Merchiston Castle School A GSG School
- Merchiston Castle School
294 Colinton Road
Edinburgh
EH13 0PU - Head: Jonathan Anderson
- T 0131 3122201
- F 01314 416060
- E admissions@merchiston.co.uk
- W www.merchiston.co.uk
- An independent school for boys from 7 to 18 with a co-ed pre-prep from age 3.
- Boarding: Yes
- Local authority: Edinburgh
- Pupils: 350; sixth formers: 131
- Religion: Christian Inter-denominational
- Fees: Day: £18,570 - £31,590; Boarding: £31,140 - £43,560 pa (last updated on 16/09/2024)
- Open days: September/October and March
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
What The Good Schools Guide says..
Traditional – good manners, boys say ma’am when they greet you – but with a modern, international outlook. ‘The Merchiston culture stood out above other schools. Just a polish about the boys, quietly confident and a camaraderie that I really liked,’ a parent reported about their first visit to the school. ‘Merchi’ boys are most commonly tantalised by STEM and sport, we heard – but not all, of course, and because it’s a small school every type of boy is supported to find their niche. The best views of Edinburgh and the Pentland Hills are from the music department, and while we were told that the choir may not…
What the school says...
Merchiston is the only boys’ independent boarding school in Scotland, offers the English curriculum, and has a global, outward-looking dimension. We take pride in specializing in the education of boys and preparing them for the world, as we have for over 175 years, developing aspirational, and sensitive, yet gentle-men! Think about a wonderfully caring and nurturing family environment, where they will learn to like learning more.
With an ethos based on traditional values, Merchiston encourages self-reliance and independence, as well as respect for and tolerance of others. Our main objective is to motivate pupils to try their hardest and to strive to achieve the highest levels possible in all areas - firstly academic, then cultural, sporting, leadership, and simply living together as part of a community. ...Read more
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Other features
All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.
Sports
Rowing
Shooting
What The Good Schools Guide says
Headmaster
Since 2018, Jonathan Anderson, previously senior deputy head at Worksop College. Hailing from Northern Ireland, he has a geography degree from Queen’s Belfast and PGCE from Ulster University. Joined Christ’s Hospital as a geography teacher and was promoted to assistant housemaster and housemaster. After nearly 14 years, he moved to Worksop.
Wants to take a gentler, warmer approach to leading the school and has relooked at its vision and values to create a welcoming atmosphere with happiness and self-belief both in sharp focus. This was reiterated by parents: ‘Mr Anderson is so approachable. When walking on the grounds, he stops and has a chat.’ ‘He knows all the parents by Christian names and responds to any enquiries immediately.’ ‘A normal guy,’ was the majority view. No pretensions, down to earth....
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Special Education Needs
Merchiston has a Learning Support Department which gives intensive 1:1 and 2:1 tuition, particularly in the Junior School. Prospective pupils go through an in depth assessment so that we can ascertain whether Merchiston would be a suitable school for them. This ensures that we know precisely the level of each pupil. The support thereafter is ongoing and adapted to that pupil's needs. Essentially, we are a mainstream school which can offer to help bright pupils requiring specific Learning Support, but who can independently access the curriculum in the Senior School up to and including GCSE and AS/A2 Level. 09-09
| Condition | Provision for in school |
|---|---|
| ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Might cover/be referred to as;
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Aspergers, Autism, High functioning autism, Neurodivergent, Neurodiversity, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), PDA , Social skills, Sensory processing disorder |
Y |
| HI - Hearing Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
Hearing Impairment, HI - Hearing Impairment |
|
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Learning needs, MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty |
|
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment, Sensory processing |
|
| OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability
Might cover/be referred to as;
Downs Syndrome, Epilepsy, Genetic , OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability, Tics, Tourettes |
|
| PD - Physical Disability
Might cover/be referred to as;
PD - Physical Disability |
|
| PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Complex needs, Global delay, Global developmental delay, PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty |
|
| SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health
Might cover/be referred to as;
Anxiety , Complex needs, Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), Mental Health, SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Trauma |
|
| SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication
Might cover/be referred to as;
DLD - Developmental Language Disorder, Selective mutism, SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication |
|
| SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Complex needs, SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty, Cerebral Palsy (CP) |
|
| SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Auditory Processing, DCD, Developmental Co-ordination Difficulties (DCD), Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Handwriting, Other specific learning difficulty, SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) |
Y |
| VI - Visual Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
Special facilities for Visually Impaired, VI - Visual Impairment |
Who came from where
| School | Year | Places | Scholarships | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belhaven Hill School | 2024 | 2 | 2 | 2 Sport |
| St Mary's School (Melrose) | 2024 | 3 | 1 | Sports Scholarship |
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