entirely to the stage crew who take responsibility, initiative and pride in every moment of the production. It was wonderful to see their expertise so appreciated at the end of every performance – they are as deserving as the sparkling cast of the rapturous applause which came their way.
17
Strathallan Prep School
Tree care and planting potatoes
Our Prep pupils had a fantastic session with Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust this morning learning all about tree management and looking after some of the Queen's Green Canopy copses planted earlier this year. They also planted some potatoes in our Riley House raised beds.
Prep School Lego Club
Huge congratulations to our Prep School Lego Club who were awarded the Best Newcomers Award alongside Craigebarns Primary School's Coding Kids at the FIRST LEGO League at Dundee and Angus College.
Tara, Magnus, Edisher, Harriet, Florence, and Freya presented an innovative solar-powered lamp project that they have designed and built themselves over the last few months
They also competed in a competitive robotics league, clocking up more than 390+ points throughout the day with their coding skills. Well done LEGO Club!
18
Prep School Piping Club
The new Prep School Piping Club is gathering lots of momentum on Monday afternoons. Well done to all those who are giving it a go for the first time
Year 5 Art Class
Inspired by contemporary art from the Middle East, Year 5 got to work creating their own masterpieces.
RSPB
Prep School students enjoyed making bird feeders for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, the UK's largest wildlife survey.
Happy Valentine's Day from the Prep School
Year 5 have been researching different traditions across the world.
In Finland, they celebrate Friendship Day.
As a result, our pupils have written each other an anonymous friendship card.
Roman Seminar
Years 3, 4 & 5 attended a digital seminar with National Museum of Scotland on the Romans.
19
Creative Writing
Y6 have been enjoying the sunshine, using the opportunity to do a sensory nature walk to support our creative writing.
We explored the SPS grounds and wrote down all the things we can see, hear, smell and feel.
Our next steps will be to use our observations to write poems about the school grounds.
The Grand Bug-and-Pest Hotel is now open!
Spacious hedgehog rooms are available at ground level.
Well done to our Year 6 Eco-Skills class who have spent time creating a Travel Inn of sorts for all wee creatures near the Riley House raised beds, helping the eco-diversity in the area
20
Hands-on history
Years 3 & 4 loved their visit from former Strathallan student William Kent this morning who brought some amazing Roman and Celtic replicas with him including the Carnyx Warhorn.
World Book Day
Some serious fun at the Prep school as colorful characters from our favourite books popped into school. From piping lessons with Desperate Dan to a live Q&A with world-famous author Michael Morpurgo, our prep pupils certainly know how to celebrate World Book Day.
21
Science Fair
Strathallan Prep School pupils excelled at our Annual Science Fair. What a way to end British Science Week!
It was lovely to see them share their amazing projects with older pupils, parents, family and friends.
Prep School to the rescue!
Year 3 & 4 were on a rescue mission last week. They went out to rescue and replant a Scottish Pine Tree that was growing in the fork of another pine tree.
Little did they know that they would end up saving two! Great job from our wee Foresters
22
Karate Katelyn: Strathallan student earns second black belt in Scotland
Strathallan student Katelyn T has earned her Shodan black belt in Chito Ryu Karate less than five years after achieving her junior black belt.
Katelyn, who began practicing Chito Ryu ten years ago in Hong Kong was thrilled to find out she could continue her practice in Scotland when she chose to study at Strathallan School.
Training with Scottish Chito-Ryu she has now earned her adult black belt, making her eligible to train others in the sport she loves.
Katelyn said Chito Ryu Karate has given her a greater appreciation of balance and focus, attributes she uses daily in her academic studies and beyond the classroom.
Katelyn said, “I fell into karate by accident but since I started I never looked back. Chito Ryu is all about balance and it feels amazing to have continued with it and become Shodan.”
Alongside practicing Chito Ryu, Katelyn is also the school’s Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) in charge of all three sections of Combined Cadet Force at school and an active Captain of the award-winning Strathallan Swim Team, regularly competing at national and district meets.
Audrey Sime, Deputy Head of Wellbeing and Safeguarding, said, “Ever since she joined the school Katelyn has been an exemplary student. It’s fantastic to see her achieve such a huge success in Scotland. Her efforts are already inspiring other pupils. Well done Katelyn.”
Strathallan Cross Country Championships
We had 600 runners give it their all with representatives from 8 schools taking part. Well done to everyone who entered the races, we witnessed some spectacular support from the competitors.
