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 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 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

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.

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

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.

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 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

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.

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 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

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.

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’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’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!

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.

Strathallan U16 Girls Hockey Team qualified for the National U16 Finals following a win against Glenalmond College in the Midlands U16 Cup Final on Wednesday 11th March.

The Strathallan team gave a great team performance which resulted in a 10 – 3 victory over Glenalmond College. Ciara Elwis was top scorer with 4 goals, closely followed by Philippa Orr who scored 3 goals, Lynne Howie and Rachel Stewart also made significant contributions to the final score with 2 and 1 goals respectively.

The National Finals will be held at Peffermill, Edinburgh

Leading independent Perthshire school, Kilgraston hosted their first Prep Schools’ String Orchestra Day on Friday 13th March 2009. In total over 37 young musicians under the age of 13 from six preparatory schools across Scotland will be joining staff and other pupils from Kilgraston at the event which is being led by the Kilgraston’s Musicians in Residence, the Alba Quartet, one of Scotland’s leading string ensembles. The students will participate in a day-long series of rehearsals and other fun activities concluding with a concert in front of parents and other invited guests in the school’s chapel.

Kilgraston Director of Music, Andrew Jenkins said, “This is a very exciting initiative for the school and I am delighted that so many Prep Schools are taking part. Kilgraston has a long tradition of excellence in music and we are looking forward with great enthusiasm to working with so many pupils from other schools. I am particularly pleased that the Alba Quartet are also involved in the initiative; they are a young and vibrant Scottish based ensemble, all graduates of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow and the Royal College of Music in London. I know that they too are excited at working with the children helping them to develop their musical skills.”

Strathallan senior boys 1st IV Tennis Team of Michael Wells, Christian Kolb, Ruairidh Watson and Alastair Hunt (Captain) qualified for the British Finals of the Senior Student National Championships. This is the second year running in which a Strathallan team have made it to the finals.

The Strathallan team travelled down to Cumbria for the British Cup match against The Lakes School where they played in both the doubles and singles events. Ruaridh Watson defeated a player of much higher ranking 6-0 and Alistair Hunt went on to victory 11-9 after winning a tie break at 6-6.

The British Finals day will be held at the Bolton Arena on 20th & 21st March 2009.

The Scottish Schools Swimming Championships took place at Tollcross Leisure Centre, Glasgow, on Saturday 31st January 2009. Strathallan School were represented by 9 swimmers over the course of the finals which resulted in 2 gold medals and 1 silver medal.

Joe Lipworth followed his success earlier in the month with an outstanding win by over 5 seconds in the boys 15/16 200IM. Joe recorded a time of 2.14.96 a personal best time. Later in the day Joe swam in the boys 15/16 100 backstroke where he finished in Silver position with another personal best time of 1.03.11.

One of Strathallans youngest swimmers Duncan Scott was fastest qualifier for the final of the boys 12 & under 50 butterfly and carried on to win Gold in a personal best time of 33.14. Duncan also competed with Andrew Young, Angus Gibson and Mark McGuire in the boys 12 & under 4 x 50 front crawl relay where they finished a credible 7th and all swimmers recorded personal best times.

Also swimming for Strathallan were Roy Cameron, 17-19 200IM finished 6th, Maggie Luck 15/16 200IM finished 14th , 15/16 100 freestyle finshed 14th and Craig Rintoull, 13/14 100 breastroke finished 13th all three swimmers had excellent swims.

Photo: Ian Macnicol Photography

The photo shows: Nicola Martin, Manager, The Brigg Farm Shop with competition winners Rachel Menzies and Joanna Hay

Some of Kilgraston’s Sixth Form pupils, with Biology teacher, Amanda O’Hear (second from right), presenting a cheque for £701.25 to retired physics teacher Guy Hawksford (seated) for an orphanage in Laos, South East Asia. This is the third donation presented to the orphanage by pupils from the Perthshire school in less than two years, and means that in total over £2,000 for the charity has been raised by Kilgraston alone. Guy has been raising funds to support the orphanage’s 390 children, in one of Asia’s poorest countries, ever since he and his wife first visited the country on holiday 2½ year’s ago. So far the money raised by Kilgraston has enabled the orphanage to refurbish its showers, provide clothing, blankets and mosquito nets as well as school equipment. In addition the money raised has enabled local craftsmen to make desks and chairs so that the children no longer have to sit on earth floors for their lessons. Guy and his wife are making their second return visit to Laos next month.

