Year Reports

SECTIOYEAR N HEADINGREPORTS

PRINGLE HOUSE REPORT 2021-2022

After what has felt like a very long time, this year signalled a return to normal and we have been thrilled to be able to welcome parents back into School and embrace several different learning opportunities, including numerous trips, activity days and residentials for all boys. Throughout the year, the boys have had the opportunity to shine academically, in sport, music and external competitions.

The first exciting opportunity came when The Wild Outdoors came to School and set up an internal camp. This was in lieu of the residential camp that was planned for the Summer Term of 2021, but was sadly postponed due to COVID. The boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves, learning to throw tomahawks, build dens, make shelters, turn their hand to archery, ponass salmon and camping out in the beautiful Merchiston grounds. It was to be the start of an enduring relationship with this company and it was a great way to start the year.

Just before Christmas, the elf run was a highlight for all the boys because it mixes two great loves for most of our pupils – sport and dressing up. William B came in first after the first lap, Alejandro quickly followed and Marco came third. All of the boys showed enthusiasm and were incredibly supportive of each other. Some boys challenged themselves to run three or four laps. Well done, boys, and

thank you for all your hard work finding sponsors: they raised an incredible £781.80 for their sponsored elf run and the boarders delivered four trolleys of present donations for Cash for Kids. In the Whole School cross country, the boys tried their hardest and there was a wonderful feeling of camaraderie and goodwill. Well done to all our boys, in particular to William B (1st), Freddie C (2nd) and Toby G (3rd). In March, the whole School set off to support our U18 boys in the Scottish Schools Cup Final. Everyone was extremely excited on the day and it was an incredible event. The boys won with a final score of 20-7. Throughout the year, the boys have impressed in rugby, tennis, golf, cricket, athletics and swimming, amongst other sports. A massive “well done” to everyone for their dedication, hard work, willingness to improve and modesty in their achievements.

In the Autumn Term, one of the highlights for the boarders was a trip to the Scone Game Fair, held at Scone Palace, where they put Jed through his paces in the scurry, rode segways, watched Mordor Gundogs and played on farm machinery. The annual Halloween celebration in the House was an event to remember and one that everyone got involved with. Following tradition, the boys dressed up and took part in apple bobbing, treacle doughnuts and a piñata, all whilst being settled around an open fire in the Secret Garden, roasting marshmallows. For International Day, they took part in a quiz, getting to try lots of different foods from around the world and guessing where they were from. The Cheezzy Underdawgs team won, with their excellent knowledge of flags and monuments. It really was a week of international celebration in Pringle. The last trip before Christmas was to The Nutcracker at the Festival Theatre. It was a beautiful ballet and for some of the boys, the first they had seen. Evan thought the best bit was at the start, watching all the children get their presents from Drosselmeyer.

The year whizzed by, with more trips to bubble football, Murrayfield, Aqua dash, crazy golf and the beach. In the Summer Term, the boarders headed to Stewarton Polo Club for a morning of polo. This activity is available to boys in Third Form and above during the mid-week activity programme and was a great success for our younger pupils. Juan Martin Sepulveda, a 2-goal Argentinian Polo pro, put the boys through their paces and they were soon hitting offside forehand shots.

In Maths Week, the boys explored our grounds and entered the annual photography competition. Well done to Alan, William and Stepan in the First Form for their winning entries. Several of the Pringle boys also took part in the Junior Maths Challenge later in the year. Well done to the First Form Euro Quiz Team, William, Logan, Alan, Evan and Issa, who competed against numerous Edinburgh schools and did very well. They should be proud of their efforts.

In the Design and Technology Department, boys have flourished with the numerous creative opportunities and competitions on offer. The MerchiSTEM activity got busy making LEGO guitars and 3D-printed violins on a Friday afternoon. They planned, filmed, glued, collaborated and took part in creative problem-solving and learning. For the Design Ventura challenge, Fergus W, Hamish H, Sikai C and Anton created an idea to improve family bonding time. Congratulations to Hamish H, proud winner of the DT&E, Prefect-led design competition for a 50p piece. The runners up were Sikai C and Henry A. Thank you to Michael Conway and family for judging; it was a close competition and a beautiful way to honour Hugh Conway (Merchistonian 1927-32). The First Form spent a day focussing on Scandinavian crafts. They whittled coat hangers from the remains of unwanted Christmas trees and Lino printed scenes from Tove Jansson’s Moomintrolls. Ollie particularly impressed Dr Nugent, who commented that he has a natural gift for woodwork.

November saw the launch of the Thursday Lunchtime Concerts in the Memorial Hall. These have taken place most weeks, with each concert focusing on a different group of instrumentalists. The boys have enjoyed performing and we have enjoyed listening. When assemblies returned after Christmas, we were able to enjoy performances of music from Joel, Alex, Samuel and Louis, amongst others. We are thrilled that so many boys play an instrument here at Merchiston and are hoping to start a Junior Pipe Band; J4 and J5 boys continue to have drumming lessons on Fridays and several of them now play the chanter.