23
Sports
Strathallan Golf Studio swings into action
Pupils at Strathallan School can now tee off all year round on virtual golf courses across the globe thanks to a state-of-the-art golf simulator unveiled at the Perthshire school.
Developed on-site thanks to a generous donation from a former pupil and in partnership with PGA Professional Gregor Wright, Strathallan’s brand-new Golf Studio will let students, staff, parents and players get to grips with the game indoors under Gregor’s expert guidance.
The high-end simulator features a TrackMan system which delivers jaw-dropping indoor precision measurement of club & ball data, impact location, full ball flight numbers, video analysis and data reports tailored to the pupil.
This recent development follows the launch of Strathallan’s permanent 9-hole golf course in June, offering a challenge to players of all abilities less than 100 metres from their classrooms and boarding houses.
In the short time, the Strathallan Golf Studio has been up and running, it’s already being hailed a ‘game-changer’ by Captains of Golf Nicholas B and Tessa H.
“With the cameras and instant feedback, I’ve been able to see what I’m doing right or wrong in technical detail,” said Nicholas, who has been swinging clubs since he was three.
He added, “Whether you are a seasoned golfer or someone looking to give it a go, the studio gives you opportunities to play between lessons, during free periods and also whenever the weather is bad.”
Tessa, who started playing golf when she was 10 years old, said, “For us it means we can practice through the winter and develop our skills when it’s cold outside, ready for the summer. Having the new studio means we can really hone our skills and I can’t wait to use it more in the future.”
Headmaster of Strathallan School, Mark Lauder, said, “We are delighted to be able to offer outstanding golf tuition to golfers of all abilities at Strathallan. This new facility is driving forward our flourishing golf programme.”
“We have a fantastic partnership with Gregor. He has a real passion for the ‘grass roots’ development of the sport and is a fully qualified PGA Class AA Golf Professional.”
Gregor Wright, who has been coaching at Strathallan since 2019, said, “The new studio offers all-year-round coaching with world-class simulation software and ball tracking that allows pupils, parents, and clients to get instantaneous data which we can then measure and use to show marked improvement. It’s fantastic to see the school continue to invest in golf, and it’s great to see so many golfers getting in to use the new studio.”
24
Strathallan Hockey teams named HPC Tournament Champions
Strathallan’s Senior Hockey teams will head into the indoor hockey season with confidence this year after they were named champions at the Hockey Performance Consultancy (HPC) U18 Indoor Hockey Tournament.
Strathallan’s Senior Girls 1st XI and Boys 1st XI both went unbeaten in the HPC Under 18 Hockey Tournament in late 2022.
The girls had a fantastic tournament, beating Uddingston 2 - 0 in the final, with Rachel Fagerson named Player of the Tournament.
Vice-Captain of the Girl's Hockey team, Maria McK, said, “To win all of our pool matches and get to the final and win 2-0 was a really good feeling, especially because we only had one training session before the competition began. Before the tournament, we weren’t sure where we would stand but now, after that final, we have a lot more confidence going into the nationals.”
The Boy's team also went unbeaten, finishing the competition with a 3 - 1 victory over Western.
Swimming
9 Strathallan swimmers took part in the second round of the North and Midlands Long course Championship in Aberdeen.
For some it was the first long course meet of this season. There were a number of medals, personal best swims and process goals achieved .
Well done to Harrie W, Euan W, Elise C, Owen C, Evan D, James G, Consti S, Kristin M & Finlay B
Hamish N, Captain of the Boy's team said, “Tournament was tough, lots of strong teams. winning that final and hearing the whistle go was an amazing feeling. It’s definitely lifted our spirits and given us a boost of confidence for this year.”
Pauline Stott MBE, organiser of the tournament and cofounder of HPC, said, “Our first HPC QAPM Under 18 Hockey tournament was a great success with 13 teams from across Scotland taking part.
“Congratulations to Strathallan School for winning both tournaments. We look forward to seeing them and other teams compete in our Under 15 and 13 events in 2023.”
Best of luck to Strathallan swimmer Evan D who has a week of serious racing ahead of him at the British Swimming Championships.
#BSC23 takes place at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre from the 4th - 9th of April and plays a key role in the selection process for Olympic, Commonwealth, and World Championships.
