Lathallan School Review

L AT H A L L A N

is always with you

ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Lathallan pupil Arabella Blackburn displayed two of our five core school values – endeavour and resilience – to win the British Cyclocross U14 Championships at Westmorland.

our values

CONFIDENCE OPPORTUNITY RESPECT ENDEAVOUR MODESTY

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Headmaster’s Welcome I had hoped that you would be reading about our 90th birthday celebrations, of Old Lathallians renewing acquaintances and of our many trips and excursions that are at the heart of what we do outside the classroom.

Despite not being able to write about these, I am very proud of what I can introduce. Our swift and successful switch to digital learning in April meant we were able to keep classmates together, courses on track and have fun along the way before returning to Brotherton Castle in August.

It would be wrong to say that this was plain sailing for any of us, pupil, parent or teacher but the online parent satisfaction rating of over 95% speaks volumes for how we all pulled together. The images and words in this Review exemplify resilience, exemplify the “we can do” and exemplify the Lathallan spirit.

Thank you to our teachers for their dynamic approach towards continuing to deliver a very high standard of education. Thank you also to our pupils and parents for embracing the many changes we’ve had to make this year.

Finally, to our S6 leavers (the class of 2020), we are proud of each and every one of you and look forward to welcoming you back.

In the words of our former Consul Lydia Broadley: ‘It’s hard to say goodbye, not because of where you are going but what you are leaving behind.’

Richard Toley BA (Hons), MPhil, PGCE, FRSA Headmaster

Lydia Broadley It’s hard to say goodbye, not because of what we are moving onto but because of what we are leaving behind.

Consuls Review

It feels as though I am saying goodbye to a family and there is a reason why you have all heard Lathallan described this way before and will again.

Families push one another to excel. They celebrate successes and empathise with disappointments.

They give time to individuals without complaint, make sacrifices to help one another and are always there when you need them.

Life is all about the connections we make with those around us.

At Lathallan, I wasn’t just another face in the crowd none of us are - we are all unique and integral parts of the Lathallan team and, to everyone coming up the school, I have a parting piece of advice: Say Yes. Say yes to every opportunity you are offered, even if it is out of your comfort zone, push yourself even when you are scared because it is out of these experiences that you grow.

If there is one thing Lathallan is good at it is providing opportunities.

Appreciate every day you have at this school and the wonderful teachers because it will be over before you know it. Lathallan will stay with me forever and will always be a big part of who I am.

For that, I’ll always be grateful.

90 years of Lathallan

Tim Brown I’m proud that Lydia and I are the first ever Consuls at Lathallan to have delivered our speeches online during Virtual Presentation Day. Lathallan is a special place that has left an everlasting imprint on my life. I moved here from Mearns Academy at the start of S3 and have had so many incredible experiences.

Lathallan has given me the confidence to succeed at regional rugby and to go on to gain national honours.

Thanks to Lathallan, I played in the 2017 National Rugby Under-16s Plate Semi-Final. The game was played on the back pitches of Murrayfield and you don’t get many chances to run out on a pitch with the National Stadium looming over you, surrounded by your best friends and classmates.

I loved the Bronze, Silver and Gold DofE expeditions.

I even had the opportunity to sing a Proclaimers song while scrambling up a Munro rock face.

I visited Iceland to see the glaciers and learn that the world is a big place with so many places to explore and enjoy.

It’s safe to say that I wouldn’t have experienced any of this if I hadn’t come to Lathallan.

Thank you Lathallan for the memories you helped create - memories I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Tigerlily Toley, Junior School Head Girl It has been an enormous honour to be Junior School Head Girl.

I can remember the day I found out, I burst out crying. I felt really happy and proud of myself because I knew I had worked hard to achieve it.

Junior Head Review

As Head of the Junior School you are offered so many opportunities to represent Lathallan and I really enjoyed having that level of responsibility.

I have also been on so many amazing trips, almost too many to mention.

