Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine 2019

School Section On reading this, I felt a great sense of pride in our school, our teachers and our pupils. I inspect schools across the country and I very rarely write or read the term “outstanding teaching.”

I am very pleased that the inspectors made the link between all of the opportunities we provide and the role this plays in ensuring we remain as one of the highest attaining secondary schools in Scotland. Strong attainment does not just happen. It takes a lot of planning and hard work from everyone – our young people, ourselves as staff and you, as parents. This was noted as a key strength in the letter to parents, where inspectors noted “The high quality of attainment and achievement, which is supported well through an extensive range of learning opportunities. As a result, very high numbers of young people are developing the skills and attributes to succeed in life and work.”

We are a dedicated team and we have a strong work ethic. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank our staff for supporting our young people so well.

I mentioned the France Water Sports trip earlier which was one of the trips on offer during Activities and Skills Week. There are too many to list but I will mention a few others to give you a sense of our constant wish to extend the opportunities we offer. Some of our S3 pupils benefited from an Outdoor Learning Experience, with one group at Fort William and another in the Lake District. The course was run by the Outward Bound Trust and our young people completed a leadership and team-building course. The centre was so impressed by our pupils that many of them have been invited back for a partially-funded summer programme.

You may have read in the local press about our Battlefields Trip to Belgium.

Many of our young people were visibly moved when laying wreaths on the graves of former AGS pupils who served in the first World War and lost their lives.

As you know much learning takes place outwith the classroom in our extracurricular programme where all curricular areas contribute. We are known for a high level of performance and participation in performing arts and sports.

We are now venturing into the world of golf. I will share with you a new project upon which we are working.

Recently, we received a substantial bequest from a Former Pupil, Luther Kitson Smith. Mr Smith set very specific terms in relation to the use of the funding. He asked that consideration be given to training and mentoring young people in golf. To begin with we thought it was going to be a struggle to fulfil the terms of the bequest. However, it is looking set to be a very positive initiative and we have an exciting new School of Golf project about to get underway.

Working in partnership with the Paul Lawrie Foundation we are looking to identify young people in P7, S1 and S2 who would benefit from this opportunity.

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