Evan, who recently swam for Scotland in Toronto, will represent Perth City Swim Club and the school in Sheffield.
25
Fencing
Huge congratulations to Joshua B who became the Scottish U20 and U15 Fencing Champion. He also finished third in the
Hockey
Huge congratulations to Strathallan Prep pupils Jing, Ruby and Sophie who were part of the HPC Lions team who won the HPC/QAPM indoor U13 hockey tournament.
Badminton
Our senior badminton team won singles and doubles titles at the Perth Junior tournament.
Our 1st XI girls won the Kilgraston Hockey tournament going unbeaten throughout
After two narrow losses against clubs Inverleith & Clydesdale, we finished on a high winning our final game 6-1.
26
A brilliant effort from our senior boys hockey team in the U18 Scottish Cup Indoor hockey finals.
Senior Boys Hockey Cup Team
The 1st XI boys qualified to play in the Scottish Cup final which took place on the 17th at Peffermill in Edinburgh. The team beat Hutcheson's Grammar 5-3 and Edinburgh Academy 3-0 to qualify for the final vs Fettes College. As the previous year's Scottish Cup plate champions, it was our first appearance in the Scottish Cup final for some time. It was always going to be a close game as earlier in the season we drew to Fettes 1-1.
The final was played in an electric atmosphere provided by the large crowd and incredible Strathallan supporters. It was an even game with opportunities for both teams throughout the game. Unfortunately, we went 0-1 down in the second half after a 0-0 half time score. Strathallan pushed for the equalizer and came agonizingly close on multiple occasions, including hitting the post after some remarkable goalkeeping by the Fettes goalkeeper.
It was not to be for our courageous 1st XI boys hockey team who lost the final 0-1 but they can hold their heads high for what has been a superb season having only lost 1 regular competition match and 1 other match, the Scottish Cup final.
Junior Boys Hockey Cup Team
The Junior Boys cup team qualified to play in the Scottish Cup plate final on the 24.3.23. The original date was postponed due to poor weather conditions but this gave our team another week of preparation for their big match vs Stewart Melville. Two weeks prior to the Junior Cup final our u15A and u14A teams played against Stew Mel with Strathallan winning the u14A match 4-0 and the u15S match finishing in a 3-3 draw. This mean the Junior Boys plate final was always going to be an entertaining encounter.
Another wonderful crowd of Strathallan supporters cheered on their friends during the high-intensity plate final. Stew Mel scored first and started the better team, creating some good opportunities only to be thwarted by Leo Cochrane in goal. Strathallan equalized after a quickly taken 16-yard from James Townshend set free Robert Ferguson who duly found Ben Brown in the circle to draw the game level. Stew Mel went ahead 2-1 but their goal was quickly cancelled out by a finely taken penalty corner goal from James Townshend. The game continued at a frenetic pace with opportunities presenting themselves for both teams. A combination of timeous Stew Mel defending and some jaw-dropping saves from Leo Cochrane meant the full-time score unchanged at 2-2.
Stewart Melville took the upper hand in the running penalties and never faltered as they won the shootout 2-0 crowning themselves the Scottish Cup junior plate champions. The Strathallan team can be extremely happy with their season and take this experience forward with them into next year's hockey season.
Hockey Plate Final
Not the result they wanted but our Senior Boys Hockey team gave it their all. They finish second in the Scottish Schools Cup after a nail-biting 1-0 match against Fettes.
No matter the final score, our team should be proud of their outstanding run this season.
27
Strathallan riders spring to success at Fife Pony Club
On Sunday 29th January, Strathallan riders were out in force at Fife Pony Club's annual team show jumping competition at Highfield at Howe Equestrian Centre, Fife.
A total of 12 Strathallan teams competed in classes with fence heights ranging from 40cm to 105cm.