It’s hard to pick one but if I could it would be the West coast sailing trip where we sailed in a boat to Fort William in the pouring rain. We cooked in the galley and had a turn of steering the boat.

Lathallan is a very strong community.

We have small class sizes so you get a lot of ‘one-to-one’ time with the teacher. Everyone is friendly and there is never a day where you feel bored or left out.

If anyone is reading this and wondering if they should join Lathallan then I’d tell them ‘do it!’

90 years of Lathallan

Daniel Coull, Junior School Head Boy My heart stopped when I heard I’d been chosen as Head of the Junior School.

It was a real honour and my mum was really proud of me.

Being Head of the Junior School is a very responsible position. There are quite a few occasions where you have to represent the school in public but because both Tigerlily and I are confident speakers it wasn’t a problem.

We had to read speeches from The

Bible at St Mary’s and St Peter’s Church in Montrose and a leaving poem for Mrs Collins as she retired as our Head of the Junior School.

I’ve been at Lathallan for eight years and would tell anyone who is considering joining that it’s a great school.

The teachers are really friendly, it’s a happy community and we have a lot of space to explore – with a treehouse classroom and a new Science Centre – in our 60 acres of land!

ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

“I’ve been at Lathallan for eight years and would tell anyone who is considering joining that it is a great school.”

Nursery Lathallan Nursery children have storytime beside a wooden Gruffalo statue at the heart of Brotherton Castle woods.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Lathallan Nursery is a place of adventure where pupils make full use of the 60 acre Brotherton Castle grounds to learn outdoors without limits.

From making mudpies in the forest to storytime by the Gruffalo statue or whizzing down the zipwire to sledging down the slopes at Glenshee. Every single day at Lathallan Nursery is an exhilarating learning experience for our children.

During lockdown, we fostered a strong community spirit with our Nursery Manager, Miss Debbie, running a series of virtual challenges for the children including a virtual ‘We’re Going On A Bear Hunt’ story.

Nursery parents were able to connect through a private Facebook page, sharing news on how their children were learning from home.

Since returning to Lathallan, we have set up four outdoor learning ‘base camps’ for our Hedgehogs, Otters, Squirrels and Badgers classes to continue igniting their imagination in learning through play.

The photos on the next few pages give you a flavour of some of the amazing experiences our Nursery children have had over the last 12 months.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Pupils at Lathallan Junior School benefit from our class sizes and specialist teaching in Art, Music, French, Science and Sport.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Junior School One of Lathallan’s biggest assets is its size, with spacious grounds and small class sizes.

Lathallan has 60 acres of inspiring grounds and a total school roll of around 200, meaning the skills, strengths and needs of every child can be quickly identified.

Mrs Hossick, who has been at Lathallan for almost 12 years, officially started her role as Head of Junior School in August 2020 after Mrs Collins retired as Acting Head.

“I may not teach every child but I know every single one of them. I know what’s in them and what they need for us to help them fulfil their potential.”

“A big strength here at Lathallan is being able to tap into the individuality of each child and to find their talent,” said Mrs Hossick, our new Head of Junior School.

“It’s then down to us as a school to nurture that talent. Not every child is going to be a star on the sports field, on the stage or in the science lab but, because our class sizes are relatively small, we get to know the children really well.

“I’m not just talking about a class teacher knowing the pupils well, I’m talking about every teacher knowing every child.”

MRS HOSSICK

Each year, Lathallan’s S3 take part in YPI, raising thousands of pounds for deserving local charities such as Mearns Coastal Healthy Living Network, our 2020 winning team.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Senior School Lathallan Senior School offers our pupils the platform and opportunities they need to succeed in achieving their full potential.

Every pupil’s successful destination will be different. Some like Millie Wark, featured later in this Annual Review, will follow their dreams of becoming a vet.

Others will excel on stage or in sport, use their creative writing skills to become a successful author or follow a career in farming and agriculture.

Wherever they end up, one thing is certain – Lathallan will do all it can to help them get there.

