Private School News

STRATHALLAN SCHOOL, PERTHSHIRE – PUPILS ORGANISE GUITAR HERO FESTIVAL IN AID OF CANCER RESEARCH UK

Strathallan pupil Andrew Glover and friends handed over a cheque for over £1,000 to Dorothy Rodger from Cancer Research UK this week.

This sum was raised when Andrew and fellow pupils Oliver Beetschen and Jamie Parker organised an inter-house Guitar Hero competition at the School in April.

Andrew said “We held a smaller event last year, but this being our last term at the School we wanted to organise something much bigger and felt it was a good idea to support a charitable cause. The event was entirely pupil organised and we are very pleased to have raised so much for Cancer Research UK.”

Accepting the generous donation Dorothy Rodger from Cancer Research UK said “This was a fabulous and innovative way to support Cancer research UK and I would like to thank everyone who was involved.”

STRATHALLAN SCHOOL Leads The Way With Healthier Eating

Strathallan School has been awarded the prestigious Healthyliving Award plus following the commitment of caterers Sodexho to supporting healthier eating.
Strathallan is the first school in Scotland to receive this award which has been gained by only five other operations.
Catering Manager Gordon Stewart said “We are really delighted to receive this award as we have always supported healthy eating here at the School. We have a dedicated team and it is great to have their achievements recognised is this way. ”
In order to qualify for the plus award, the School has increased the proportion of healthy options on the menus and places a greater emphasis on the marketing and promotion of healthier food choices to all the pupils and staff.

Photo: The Strathallan Catering Team

STRATHALLAN SCHOOL – Swimming Sensation

Strathallan pupil Duncan Scott achieved outstanding results at the Scottish National Age-Group Championships at Tollcross winning eight individual medals and three relay medals.

Duncan who is pictured here with coach Elaine Johnston also achieved six personal best times and was Scottish National Age-Group Champion in the 100 fly, 200 fly and 200 individual medley for 11/12 age group.

“Duncan swam extremely well over the four day meet and his hard work continues to produce excellent results” said Strathallan swim team coach Elaine Johnston

Equestrian Excellence at STRATHALLAN SCHOOL

Strathallan Equestrian Teams excelled at the annual Scottish Schools Equestrian Championships at Gleneagles.

The Intermediate Team of Jenny Summersgill, Emma Cheape, Rosie Williams and Sarah Cheape won the dressage and show jumping events and were overall winners.

In the Senior Section Heather Larson, Corrie Stewart, Flora Hay and Olivia Woodes-Rogers won the Show jumping event and came overall second.

Triumphant Tennis Team

Six Strathallan pupils enjoyed a successful tournament at the annual Glenalmond Mixed Doubles Tournament winning the overall trophy.

Ruairidh Watson and Lea Gill won all matches in their group and the Group A Trophy while Christian Kolb and Anastasiya Veretennikova won the Group B Trophy.

Strathallan Tennis Academy Coach Tommy Ogilvie said “I am delighted with the result. The team have a really positive attitude and have worked hard this year to produce this result.”

Photo: winning team

Shooting Ahead as Strathallan Launches Clay Pigeon Shooting Academy

Following on from Strathallan’s continued success at the British Schools Clay Pigeon Championships, the School has now launched a Clay Pigeon Shooting Academy.

This will take the form of talented and gifted pupils being selected to join the Academy where International coach Iain MacGregor, the only ISSFA Licence Shotgun coach presently in the UK, will provide first class instruction.

The individuals will represent the School at Scottish and British Championships and work towards achieving International Honours. Strathallan has been the Scottish Schools Champions twelve times in the last fifteen years and has finished in the top three at the British Schools Championships five times in recent years.

Iain MacGregor said “This is a very exciting time for the team at Strathallan and I commend the School for its support and commitment to this sport. The Academy, with its new range and improved facilities will provide excellent opportunities for the selected pupils.”

Three recent Strathallan pupils have gone on to gain International honours, Keith Brown won his first cap for Scotland last year, Rory Gibson is a member of the Junior Development Olympic Skeet Training Squad for the 2010 Commonwealth Games and Fraser Rawlinson is a member of the junior Development Sporting Squad. Strathallan is looking forward to growing and developing the talents of many other pupils at the School as well as working with talented individuals and teams for Prep Schools.

Girls mark the centenary of the Suffragette Movement

To celebrate the recent centenary of the Suffragette Movement the pupils at Perthshire’s leading girls’ school Kilgraston were involved in several interdisciplinary projects looking at the changing role of women in society.

