Private School News

Strathallan Girls Victorious

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

Kilgraston Hosts String Orchestra Day

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 Serves a Double

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.

SCOTTISH SCHOOLS SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS 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

Kilgraston Cookery Competition

Kilgraston Prep School held their first Cookery Competition, organised by the Home Economics Department and supported by the Brigg Farm Shop at Bridge of Earn. The contestants were asked to plan a two course menu using local Scottish produce which was judged by David Hunt, Executive Chef, at Inspire Catering. The two winners were presented with vouchers each giving two adults and two children lunch at the Brigg Farmshop Restaurant; and the winning menu, consisting of Roast Breast of Perthshire Chicken with locally produced potatoes, carrots and broccoli, followed by Scottish Strawberry Trifle with Ayrshire Cream, will be served for school lunch when the pupils return to school after their half term break.

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

Kilgraston Girls Make a Third Donation to Laos Orphanage

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.

Kilgraston Appoints Former GB Hockey Captain as Director of Sport

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. “

Joe breaks Scottish Swimming Record

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.

Kilgraston Artist Collects Top prize at Scottish Art Show

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.

Kilgraston’s New Pool Pays Dividends

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.

Medal Haul for Strathallan Swimmers

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 Pupils Sing for the Queen

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 win Four Trophies at Scottish Schools Clay Pigeon Shooting

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.

Synthetic Pitch Opening at Strathallan

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.

Strathallan Top for Equestrianism