Lathallan has an average of 12 pupils per class in the Senior School which allows for academic work to be tailored towards an individual’s needs.

Beyond the classroom, pupils discover talents in extra-curricular areas during Personal Development Afternoons every Friday.

In recent years pupils have enjoyed a wide range of choice in PDA including golf, ski-ing, rock climbing, knitting, working in the school’s Pipers Coffee Shop, photography and radio broadcasting.

Our Seniors have also enjoyed unique work experience opportunities, such as a guided tour of a Norwegian vessel at Montrose Port Authority, assisting our pupil Jack Van Bergen in his aim to study naval engineering.

The Lion King

One of the key highlights of 2020 was the show-stopping performances from our Junior School pupils in The Lion King.

The Lathallan production, based on Jon Favreu’s 2019 version of the Disney classic musical, was played out in front of an animated audience in February.

It was the last major event Lathallan was able to host as a school before the COVID-19 restrictions were introduced and will linger long in the memories of our pupils, parents and staff.

There were stunning performances throughout, with our J7s taking lead roles, ably supported by the younger pupils.

Mrs Hossick, Head of Lathallan Junior School

“Every single one of our pupils should be immensely proud of themselves.

Confidence is one of our school values and they all displayed that quality in abundance on stage.”

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Piping & Remembrance The sound of pipes and drums reverberating around the 60 acre Brotherton Castle estate was temporarily halted during the lockdown period.

Our Pipers and drummers may have been apart but, across Scotland, our talented musicians united as one to take part in a national #PipeUp4KeyWorkers event from the safety of their own doorsteps.

From the west coast village of Kilmacolm to Royal Deeside’s Aboyne, some 157 miles away, Lathallan’s proud pipers and determined drummers paid a fitting tribute to key workers with the uplifting sounds of Scotland the Brave.

Earlier in the school academic year, our Pipe Band led the Montrose Remembrance Day parade and took part in the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships in Kilmarnock.

Lathallan has a thriving Pipe Band with almost a third of the school involved in weekly drumming, chanter and piping lessons.

Lathallan has developed strong links with Montrose Port Authority over the last year and our Pipe Band played in front of 120 dignitaries at the official opening of their new £7.5 million quayside development.

Montrose Port Authority Chief Executive Tom Hutchison, who handed over a £1,000 cheque to Lathallan Pipe Band following the event, said: “The pipers and drummers added something special to the celebrations.”

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

When it comes to sport, Lathallan excels

From individual pursuits such as badminton, cycling, swimming and triathlon to team sports like netball and rugby, Lathallan has a wealth of sporting talent with over 20 per cent of the school roll competing regionally or nationally.

We invited Banchory-based Robbie Simpson, who won Bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Marathon, as the guest of honour at our 2019 Sports Dinner.

Robbie’s stories of his Gold Coast Games success and three victories at the Jungfrau Alpine Marathon captivated our guests and inspired our pupils to continue succeeding at sport.

S2 pupil Dean Fearn was named as our Sports Personality of the Year after breaking the U12s British 50m Backstroke record and the U12s 50m Freestyle record.

Dean’s fellow S2 pupil Arabella Blackburn has also excelled on a national stage at cycling. Her latest success came in October 2020 as she finished first in the U14s National Trophy Cyclocross race at Westmorland, England.

Arabella, featured on page 2, showed immense grit and resilience to overcome horrendous weather conditions on a swampy track to win by a clear 47 seconds, adding another national title to her burgeoning collection.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Our U16 rugby players reached the National Quaich Quarter-Final in 2020.

Our netballers reached their fifth national final in three years – having won the previous four – only for it to be cancelled during lockdown.

During the 2020 lockdown period over 80 per cent of classes were delivered through live teaching in Google Classroom.

Our pupils baked, kept fit, supported the NHS rainbow initiative and donated unused events foods to foodbanks

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Lockdown Lathallan For 154 days Lathallan’s grounds fell silent as the extended lockdown period kept our pupils apart for the longest period in our school’s 90 year history.