For the final of the project the pupils hosted an Edwardian Afternoon Tea Party. The girls enjoyed dressing up as maids and serving tea. The event was attended by staff and parents who enjoyed a selection of afternoon tea fancies, Viennese biscuits and sandwiches all made and prepared by girls from Upper Four (S2)

Photo:some of Kilgraston’s Upper Fourth pupils dressed for the occasion.

Scotland Rugby Stars Coach Strathallan’s Rising Stars

Scotland Rugby Internationalists, Max and Thom Evans spent an afternoon at Strathallan School this week coaching school rugby squads.

The Rugby stars, who also play for the Glasgow Warriors, are the 45th set of brothers to play for Scotland and took to their coaching roles with great ease and confidence. Their rigorous training drills were enthusiastically received by all the pupils and Max and Thom generously allowed extra time for a question and answer session to discuss all aspects of life as a professional rugby player. The afternoon’s session definitely inspired the School’s rising stars.

Currently Strathallan has six 1st XV players selected for Caledonia U17 and U18 Training Squads and Sixth Form pupil, Ryan Hood is a member of the U18 Scotland squad.

Photo: Max and Thom Evans with some U14 players

Local Teacher to perform “Flower of Scotland “in front of 70,000 fans as Scotland play Japan in Tokyo

Andrew McGarva, newly appointed Director of Music at Kilgraston School in Bridge of Earn, Perth will be performing “The Flower of Scotland” in front of 70,000 football fans as they gather to watch the Scotland national football team play Japan in the Nissan Stadium, Yokohama on Saturday the 10th of October. Andrew has recently arrived at Kilgraston after two years living and working in Japan as the Head of Music at the British School in Tokyo. While Andrew was in the Far East he performed at numerous high-profile events, his most recent being as Musical Director and Conductor of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra for a gala concert to celebrate links between Japan and Scotland as part of UK Japan 150 and ‘Homecoming Scotland’.

On returning to Scotland this summer to take up the post of Director of Music at Kilgraston, Andrew was contacted by the Japan Scotland society to ask if he would be interested in returning to Japan and performing Flower of Scotland at the beginning of the match. Andrew said: ‘the game will be broadcast live on television across Japan with a potential audience of millions and it is a real once in a lifetime opportunity. I consider it a great honour to be invited by the Japanese and I will certainly remember the occasion for a long time to come.’ (the 10th of October is actually my wedding anniversary so after a lengthy discussion with my wife I was in the position to accept the invitation – it will certainly be an anniversary I will never forget!). I had a very enjoyable time in Japan and I regard it as my second home so to be able to return so soon after leaving is very special for me.

Scotland last played Japan in 2006 when they won the Kirin Cup under Walter Smith and this time aim to repeat their cup success with George Burley at the helm.

Kilgraston hosts first ever Scottish Girls Schools team show horse jumping competition.

Five leading girls’ schools from across Scotland came to Perthshire on Sunday
27th September to participate in the first ever Scottish Girls’ Schools Association Equestrian event at Kilgraston School, Bridge of Earn. And Kilgraston, the only school in Scotland boasting an on-site equestrian centre, showed their consistency by winning the overall team point’s trophy with Edinburgh’s Mary Erskine School coming a close second.

Three age groups were contested with Kilgraston winning the team competition in the 12 & under category. It was the turn of St Margaret’s Aberdeen to take maximum points in the 14 & under, while The Mary Erskine School took the top spot in the 15 & over section.

In the Individual competition Claudia Dinning for Craigholme took the top spot in the 12 & Under with a stunning double clear in a time of 30.56 seconds with St George’s Purdie Patterson in second. It was a Mary Erskine one, two in the 14 & Under with Rowan Ball leading the way and Ailsa Noble in second. Kilgraston filled the third and forth places with Emily Ryder and Jessica menzies followed by Caitlin Padfield for St Margaret’s and Amy Groden for Craigholme. In the senior section Mary Erskine again filled the top spot this time with Isla Mowat who posted a double clear in 31.89 seconds with Terri Hurrel second and Anna Reilly third both for Kilgraston.

This event is now set to become an annual fixture in the Girls’ School Association calendar giving an excellent opportunity for young riders to gain team experience whilst representing their school.

Photo: The Kilgraston Intermediate Team

Strathallan Celebrates 30 years of Girls

Strathallan School welcomed back the first girl at the School, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of girls at Strathallan and for the opening of the new girls’ boarding house, Glenbrae, earlier this week.