The results are as follows:
In Class 40cm the team of Isla A, Grace M and Brooke B came 4th, with Brooke 5th individual
In Class 50cm, Isla A was 1st individual, beating 20 other riders
In Class 60cm the team of Anna M, Eilidh B and Nicola C came 2nd, with Nicola 5th individual
In Class 70cm the team of Anna M, Ruby A and Nicola C came 3rd, with Nicola 4th individual
In Class 80cm the team of Emily S, Ruby A, Jacob H and Eva S came 1st, with Eva 4th individual
In Class 90cm the team of Emily S riding 2 ponies, Elspeth W and Eliza E came 2nd, with Eliza 5th individual
In Class 100cm:
the Strathallan Gold team of Elspeth W, Farrah C, Pebbles W and Eliza E came 1st, winning the crystal trophy
Individual awards : Elspeth 1st, Farrah 3rd, Eliza 4th
the Strathallan Navy team of Pebbles W riding 2 ponies, Francesca W and Farrah C came 3rd
Individual awards: Farrah 6th
The Crystal Trophy
In Class 105cm:
the Strathallan Navy team of Pebbles W riding 2 ponies and Farrah C came 2nd
Individual award: Farrah 1st
the Strathallan Gold team of Francesca W, Pebbles W and Farrah C came 3rd
Individual award: Farrah 3rd
Julie Summersgill, Equestrian Team Coordinator said, "A huge thank you must go to Fife Pony Club for hosting such a great event and thanks to our Captain of Equestrian, Sophie B, who helped some of the younger riders to walk their courses. Well done to all our riders for a tremendous effort throughout the day."
28
Equestrian
Success at the Kilgraston Scottish Schools Equestrian Championships at Highfield Equestrian Centre in Fife.
Wins for our dressage team (Eliza, Alice, Sophie & Micha) in the Novice 24 test and Eliza E in the 1.10 pony class!
More success, this time from our equestrian captain Sophie B and Strathallan Prep rider Isla A (and her Pony Mr Flint) with some more rosettes.
Ski Development Squad
No rest yet for Hamish B who has been training with the British Nordic Ski Development Squad in Sjusjoen, Norway in -20° temperatures.
Hamish finished his pre-Christmas camp with the 3.3km Arne Rustadatuen Memorial Race at the Birkebeineren Stadium, Lillehammer.
He started Nordic skiing when he was 8 at Cairngorm Biathlon & Nordic Ski Club and joined the GB Development Squad last year.
29
Prep School Clays Competition
We were delighted to welcome pupils and parents from Prep Schools across Scotland to our annual Prep School Clays Competition
The competition was excellent, with all the pupils working hard to shoot well and score high.
Congratulations to our own Hector M, Douglas P and Finlay S for winning the team competition, and a huge well done to Charlie F from St. Mary's on being named High Gun.
Thanks to Craigclowan School, Belhaven Hill School, St Marys and our two Strathallan Prep School teams for the great day of shooting.
Strathallan High Guns show their skills in Oxford
Superb shooting from our team at The Oxford Gun Club
Despite only being able to field one team due to other constraints, our pupils shot really well, landing 2 High Guns and coming 2nd in the overall tournament, only missing out on the top spot by 4 clays.
- Ali T cleared all the stands, posting an incredible 50/50 and becoming the Boys High Gun.
- Molly H shot a brilliant 46/50 and won Girls High Gun after a fierce shoot-off
- Hunter S also shot 46/50 - which would have won him the Colts High Gun, but he was entered into the Senior student category.
- Robbie W landed a high 41/50
- Millie G shot a great 40/50
And Ed L posted an impressive 39/40 as an individual entrant
This was an excellent performance. As the only mixed team of girls and boys at the competition, it definitely cements Strathallan as one of the top clay shooting schools in the country
30
Rugby
Our Strathallan 1st XV & 2nd XV hosted Belgrano Rugby Club from Argentina in two very competitive matches with lots of great rugby on display.
Our 1st XV won 33-12 & our 2nd XV lost 34-5 Alongside our U18 matches against we accommodated their U20 squad in one of our great facilities in the gym to aid them in preparing for their match coming up against Hartpury RFC.
Post match traditions were shared including speeches, gifts and a quaich, Scotland’s cup of friendship, between coaches. 2nd XV coach Paul Vallot explained the meaning of the historic tradition to Belgrano touring party & shared a drink with their Head Coach.
Fantastic to see 6 of our 1st XV representing the Caledonia district in the FOSROC finals day at the Oriam. They are heading to Scotstoun for Glasgow Warriors U18 training.
Well done and good luck to Ellis C, Rob C, Andy C, Hamish C, Joe T, and Archie R.
Well done to Jos N, Anna S, Nathalie R and Lottie R on your 50-5 win for Caledonia Midlands against the North. Congratulations girls!
31
Massive congratulations to Lottie, Nathalie, Jos and Anna who all won the national Cup & Shield finals with their clubs Tayside and Stirling County.
