Founded in 1833 in the centre of Edinburgh, the school moved in 1930 to Colinton House and the ruins of Colinton Castle, 4 miles south-west of the city. It is set in 100 acres of parkland beside the Water of Leith and close to the Pentland Hills. Facilities include an indoor swimming pool, purpose-built music and IT centre, a well-equipped library, and a new sixth-form house (complete with a multi-gym). The school prides itself on its adherence to values and traditions and there is emphasis on striving for excellence, a belief in the value of the individual, in hard work, integrity and good manners. There is also emphasis on the practice of Christianity (it is inter-denominational but services are based on the Church of Scotland) and the importance of service to the community. With a staff:pupil ratio of about 1:9, academic standards are high and results consistently good. Music is particularly strong, art, design, drama and debating are also popular; there are regular joint plays with its sister school, St George's. The school has long had a reputation for sporting excellence, including in rugby with over 60 Merchistonians having played at full international level. There is a flourishing CCF, Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, overseas expeditions and a wide range of co-curricular activities.
Pupils: Age range 8-18; 446 boys (182 day, 264 boarding). Junior department 8-13, 121 boys. Senior department 13-18, 325 boys. Entrance: Main entry ages 8-14 and 16. Own entrance exams used, Common Entrance an option at age 13; for sixth form entry, satisfactory GCSE or S-grades, school report and interview. A breadth of interest and talents looked for. State school entry, 20+% of main intake, 10% to sixth form. 16% are international pupils (eg Far East, USA, Europe, Southern Africa); close ties with a number of guardianship agencies.
Scholarships - academic, all-rounder, sport, design technology, art, music (including piping) - bestow honour but no financial value; other scholarships for local community (EH post-codes) and for international students. Means-tested financial assistance available where there is financial need (including to those holding scholarships), up to a maximum of 100% of fees.
40% are from the professions; 40% in industry or commerce. 45% live within 30 miles; 20% live overseas (including expatriate families).
Headmaster: Andrew Hunter, in post from 1998. Educated at Kenton College (Nairobi), Aldenham School, and at Manchester University (English and theology). Previously Housemaster at both Bradfield and Worksop and taught at Westbrook Hay Prep School. Also Chairman of Public Schools Hockey Festival and committee member of Public Schools Lawn Tennis Association. Teaching staff: 58 full time, 10 part time. Annual turnover 6%. Average age 43.
GCSE: 63 pupils in the upper fifth, all gaining at least grade C in 5+ subjects (average of 8.5 subjects). A-levels: 71 in the upper sixth, passing an average of 3 subjects, with an average final point score of 342.
99% of sixth form leavers go on to a degree course (some 40% after a gap year), 7% to Oxbridge. 26% take courses in science and mathematics, 32% in arts, 21% in social sciences.
GCSE, AS and A-levels. 19 GCSE subjects offered (including Mandarin Chinese, classical Greek). Sixth form: Almost all take 4 subjects at AS, 3+ at A-level. All take a general studies course (creative writing, language conversation, moral and social studies). Vocational: Work experience available for all in the lower sixth. Special provision: Learning support and ESOL tuition. Languages: French, German, Spanish, Latin and Mandarin offered at GCSE and A-level; also classical Greek, Italian, Russian, Dutch and Polish GCSE on request. Language study trips mainly to France and Germany. ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject and across the curriculum. 120+ computers for pupil use (15 hours a day), all networked and with email and internet access; control technology and robotics in specialist rooms. Support for pupils with own laptops.
Music: Over 25% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Musical groups including choral society (160 pupils), chapel choir (80 pupils), close harmony group, orchestra, pipe band, jazz band. Chapel choir tours (recently to Canada and Spain). Drama: Many pupils are involved in school productions; 2 major plays annually with sister school; frequent drama workshops. Art and design: On average, 20 take GCSE, 18 AS-level, 7 A-level. Art, product design and painting offered. Winner of Young Engineer for Britain.
Sport: Rugby, cricket, athletics are major sports; others include golf, tennis, squash, fives, hockey, football, shooting, skiing, curling and sub-aqua. Many international representatives at a number of different sports. Activities: CCF compulsory for 1 year at age 14 (expeditions to USA and Germany). Community service compulsory for 1 year at age 16. Up to 30 clubs, including art, drama, debating, chess, Young Enterprise, literary, history, music, reel.
Uniform: School uniform worn; suits in sixth form. Houses and prefects: No competitive houses. Prefects, captain of school, head of house and house prefects. Various committees and councils, eg food, charities, chapel. Religion: Inter-denominational. Sunday morning or evening service. Social: Debates, plays, concerts, charity fund-raising events, dances, Scottish reel evenings; many social events with local girls' schools. Tours to France, Germany, Spain, Italy; ski trips; rugby tours (eg South America); music (choir to Durham and Provence; pipe band to Brittany and Russia); expeditions (eg to Iceland, Peru); exchanges to schools in the USA and southern hemisphere. Meals self-service. School shops sell sports equipment, books and second-hand school wear. Sixth form social club.
Pupils failing to produce homework once might expect to re-do; also detentions, suspensions or expulsion for very serious offences.
Sixth formers have ensuite facilities in new sixth-form house. Houses, divided by age; each with kitchens for the preparation of snacks etc. Generous exeat arrangements; access to the village and town, dependent upon age.
Merchistonian Club is is run by the President and the development office, c/o the school.
John MacGregor MP; Sir Peter Burt (former Bank of Scotland CEO); John Jeffrey (ex-Scotland XV); Lord Craigavon (first PM of Northern Ireland); Sir James Robertson (former governor-general of Nigeria); Sir Donald Acheson (formerly Government Chief Medical Officer); Lt Gen Sir Alexander Boswell; Roger Baird (consultant vascular surgeon); Sir Eric Campbell Geddes (politician and businessman); Lord (Irvine) Laidlow (businessman).
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