Margie Burnet Ward, now headmistress at Wycliffe College in Gloucestershire, made her first visit back to School in three decades to join other Strathallian Girls at a champagne reception in Glenbrae to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Strathallan turning co-educational. Glenbrae was completed on time for the beginning of this academic and reflects the increasing numbers wishing to come to the School. In fact, Strathallan has seen the largest increase in new pupils in all areas this year.

Strathallan achieved top A level results in 2009 with 49% at A and 95% A-C.

Pupils have represented the School in twenty three different sports producing eighteen national champions and twelve members of national squads. Six pupils have achieved national acclaim in music and the School hosts more than sixty concerts, plays, musicals and performances each year.

Photo attached – Mr David Williams, Mr Cosmo Fairbairn, Mrs Annabel Fairbairn and Mrs Kay Williams

A Royal Audience for Strathallan Singers

Fourteen Strathallan pupils travelled to Royal Deeside last weekend to perform for Her Majesty the Queen at Crathie Kirk and also at the morning service at Braemar.

Our Choir, under the direction of Director of Music, Mr Richard Walmsley is the only one to receive an invitation to perform at Crathie Kirk and is made up of Strathallan Choral Scholars and members of the School’s Chamber Choir. Conducted by Assistant Director of Music at Strathallan, Mrs Carole Sim-Sayce the Choir performed three anthems by Handel, Howells and Rutter and also joined the regular congregation in their hymn singing.

This is the fourth time that Strathallan have been invited to sing at Crathie for The Royal Family and on this occasion Her Majesty the Queen was joined by the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay.

First Minister supports the Kilgraston Peru Project

Friday evening, 11th September saw the first in a series of fundraising events for the Kilgraston School 2010 Peru expedition. A Gala Dinner was held at the Grouse and Claret restaurant, Kinross and was a huge success raising nearly £4,000.

The First Minister, Alex Salmond, gave a very personal and entertaining welcome to all the guests – after which Georgina Futong, one of the ten expedition members, told the assembled friends and family a little bit about the trip and the goals they wish to achieve. During their time in Peru the girls will be undertaking a village placed community and environmental project, as well as a visit to a sister school in Lima where the girls will be helping to teach English.

A delicious dinner with matching wines was consumed – as the guests were entertained by “Diminished 5th” jazz band and “Dusty”.

The next fundraising event is a “Through the Looking Glass” Fashion Show and Auction on the 21st November at Kilgraston School – this is also set to be another fantastic evening. Tickets are limited but a few will be available by contacting fashion@kilgraston.com

Photo: Kilgraston pupil and member of school’s 2010 expedition to Peru, Georgina Futong, with Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond.

Kilgraston girls gain a taste of life as a business leader

The Sixth Form pupils from a leading Perthshire independent school, Kilgraston, started the school year by been given an opportunity to experience life of a busy business executive by taking part in a series of tasks organised by Businessdynamics, a registered educational charity that aims to bring business to life for students. The pupils took part in a series of presentations and workshops led by people from the world of industry and commerce, all of which involved practical activity. These sessions included preparing a press release for an advertising campaign, building radio controlled rescue robots and a town planning exercise for the design and construction of a new housing complex.

Speaking afterwards, Kilgraston’s Head of Sixth Form, Elaine Prentice said “The purpose behind the programme was to give our pupils an understanding of why it is so important for them to develop the core employability skills such as team leading, communication and interpersonal skills that are so crucial if they are to gain good jobs when they leave full-time education. By the end of the two days the girls commentated that they felt more confident at public speaking and being a leader as well as understanding the need to work within tight deadlines. The programme really helped the girls to think about what direction they wish to follow when leaving school in less than a year’s time. I am really grateful to the seminar leaders all of whom spent a lot of time from their normal busy schedules to help make the two day event so successful”

Photo: Some of the Kilgraston Sixth Formers developing their radio controlled rescue robots.

Kilgraston girls cook to perfection

The Home Economics Department of Leading Perthshire girls’ school, Kilgraston, held its first Cook of the Year competition. The girls were asked to develop a two course menu using local Scottish ingredients and meeting the dietary targets. Winners in the senior section were Sophie Chisolm and Hanne Bjormark with a menu of Grilled fillet of salmon served on a bed of crushed baby potatoes, served with cucumber salad and sauce hollandaise followed by Peppered Strawberry cheesecake with Summer Berry Compote. They each won a voucher for the Edinburgh School of Food and Wine.