Congratulations to Seb G, Derek M, Fergus T, Tom S, Max E, Finlay T, Tom C, and Adam W who were selected for the Caledonia in the U16 Festival on Sunday 5th March at Stirling County RFC.
The Road to Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens begins for our U16A squad.
U16 7s Captain, Adam W said the team were excited for this new experience and had been training hard over the last few months.
He added, “We looking forward to playing at Rosslyn Park and represent the school and Scotland at the national level.” Best of luck boys!
Huge congratulations to Lottie R who has been selected for the Scottish Rugby U18 Six Nations squad.
A Strathallan Rugby Academy pupil who plays for Stirling County RFC, Lottie said she couldn’t believe her eyes when her selection email came through and had to get a friend to check that what she was seeing was real.
“It’s a massive honour to be selected for the Scottish Women’s U18 Six Nations squad,” said Lottie. “We have an incredible team and I can’t wait to get out and play the best rugby I can.”
Joe, who joined Strath from Belhaven in Third Form, said playing for Scotland is a dream come true.
32
A huge well done to Joe T who has been selected for Scotland team U18 team to face Wales.
Rugby Sevens
200 years ago, William Webb Ellis took a football at Rugby School and ran with it.
To mark this occasion, Rugby School invited 20 of the best rugby schools in the world to compete on the Close in their International U18 Sevens tournament.
First, our boys faced the impressive He Toto challenge from our friends at Nelson College, they were then honoured by great play as well as gifts from several teams including St Kevin's College in Australia, and in return, they played outstanding, competitive rugby.
All their games were close, winning and losing by a few points each way. Safe to say they made new friends and memories, and in the true spirit of the game, they ended up having one of the most entertaining and spectacular matches of the weekend against a mixed Canadian/Australian/Northern Irish and Rugby School Barbarian side.
Off the pitch, team manager Murray O made a name for himself by joining Nextgenxv to give insightful live commentary on their live stream which has been viewed the world over.
A huge thank you must go to the organisers at Rugby School who put on an incredible weekend of world-class rugby and to our coaches, Andrew Henderson and Nick Hill, who helped keep the team going.
33
Netball
Congratulations to our 1st VII U18 netball team on their big win at the Independent Schools Netball Tournament held in the Wilson Hall.
Well done to our Strathallan Prep U13 netball team who finished 2nd at the Ardvreck School netball tournament
Flora & Harriet R both played in the P&K district U15’s team, on Sunday, who had a great victory over the Borders.
Flora receiving both players & coaches player of the match!
Olivia D & Liv F also represented the U17 team! Well done girls.
Congratulations to our U13 girls netball team who represented Scotland at the U13 national IAPS netball finals held at Bryanston school in March. The girls played the top IAPS schools in the UK and enjoyed testing themselves in a high-level tournament. Well done to all the girls
Congratulations to our Onyx L, Jing W, Ruby A, Harriet R and Aila D who were part of the winning Caledonia team who won the regional title in March.
Well done to Cameron C and Ross McL who were also selected for the Caledonia boys team.
34
The spring term has been a season of success for the 1st VII netball team, with a goal difference of +218 from 35 games played. The girls have worked hard throughout the term, progressing through the rounds of the Scottish cup as well as playing in a fierce Perth Ladies League.
The term started with a convincing win, 51-23, against the Royal High School in the knockout rounds of the Scottish cup. We then met Perth High School in the quarter finals, the girls played with intensity from the start, forming great passages of attacking play whilst also applying pressure in defence, this allowed the girls to take the win 41-32 in front of a lively and supportive home crowd.
The finals were played away against Kirkwall Grammar, an early leave and a breakfast stop made for some quality team bonding time. After a slow start we soon settled and our shotting combo of Lily T (GS) and Olivia F (GA) were able to create scoring opportunities with the hard work of our mid-court Lucy T (C) and Louise B (WA), feeding quick and direct balls into the shooting circle. Turnovers came from our defence of Lottie R, Anya M, Grace H and Chloe M, allowing the girls to go up after the second quarter, continuing to play a well contested match with a great team effort. However, it wasn’t meant to be, resulting in a close 53-58 loss.
A highlight of the season was becoming Independent schools tournament champions, winning all 6 of our matches. The girls played Robert gordons in the finals, taking control of the match from the first centre pass, great connections were made throughout the court, resulting in 17-9 victory.