Not even the Second World War or the great fire of 1949, which saw Lathallan relocate from its original base in Fife to Brotherton Castle, kept the pupils apart for longer.

However, while our Lathallan community were staying safe in homes across Scotland and as far afield as Brazil, almost 6,000 miles away, the learning never stopped.

Lathallan quickly adapted to deliver a new dynamic digital learning platform that saw over 80% of lessons delivered via live interactive teaching on Google Classroom.

This led to 95.7% of parents stating they were happy with the high standard of remote education on offer at Lathallan.

The health and wellbeing of our pupils was also paramount to their safe return to Lathallan, with many choosing competing in a number of ‘at home’ challenges such as our Junior Cakeathon and our ‘Mount Everest Challenge.’

With our pipers and drummers taking part in #PipeUp4Keyworkers, S2 pupil Charlie Devlin raised the spirits of his local care homes with a series of piping performances.

Lathallan’s Parent Association also played their part in caring for the community as they donated £170 worth of snacks that was no longer needed due to cancelled events such as the Rugby 7s to Aberdeenshire South Foodbank.

OUR SCHOOL CASTLE

BY THE SEA Lathallan is set within 60 acres of sprawling grounds on the edge of the stunning North Sea coastline.

Pupils have access to four rugby pitches, a hockey court, polytunnel, walled garden, zipwire and the gardens of Narnia.

This drone image, captured by Lathallan pupil Harry Melsom, displays our inspiring environment like you’ve never seen it before.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Our pupils benefit enormously from the incredible facilities at Lathallan.

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From conducting experiments in the state-of-the-art Lathallan Science Centre to learning English in a treehouse classroom, there are learning opportunities on every corner of Brotherton Castle’s 60 acre grounds.

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We also have a range of different species living on-site including chickens, rabbits, peacocks and alpacas (expected in early 2021)

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3

2 4

1. Brotherton Castle

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(Senior School)

2. Gruffalo/Zipwire

9. Junior School ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

3. Narnia

10. Pavilion

4. Treehouse Classroom

11. Nursery

5. Science Centre

13. Hockey Court

6. Music Block

14. Walled Garden

7. Polytunnel

15. Lathallan Beach

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of 8. Outdoor Learning

90 years Lathallan Area

12. Rugby Pitches (x4)

LATHALLAN SCIENCE CENTRE

TREEHOUSE CLASSROOM

PAVILION & PIPERS COFFEE SHOP

RABBITTS

90 years of Lathallan

PEACOCKS AT LATHALLAN

ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

POLYTUNNEL

NARNIA

Presentation Day In a year of firsts, we held our first-ever Virtual Presentation Day, Lathallan In Your Heart.

This year there was no marquee and no traditional beating the retreat at the front of the castle.

There were, however, plenty of laughs, tears, emotional speeches and stunning stage performances from our pupils during a 45-minute Lathallan In Your Heart online service.

Mr Toley delivered his speech, virtually, from the highest point of Brotherton Castle and our new Consuls Sophie and Jack received their red cloaks at the top of the Cairn o’ Mount.

The event culminated with an emotional whole school virtual version of Lathallan’s School Song.

Though you may travel far away from here, Or feel the distance with each passing year, Lathallan goes with you we are always near, Standing beside you with our voices clear.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Boarding at Lathallan In 2020, we welcomed new Houseparents as Lindsay and Lizzie Kerr joined Lathallan.

Mr and Mrs Kerr took over from Peter and Sonia McCallum and are keen to exploit Lathallan’s unique coastal location to devise an enhanced activity programme for the boarders.

“We are based in a beautiful part of Scotland, right on the North Sea coastline.” said Mr Kerr. “There are wonderful walks along the coast and we are a short distance from Dundee, Aberdeen and even St Andrew’s.

“We have that real balance between coastal and countryside living with the chance to visit the city when we can.”