The winners in the middle section were Jessica Menzies and Mairi Hill with a menu of Roast Haddock wrapped in bacon served with new potatoes, broccoli and parsley sauce followed by Raspberry and Cream vanilla Roulade. Their prize was vouchers to the Nick Nairn Cook School.

The judges were David Hunt, Executive Chef at Inspire Catering and Tim Dover, Chef/Proprietor of The Roost Restaurant, Bridge of Earn, Perth.

The photo shows from left to right: from left to right Sophie Chisholm, Hanne Bjormark, Jessica Menzies and Mairi Hill with judges David Hunt (Executive Chef, Inspire Catering) and Tim Dover (Chef/Proprietor, The Roost Restaurant, Bridge of Earn)

Prep Pupils Read for Charity

Pupils from Kilgraston Prep School raised over £1,600 by participating in this year’s ‘Readathon’, the UK’s national sponsored reading event.

Each pupil in the Prep School selected a number of books to read over a ten day period and then asked friends and family for sponsorship.

The money raised will support life changing work of two children’s charities, CLIC Sargent and The Roald Dahl Foundation, who between them care for children and young people suffering from cancer, Hodgkin’s Disease, leukaemia, epilepsy, blood disorders or acquired brain injury.

Prep School Pupils help plant Hedge

On Friday 22nd May 2009 pupils from Kilgraston Preparatory School Upper Two class (P5) completed landscaping the ground around the school’s recently finished swimming pool complex. The girls planted the final shrub completing a hedge consisting of hazel, hawthorn, dog-rose and holly along the boundary with the neighbouring farm field, immediately behind the new pool.

Speaking at the occasion, Upper Two Form Teacher, Mrs Judith Carmichael said “the pupils were able to plant the hedge from the proceeds received from a sale of spring flowering bulbs, such as snow drops, daffodils, tulips and hyacinths, which took place during the autumn term. We sought advice from a local conservation expert as to which shrubs should be planted and we were able to start the planting process during the spring term prior to Easter. Hedges are an important part of our eco system. They encourage wildlife, birds and insects as they provide perfect habitats for these creatures. With farmers increasingly digging up hedges and removing other boundaries to extend fields and allow access to heavy agricultural machinery, we have seen in recent years a complete change to the rural landscape. The Government is keen to see as many new hedges planted as possible and Kilgraston is delighted to play a role in helping to enhance the environment.”

Strathallan Equestrian Teams Triumph

Strathallan’s equestrian teams excelled themselves winning the Overall Championships Cup at the Scottish Schools Championships held at Gleneagles.

The Teams won 1st in the Senior section, 2nd in the Intermediate section and 3rd in the Junior section. Best Individual sashes for dressage and combined dressage and showjumping were presented to Fergus Baird and Andrew Glover in the Senior Events, while Flora Hay won two sashes for Best Individual in the dressage and combined dressage and showjumping section for the Intermediate Team. In the Junior Team, Rosie Williams won the sash for Best individual for dressage and showumping.

It was an excellent performance from all twelve members of the Strathallan Team

Strathallan Pupils Produce Musical Magic

Strathallan’s reputation for outstanding musical performances was upheld this term with the excellent production of Guys & Dolls.

Marcus Adam (Nathan Detroit), Katy Marshall (Adelaide), Oliver Beetschen (Sky Masterson) and Alice Inglis (Sarah) in the main roles were backed by a huge supporting cast presenting some newly-discovered musical and theatrical talent.

The visual effects were enhanced by wonderful scenery, fashionable New York styles and energetic routines. One of the highlights of this year’s performance was the newly formed pupil Swing Band. A great evening’s entertainment!

Kilgraston Senior Pupils Perform “My Fair Lady”

Music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics Alan Jay Lerner

When the Senior Girls approached the Music and Drama staff at the end of the
Summer Term last year in an over-excited state about their notion to perform Frederick Loewe’s and Alan Jay Lerner’s West End hit Musical, “My Fair Lady” for the school annual production, the staff did their best to go through a reality check. But the girls would have none of it!

Scores were ordered, cast lists drawn up and rehearsals began in full swing in October of last year. Breaks for holidays and exams were the only deterrent for getting the show on to the boards at Kilgraston.

The cast’s enthusiastic approach has rendered them often hoarse and sometimes sporting limps; however, they have made it to the production week kitted out in their best bib and tuckers to full houses.

photo:left to right: Mrs Higgins preformed by Christina Cramman; Colonel Pickering, Philippa Wilson; Henry Higgins, Annabelle Braithwaite; Eliza Doolittle, Rosie Duncan, and Freddy Eynsford-Hill played by Morven Stewart.