Pauline Stott, a former international hockey player has started the New Year by joining the staff of Kilgraston, Perthshire’s leading independent boarding and day school for girls. Pauline joins Kilgraston with fantastic credentials. In 2000 she was Captain of the British Ladies Hockey Team at the Sydney Olympics, and for over seven years was Captain of the Scottish Ladies Team. In total she has achieved no less than 203 combined caps. In addition to hockey, Pauline has an impressive all round sporting CV. Originally from Dundee, she was her school’s Athletics Champion for six years, with her six records still unbeaten and a High Jump representative at the Scottish Schools’ Championships. Since leaving school she has gained experience of coaching swimming and tennis as well as being a member of Bona Grass Grove Hockey Club and she is still involved in encouraging the younger generation to take up hockey on a competitive basis.

On starting her post at Kilgraston, Pauline said “I am really looking forward to the challenge of taking forward Kilgraston’s sporting traditions and helping them to build on their recent sporting successes. The school has some fantastic sporting facilities, including a new state of the art 25m indoor swimming pool complex opened as recently as last year. My ambition is to build sport at Kilgraston to new levels. Sport should be a fun activity for all. Kilgraston is lucky in that a very high proportion of its students already regularly participate in sport of one kind or another; my aim is to encourage everyone, regardless of individual ability and age, to participate in sporting activities. Kilgraston already has some great role models; recently for example two of our pupils achieved no less three gold and one bronze medals at the Tayside Swimming Gala and as a result have qualified to participate in the Scottish Schools’ Championships to be held in Glasgow later this month. “

Strathallan pupil, 15 year-old, Joe Lipworth has had another successful month in the pool. At the National Short Course Championships held at Tollcross from 16th – 18th January he won two Gold medals, a Silver medal and achieved six Personal Bests. In the 100 IM he was ranked number 1 in Great Britain for age 15 SC, in the 200 IM he achieved a Scottish Record for Age 15 and was again ranked number 1 in Great Britain, in the 200 Fly he is ranked Number 1 in Scotland and in 200 Breast he is ranked number 5 in Britain.

Joe is the first pupil at Strathallan to set a Scottish Record in the pool. Swimming at the School continues to improve, under the supervision of coach, Elaine Johnston. At the Tayside Schools’ Championships held last year the School won 37 medals; 17 Gold, 6 Silver and 14 Bronze.

For more information on this or any other Strathallan School events please do not hesitate to contact me.

Picture: Joe is pictured here with the shield he won at one of the earlier championships this year.

A talented artist who is currently teaching art at Perthshire’s leading boarding and day school for girls, Kilgraston, has picked up a top award at one of Scotland’s most prestigious contemporary art exhibitions, the 147th Open Annual Exhibition by the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts (RGI).

Georgina McMaster has once again triumphed at the RGI Annual Exhibition and has been awarded The David Cargill Award with a cash prize of £2,000. Georgina’s beautiful oil painting of two hares is entitled ‘Perfect Match’. This is the second time Georgina has won an RGI award – in 2007 she was awarded the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow Award.

The 2008 exhibition is open to the public from Friday 7 November until Sunday 30 November at The Mitchell, North Street, Glasgow, with a minimal entry fee of £2.00 and £1.00 (concessions).

Gordon Macpherson, RGI President, said: “Choosing just one winner per category was an extremely difficult task this year. Our selectors were really impressed with the standard of entries, which seems to improve each year. There was an even higher number of entries this year, so our award winners should be really proud of making it through the process and particularly if they have collected one of the main prizes. We must congratulate our worthy winners for their superb contributions to another outstanding exhibition.”

Prizes to the value of £18,000 have been awarded across 18 categories, including several exclusively aimed at young painters, sculptors and first time exhibitors.

Two pupils from the leading Perthshire girls’ boarding school, Kilgraston, gained an impressive haul of medals at the recent Tayside Schools’ Regional Swimming Gala. Isobel Cowen achieved gold in the 200m individual medley and the 100m backstroke (17 to 19 year age group) whilst Alexandria Scott won a Gold in the 400m individual medley (open to all age groups) and a Silver in the 100m Butterfly (15 – 16 year age group). Both girls have now successfully qualified for the Scottish Schools’ Swimming Championships which will be held in Glasgow in January 2009. A third Kilgraston pupil, 11 year old Rebecca Norval, also participated in the Gala and achieved very respectable result in the U11 Front Crawl race.

