News: Lent Term 2006

Week 11

The final week was dominated for many senior pupils by the inevitable last minute rush to complete GCSE or A level coursework before the holiday! Several trips and tours departed: junior and senior rugby teams away at Sevens tournaments, a Sixth Form group to Spain, senior school historians to Berlin, Krakow and Prague, and a ski trip to France. The First Form returned from their visit to Paris on Wednesday, having arrived there last Saturday in the middle of French workers' riots! The official end of term was at lunchtime on Thursday.

Week 10

Several snow falls occurred during the week, though none lay for long. Pringle's termly concert took place on Tuesday, and J5 went to Edinburgh Castle on Wednesday to explore the War Museum and experience what it was like to be in the Home Guard during World War II. Piping and Drumming competitions for all pupils learning those instruments took over the Robertson building on Tuesday evening, with external judges doing the adjudications. Fifth Formers experienced the first batch of their 'real' GCSEs in the form of German and Spanish oral exams on Friday. The same afternoon, year groups from IV Form upwards took part in the annual School Cross Country (pictured). On the cultural front, groups of VI Form pupils studying English or French went to a production of Faust and a French film repectively midweek.

Week 9

This was a busy week, with virtually all boys in the school being involved in one event or another, most of them annual occasions. Boys in the First to Fourth Forms were busy giving talks in their English lessons for awards by the English Speaking Board. Shell were out on Wednesday on their CCF Field Day. Thursday saw four senior school musicians give a recital at St John's Church, Princes Street, while back at school, author Katie Grant spoke to the Third Form. At the end of the week, Lower Sixth Form Geographers departed for the Field Trip to the Lake District (see photo), and boys taking part in the forthcoming summer expedition to Peru went for a practice trip (although to Perthshire, and not Peru!). Heavy snow on Sunday meant that the Merchiston Sevens tournament had to be abandoned this year.

Week 8

J5 went to East Fortune Airfield to experience a day as a conscript in World War II, and J4/5 dressed up as book characters such as Oliver Twist for World Book Day! Sixth Form biologists went to a biomedics workshop. On Thursday, Frank Hadden brought the Calcutta Cup into assembly, to the delight of pupils who were able to see it at close quarters. Several members of staff could not resist the photo opportunity and had themselves pictured with it! The curling team had a successful Sunday winning the Miller Drummond Trophy. The biggest event of the week was the Choral Society's performance (pictured) of Mozart's 'Coronation' Mass and Vivaldi's Gloria in Greyfriars Kirk on Sunday evening, attended by the whole school.

Week 7

A newly designed tie for senior prefects has been added to the myriad ties now in circulation in School. A small group of Sixth Formers gave a presentation to prospective parents at an Ambassador Drinks Party on Thursday evening. The second and final Lower Sixth group went to Abernethy at the weekend for their outdoor challenge course. Many pupils were involved in rugby matches on Saturday morning at school, and some went to Murrayfield to see Scotland beat England later on. Scotland matches have even more meaning for the School since ex-Merchiston Head of Rugby Frank Hadden became the national coach late last year.

Week 6: Half Term

Week 5

The Fifth Form continued with their second week of Mock GCSE Examinations. The Fourth Form were from Monday evening until Friday visiting the Battlefields of the First World War. Four boys in Ms Cunningham's drama group went to the National Theatre in Glasgow for a film audition. The film is called The Waterhorse and is based on a Dick King Smith novel. The audition is for the main part, and the four boys were selected from thousands from all over the country. Thursday afternoon saw an inter-schools Junior Cross Country competition. Ardvreck won both the U11 and U13 races, the latter being very close. Merchiston came 3rd and 2nd in these respectively. The evening saw the Sixth Form Highland Ball (pictured left). A rugby tour to southern France departed the day before school finished for the half-term break.

Week 4

This week's excursions included a theatre trip and the whole IV Form going to Glasgow for the annual Faraday lecture. Another annual event was held the same night at school: at the Scholars' Dinner, Mr D Evans from Dean Close School spoke about the comparisons between aspects of Roman culture and development and our own times. The Music Scholars gave a concert on Thursday evening with instrumental and vocal contributions. Chinese pupils joined with girls from St George's to celebrate the Chinese New Year on Wednesday. Shell and Fifth Form had exams all week.

Week 3

Younger members of Pringle had a Burns lunch on Tuesday. Along with the IV Form, they attended a concert given by the RAF Band (pictured left) in the Memorial Hall earlier in the morning. The local branch of the Rotary Club held their annual Instrumental Competition for schools on Thursday in our hall; four of our pupils took part, one coming second overall in a high standard event. A group of boys from Germantown Friends School, Philadelphia arrived on Friday to stay on exchange for a month: this is an annual exchange and involves boys in III and IV Forms. Also in school in the second half of the week were boys on a rugby tour from Argentina.

Week 2

The much awaited semi-final of the Schools' Rugby Cup saw a disappointing loss to Stewart's-Melville on Wednesday evening at a very soggy Myreside. Most other school teams were in action in much better weather on Saturday. Fives, Curling and Basketball and junior Cross Country teams have all had fixtures already this term against other schools. A variety of social events for both boys and parents took place on Saturday, some in anticipation of Burns Night.

Week 1

The new term started with a service on the Memorial Hall on Tuesday morning, followed as normal by the 'handshaking ceremony'. The Headmaster congratulated the Raeburn-Wards on the birth of their second daughter, Rachel, over the holidays, and he awarded Colours to six pupils: for rugby, swimming, fives and drama. This has been a good year for Oxbridge success, with offers of places made in December. Prayers were said for Mrs Millard, who has been seriously ill recently; we are glad to hear she is now recovering well, though still in hospital. On Friday, we were privileged to have another visit from the distinguished Oxford historian, Professor Hew Strachan, who spoke the Fourth Form about aspects of the First World War, in preparation for their forthcoming trip to the battlefields. Afterwards, they went to the first of the year's social events: a ceilidh at St George's.