We started the netball season at the start of November with a fresh and young team that had never played together, to have reached a Scottish cup semi final is massive achievement and the girls should be so proud of all their work.
This season could not have been done without the support and efforts of our amazing coaches Mrs Waugh and Miss Gibson, and I cannot thank them enough for their contributions. The 1st VII has been pleasure to lead this season and I wish them all the best of luck at the world schools tournament in Loughborough.
- Chloe McM. Captain of Netball
35
Tennis
Over the weekend of the 3-5th of March, Strathallan pupils Freya Cooper, Ben Cooper, Marcus McLaren and Jed McMillan represented their counties in the U18 County Cup.
With Freya representing the North girls in Grantham, Marcus and Ben the North boys in Sheffield and Jed playing for the South of Scotland in the Wirral.
The competition is one of the biggest tennis events in the UK, with 44 counties throughout the UK, all playing over the same weekend at venues across the country, and it was great to see our pupils selected to compete in this team environment while representing their county.
Ben and Marcus helped the North achieve promotion to Division 1, the top division where the North will compete against Surrey, Kent and Hertfordshire next year. The North girls won 2 out of 3 ties and stayed in their division, as did the South boys team.
Congratulations to the following pupils on selection to represent their respective Districts at the upcoming Tennis Scotland Inter-District Championships, held at Strathallan School in April: Jed M, Freya C, Grace & Thomas D.
Victory for pupil Jed M at the David Lloyd Manchester North Open. A strong showing from the unseeded player, coming through the draw to win the event - well done, Jed!
Incredible to have Jed & Marcus competing in the Glasgow Junior International J100. This is a first for Strathallan School having 2 pupils competing at this level, & a real testament to their desire, dedication & outstanding commitment to the sport.
36
Back to back titles for Jed M in Manchester - winning the U18 boys singles in style, dropping just 5 games on his way to the title. Congratulations Jed.
A great day for siblings Freya & Ben - with Freya winning the U16 County Tour event at St Andrews Uni and Ben finishing as runner-up in the men’s singles at the Scotland Tour event in Aberdeen! Well done both, some great results!
Congratulations to Ben C who has passed the LTA - Tennis For Britain Level 1 coaching qualification.
Ben will work alongside our coach Tommy to continue to develop his coaching and will be assisting a junior group.
Congratulations to Freya C, who won the girls U16 Scottish Indoor Doubles Tennis Championships, with partner Anna M.
Congratulations to you both.
Ben C who has also been added to the U18 Tennis Tayside team for the upcoming Inter-District. This is a great reward for his continued hard work - well done Ben!
37
Congratulations to Ben C on winning the U18 singles at the County Tour event, held at Craiglockhart Tennis Centre in Edinburgh - defeating the top two seeds on his way to the title! Well done, Ben!
Tennis: A tough day of competition for senior pupils Ben & Nic, with Ben continuing his recent good form with another title, winning the boys U18 singles in Hamilton. While Nic finished as runner-up in the boys U18 singles in Stirling. Well done gents, great work!
Congratulations
A wonderful achievement gents, well done!
38
A good weekend for 3rd Form pupil Thomas D, finishing as runner-up in the U16 G3 singles in Manchester. Well done Thomas, a fab showing!
Scottish Junior Indoor Doubles Championships 2023.
to pupil Marcus M and partner Cammy F who are now Scottish U18 Champions.
SSAA
Brilliant day of indoor athletics at the SSAA track & field Championships at the Emirates arena in Glasgow.
Two PB’s for Lucy and Matthew in the 1500m & 200m!
Gymnastics
Well done to our Strathallan Prep gymnastics team who had a brilliant day competing in the Perth & Kinross schools gymnastics competition.
Our Level 2 primary team were 2nd & our Level 1 secondary team finished 3rd! Amazing!
Well done girls!
Our 24 Strathallan Prep pupils had a brilliant day out at the Merchiston Sport XC relays.
Well done to all our runners, especially our U13 girls who won the U13 girls race in a new course record of 15.03.��
Well done Lily, Aila and Ruby.
Tennis Scotland Awards
We are excited to announce that our tennis programme has been shortlisted in the Tennis Scotland School of the Year Award category for achievements in 2022!
A tremendous recognition of our staff and pupils who continue to work so hard.
39
Inter-House
Inter-House Hockey & Netball
Congratulations to the winning houses!