Our boarders have enjoyed GoKarting, paddle-boarding, visits to Dunnottar Castle, Lunan Bay and the V&A in Dundee. On-site they enjoy prep evenings, roasted marshmallows by a campfire and various sports activities.

Life as a Lathallan boarder in our 19th century castle is unique and offers pupils the opportunity to forge lasting friendships while living in an inspiring environment.

“Most of the girls’ dorms look out onto the North Sea,” added Mrs Kerr. “Imagine waking up to that every morning. It’s just phenomenal.”

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Return to School In August 2020, we were delighted to welcome our pupils back to Lathallan as lockdown restrictions eased.

There were a few changes, as pupils formed ‘social bubbles’ and sported the new outdoor uniform seen in this image.

There was also an increased focus on outdoor learning, one of Lathallan biggest assets, as you can see in the pages that follow.

There are 40 new wireless points at our school. This has led to the seamless integration of digital devices into Lathallan’s outdoor learning offering.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Outdoor Learning The return to Brotherton Castle in August marked the introduction of our new outdoor learning uniform of red Lathallan-branded hoodies and XXV Sportswear joggers.

When restrictions allow, Lathallan will return to its traditional Black Watch tartan kilts, suit trousers and blazers but the outdoor uniform has proved both practical and popular.

Lathallan delivers an exceptional standard of outdoor learning throughout its 60 acre grounds and the frequency of these lessons increased during the latter part of 2020.

The installation of 40 new wireless points around the grounds has led to the further integration of digital learning outdoors, with Senior School pupils creating new QR code points and freely accessing the internet on their Chromebooks to support learning beyond the classroom.

Junior School pupils have used the outdoors to ignite their imagination, with our J5 and J6s re-enacting The Highland Clearances by creating crofts and setting them alight in Narnia.

Outdoor Learning Lathallan is also home to a wide and diverse range of species and this provides further learning opportunities for our pupils.

Over the last few years our pupils have learned about sustainability and the food chain as the school has reared its own pigs and collected eggs from our on-site chickens.

A polytunnel at the school has sparked the growth of several different crops of fruit and vegetables which are cooked in our kitchen and served up to the pupils at lunchtime.

Our pupils have discovered and cared for stray hedgehogs and frogs and, in 2021, there will a couple of new additions to the Lathallan family with the arrival of two peacocks and some alpacas.

With the mental wellbeing of our pupils and staff more paramount than ever, we anticipate the alpacas will become ‘therapets’ with pupils able to take them for regular walks throughout Lathallan’s grounds.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

There are a number of species living on Lathallan’s grounds, including frogs and butterflies.

This enhances our pupils learning opportunities.

Outdoor Education & Trips When it comes to Outdoor Education, Lathallan are sector leaders.

Every year since 2015, Lathallan has led the way as the independent school with the highest percentage of uptake and completion of all levels of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE).

Our pupils also enrol in the National Navigation Awards Scheme and the John Muir Award.

In a normal year, Lathallan Nursery children will go rock climbing and sledging, our Juniors will enjoy overnight camps, cycling and Munro-bagging while our Seniors successfully complete the Bronze, Silver and Gold levels of DofE. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, many outdoor activities were cancelled in 2020 but our Senior pupils still enjoyed some winter skills training and socially-distanced expeditions to complete their DofE qualifications. School trips were also restricted due to COVID-19. Plans to go to Italy, Spain and South Africa were put on hold but our Senior School pupils managed a trip to Berlin at the end of 2019.

During a four day trip to the historic German city, our pupils visited The Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag Building and the Berlin Wall Memorial as they discovered what life was like during the Second World War.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

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Lathallan delivers an exceptional Outdoor Education programme. As a school, we have led the way on DofE, NNAS and The John Muir Award and will continue to do so under the expertise of our new Head of Outdoor Education, Mr Liam Malone.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

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Many of our Old Lathallians graduated from University this year, including Becky Hossick and Kate Ferrier who both achieved First Class Honours Degrees at Aberdeen University.