Whilst congratulating the girls Mike Farmer, Kilgraston’s Principal, said “We are extremely proud that our pupils achieved such a fantastic success at the recent Swimming Gala. Our new 25m indoor swimming pool complex only opened in the spring, and we are delighted that the girls have benefitted so much from their new opportunities. As a full boarding school, it is important for Kilgraston to offer a wide range of activities for all of our pupils and the swimming pool is a tremendous addition to our extensive range of facilities. Not only are the pupils now able to have regular swimming sessions and water based activities, but they also have the chance to swim competitively at local and national events. We wish both Alexandria and Isobel every success next year and hope that these early successes will be the first of many”.

Photo shows: Alexandria Scott (left) with Isobel Cowen (right) showing off their respective medals beside Kilgraston’s new 25m state of the art indoor swimming pool.

Strathallan School pupils won 37 medals at the Tayside Schools Championships held on the 13th and 14th November at Olympia, Dundee. They won a total of 17 gold medals, 6 silver medals and 14 bronze medals. The gold medals were won by Roy Cameron, Derek Hui, Julius Schulte and Ken Seeska in the 17 – 19 Relay; by Joe Lipworth, Rhuaridh Watson, James Pak and Nick Walker in the 15 – 16 FC Relay and by Duncan Scott, Angus Gibson, Mark McGuire and Cameron Hirst in the U12 FC Relay. Individual gold’s were also won by Duncan Scott in the U12 50 Fly and FC, Maggie Luck in the 15 – 16 200IM (who also won a silver in the 100FC) and Joe Lipworth in the 15 – 16 200IM and 100BS.

Silver Medals were won by the 15 – 16 FC Relay team, Maggie Luck, Yasmine Forbes, Emily MacLachlan and Tasha Jaworski. Roy Cameron also won a silver medal in the 17 – 19 200IM and a bronze in the 100 Fly. The 13/14 Relay team, Jayne Thoms, Eilidh Gibson, Siobhan Forbes and Emma Cheape won bronze medals. The individual bronze medal winners were Mark McGuire for 50BR, Eilidh Gibson 200BC, Craig Rintoull for 100BR and FC, Nick Walker for 100FC, James Pak for 100BC, Vicky Gow 200IM, Sarah MacLachlan for 100BR and Ken Seeska for 100BR.

Strathallan improved on their 33 medals (13 gold) at the same event last year and real credit must go to the Strathallan coach, Elaine Johnston for the ongoing success of the School’s swimmers.

Strathallan School Chamber Choir travelled to Crathie Kirk, Royal Deeside recently to perform for HRH Queen Elizabeth II. The Choir comprised of Rosie Beetschen, Ollie Wale, Kate Cockburn, Josiah Bircham, Alice INglis, Martin Kwock, Corrie Stewart, Jenny Wood, William Campbell-Gibson, Hannah Johnstone, Sam Lipworth, Catriona MacKenzie, Steven Segaud and Jo MacLachlan.

They stayed at Crathie Manse the previous night and after a successful rehearsal were ready for the morning service at Braemar Kirk followed by the Service at Crathie Kirk which was attended by HRH Queen Elizabeth II. The Choir performed Oculi Omnium by Charles Wood as the Introit, Love Divine by Howard Goodall as the Anthem and the Gaelic Blessing by John Rutter as the blessing.

Photo: pupils with Strathallan teacher, Mrs Carole Sim Sayce and Director of Music, Mr Richard Walmsley in front of Crathie Kirk.

Strathallan secured four trophies at the Scottish Schools Clay Pigeon Shooting Championships held at Cluny Clays on 28th September 2008. In the Senior A Competition Strathallan team, Ian MacKenzie, Grant Murdoch, Patrick Morris-Eyton and Will Fraser, finished top of the Scottish Schools with a score of 110 out of a possible 150. Patrick was also awarded the high gun trophy with a score of 41 out of 50.

Strathallan were also triumphant in the Senior B Team Competition with Toby Culham, Connor Blackburn, Simon McBride and George Burbury taking home the trophy. The girl’s team, Finola Lundgnen, Rosie Gibson and Heather Larson, completed the trophy haul by winning the Girls Competition.

Strathallan School held their new synthetic pitch opening and matches between current and former pupils on Sunday 22nd June. The day got underway with the girls match that the Strathallian Girls won 1 – 0 from a well executed Penalty Corner. During half time the official opening took place with current international hockey player and former pupil, Robert Barr cutting the tape.

The boys 1st XI v Strathallians was another competitive match with the pupils leading throughout the game but in the last fifteen minutes the Strathallians stepped up their game, scoring two goals to equalise 3 – 3.