Girls Netball
Junior Girls: Woodlands House
Senior Girls: Thornbank House
Boys Hockey
Junior & Senior Boys: Freeland House
Well done to everyone who took part
Junior boys Inter-House football
One Saturday afternoon in front of a capacity crowd, Nicol house took the trophy home after beating neighbours Ruthven house in a penalty shootout!
40
Senior Inter-house Cross Country
Overall results
Junior Boys
1st Freeland
2nd Nicol
3rd Simpson
4th Ruthven
Intermediate Boys
1st Simpson
2nd Nicol
3rd Freeland
4th Ruthven
Senior Boys
1st Freeland
2nd Ruthven
3rd Nicol
4th Simpson
Junior Girls
1st Glenbrae
2nd Thornbank
3rd Woodlands
Intermediate Girls
1st Thornbank
2nd Glenbrae
3rd Woodlands
Senior Girls
1st Thornbank
2nd Glenbrae
3rd Woodlands
Overall Girls
1st Thornbank
2nd Glenbrae
3rd Woodlands
Overall Boys
1st Freeland
2nd Nicol
3rd Simpson
4th Ruthven
41
Inter-Div
Inter-Divisional Sport
Lots of team spirit & healthy competition on show throughout.
Girls Netball Winners - Glenearn
Boys Hockey Winners - Dron
Swimming Winners - Balmanno
Inter-Divisional Music
It is always a highlight to see whole divisions coming together to participate in school wide events. On Friday 17th February family, friends and colleagues gathered to watch the SPS Divisional Music Competition 2023. We were treated to performances of What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction (Glenearn), Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond (Balmanno), Price Tag by Jessie J (Dron) and Happy by Pharrell Williams.
The competition was very close. The overall winners were Balmanno, but every single pupil can be proud of making music together and providing us with fun, top quality performances.
Surina C won best soloist for her rendition of Car Wash by Rose Royce and Dupplin won best Ensemble for Counting Stars by OneRepublic.
42
CCF CCF Field Day
We were delighted to welcome Cpl Cruachan and Nightcap to Strathallan today for CCF Field Day. Our cadets got to meet His Majesty the King's Pony, the Mascot of The Royal Regiment of Scotland. They also took part in weapons handling, with demonstrations from Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and Scottish Horse, as well as virtual reality and a hands-on STEM exercise to engineer a solution for a rapid response.
Tam o Shanters and Red Hackles
A proud moment at school for 52 of our Army Cadets who received their Tam o Shanters and Red Hackles from Colonel Alasdair Halford-MacLeod, Commandant Black Watch Battalion ACF.
Our CCF Contingent is one of the few in Scotland who wear the Red Hackle due to our affiliation with 3 SCOTS, The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland.
43
Royal Navy Field Day
Delighted to welcome back former member of staff Russell Newham to Strathallan with the Royal Navy Cadets from Queen Victoria School for our CCF Field Day.
Our cadets worked together with their QVS counterparts to complete a series of tasks including orienteering, weapons training, raising a free-standing flagpole from spare parts, and taking on the Pusser's Trading Post - a multi-staged challenge devised by Mr Newham to challenge their mental and physical agility.
Duke of Edinburgh
DofE season has started
60 pupils across Bronze, Silver & Gold levels attended a fantastic training day, getting ready for this year's expeditions.
44
Strathallians
Delighted to welcome former Captain of School, Cid LewisLettington back to school.
A final year Law student, Cid talked to the school at Assembly about the student-led charity, SolidariTee that she is involved with.
SolidariTee supports those affected by forcible displacement, raises awareness of asylum seekers and raises funds for legal aid to help them.
My Name’5 Doddie Foundation
Former pupils Max Adam and Kris Boon walked & cycled 88km from the Borders to Murrayfield in memory of their 1988 Scottish Schools Touring Squad member Doddie Weir.
So far, they have raised over £38,000 of their £88,000 target for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation.
Read more about their efforts and find out how to donate:
Any time Scotland lifts the Calcutta Cup it is a moment to remember, but when three of your former pupils lift it together with their team, it’s all the more special. Congratulations Scottish Rugby.
45
Huge congratulations to former pupil Ben Muir and his band mates in Falasgair who have won the prestigious Danny Kyle Open Stage at Celtic Connections.
Congratulations to former pupil Robbie MacIsaac who has been awarded Scottish Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2023