90 years of Lathallan

Lathallan had a 100% pass rate at Advanced Higher in 2020, with 94% of pupils achieving an A or B. There was a 96.5% pass rate at Higher level with 83% of S4 pupils gaining five or more Nat 5 passes.

‘‘

ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Lathallan is more than a school, it has become a way of life for over ten years. I’ve made so many friends, enjoyed incredible experiences and developed academically, creatively and musically.

It has helped me pursue my dream of becoming a vet, by helping me to achieve the necessary grades.

The teachers, small class sizes and inspiring learning environment have all enabled me to reach my goals.

Academic Achievements Millie Wark, one of Lathallan’s Class of 2020, left at the end of S6 to study Veterinary Science at Edinburgh University after achieving straight As at Nat 5, Higher and Advance Higher level.

Millie reflects on her time at Lathallan.

I was lucky enough to be able to tailor my timetable in S6 to fit in all my animal work experiences at the vets and different farms. The small class sizes make a big difference.

With an average of 12 per class, this really matters.

You have more confidence to ask for help, to express opinions, develop stronger teacher-pupil relations and to individualise learning.

In my time at Lathallan, I gained the grades I needed for University. I also learned to sing, cook, work in a coffee shop, become a lead piper in Lathallan Pipe Band, to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and have a piece of 3D-sculpture work commissioned by Thorpe Molloy.

At Lathallan you learn in a stunning location. There are unspoiled views across the North Sea coastline from a castle that’s set within beautiful grounds.

Lathallan is a unique, beautiful and inspiring place that has prepared me for my future. It is somewhere I will always remember.

- Millie Wark

‘‘

Class of 2020 The year 2020 was a challenging, uncertain and emotional time for everyone, not least of all our young people.

For our S6 class of 2020, their time at Lathallan didn’t quite end the way it was supposed to. We couldn’t hold a Senior School Ball and there was no emotional send-off in the Presentation Day tent.

However, throughout the lockdown period, our S6 pupils continued to embrace every opportunity that fell their way and they will be forever etched into the Lathallan history books.

From academic achievements to sporting successes or from musical memories to inspiring speeches, our class of 2020 will always be in our hearts.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Our J7 Class of 2020 transitioned into Senior School in the most untraditional way.

They enjoyed a series of virtual team-building exercises as they moved towards S1, including a lip-sync contest as they met their new classmates online.

However, with the aid of Mrs Cook’s digital expertise, they continued to connect in new ways, including a virtual trip to York, and a very 2020-style end of year photo.

In 1930, Lathallan School first opened its doors to pupils in the small Fife hamlet of Largoward. However a fire in the building led to the evacuation of 74 boys to Brotherton Castle in 1949.

Brotherton Castle has been the home of Lathallan ever since with just eight Headmasters – including our current one Richard Toley – over the last nine decades.

Lathallan marked its 90th birthday with cake, specially prepared by our Head Chef Chris Carter and his catering team, but unfortunately, due to COVID-19 we had to postpone a series of events – including a celebration event in June and the commemorative Lathallan 9.0 trail race. ‘‘At Lathallan, our castle, our grounds and our environment all play a central part in helping our pupils to achieve their full potential,’’ said Mr Toley. ‘‘However, there is one thing that has really set Lathallan apart over the last 90 years; our people.’’

We are currently forming a new 2030 committee to begin planning for Lathallan’s 100th Anniversary.

Any interested parties should contact Alastair Shepherd on oldlathallians@lathallan.org.uk

Lathallan Chairman Derek Cowie joined Mr Toley and our pupils for a celebratory cake on, January 17th, 2020, the school’s official 90th birthday.

90 years of Lathallan ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Lathallan School, Brotherton Castle, Johnshaven.

Aberdeenshire DD10 0HN T: 01561 362220 www.lathallan.org.uk

© Copyright 2020 Lathallan School | Registered Scottish Charity: SCO18423