In Anti-Bullying Week (15 -19 November), the boys in the Pringle Centre took part in a competition to design a pair of odd socks. Each sock represented the fact that everyone is unique and special, showing that we need to embrace everyone’s differences. Barney won for his thoughtful design. Raife, Theo, William, Alan and Stepan had their pieces of art chosen to feature on the front of the Headmaster’s Christmas card. A fantastic effort, boys - well done! Thank you also to Xander, who started a weekly baking club in Pringle House: it has been wonderful to learn about different types of bread and see the boys gain in confidence in their bread-making. Teamwork, perseverance and a willingness to see out a process have been put into action.

Careers Week in the Junior School was a highlight for all. The boys were extremely lucky to have a number of talks from professionals throughout the week, including a lawyer, accountant, pilot and doctor. There were also activities and games timetabled into the afternoons. Thank you to those parents who kindly gave up their time to share

their professions and inspire the next generation. Sergeant Quentin Russell, a Merchistonian, came to Pringle with his beautiful Police dogs, Maisie, Otto and Tilly. He demonstrated how to work the dogs and gave a snapshot into life in the Police Dog Handling Unit. Being a police dog handler is more than just a job - it’s a vocation for life and a partnership between dog and handler that lasts twentyfour hours a day, seven days a week.

This year, we have welcomed several authors to inspire a future generation of writers. We were delighted to welcome best-selling author Vivian French to speak to our J4 and J5s and other special guests from Colinton & St Mark’s RC Primary Schools. She is a highly acclaimed children’s author who has written more than 250 books during the course of her career, including Caterpillar, Butterfly, the Tales from the Five Kingdoms series and Yucky Worms. The I-III Form boys welcomed Annabel Steadman for an inspiring visit, centred around her Skandar books. Having being inspired to create, J4 and J5 boys welcomed Play in a Day to help them create a scene. The boys then performed The Saga of the Twisted Brothers to parents in the Memorial Hall. This was a tale of two brothers, vying for the throne of Denmark, with assistance from an evil sorcerer and a troupe of Viking superheroes. Inspirations included Hamlet, Beowulf and Viking raids.

We continued to embrace the fun and the playful in Pringle, with numerous opportunities for boys to dress up and have fun with friends. A massive “thank you” to the parents who supported with our Harry Potter themed events; Mrs. Richeh’s incredible baking wowed us all again! The boys enjoyed a few days of Harry Potter events, including a dress-up day, screening of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Triwizard Clan Cup, won by Spylaw and Pentland. They took part in a number of different challenges on Saturday, including Quidditch, treasure hunt and riddles maze. We were impressed by the teamwork and leadership shown throughout the events. Congratulations to Jacob (Hermione), Laurie (Dobby), Aziz (Dumbledore) and Dr Mayoh (Mad-Eye Moody) on winning our bestdressed prizes for Harry Potter Day! “May the 4th be with you” was similarly fun, with boys making the most of dressing up for the day.

After Christmas, the first event was Burns Night. J4 and J5 spent Tuesday morning with Mrs Haston and Mr Kiln learning about Robert Burns. The boys performed Address to the Haggis, learning individual sections, Conor piped and a toast was made. They also talked about Burns’ life and lasting impact today. Callum really enjoyed the celebration of Burns in the evening, particularly the reeling because he enjoyed the spinning! To top the night off, the boys were treated to pancakes, tablet, shortbread and Irn Bru. We also enjoyed Calum’s piping, Xander’s fiddle, poems and reeling. Disney Day was also a great success and fun for all the boys. Raife and Hamish H won the best dressed character award. On Global Recycling Day, Stepan and Sikai impressed with their creative and imaginative outfits.

The highlight every summer is the addition of lambs to the Pringle Centre. Dolores and Jemima, a little bit older than the lambs we had last year, got to work on their first night in situ by quickly destroying the Pringle Centre Foyer, much to the amusement of boys and parents the next morning. Everyone took it in turns to prepare bottles and feed every two hours! They were a favourite at the Junior Open Afternoon, at which the boys tried their hand at zorbing, tomahawk throwing, cricket, football and wild garlic pesto making. This was the final afternoon with Dolores and Jemima and everyone wanted to give them the last bottles. On dropping the lambs back to the farm that evening, the farmer’s daughter, Anna, kindly let the First Form boys whizz around on her ATV. They were in heaven! We are so lucky to have such an incredible relationship with this farm and be able to take the boys there weekly for Young Farmers.

On Friday 20 May, Pringle hosted the Platinum Jubilee Garden party, which was a great success. Thank you to everyone who planned, set up, helped, donated and joined us - I know that the boys had a wonderful afternoon. We had bouncy rides, stalls, afternoon tea and croquet. It was a pleasure to be able to meet so many parents and show them what life in Pringle is like. Well done to Calum R, in Second Form, for being one of the winners of the National Platinum Jubilee Flag Design Competition, run by Flagmakers. Calum had his design turned into a flag for him to keep, which flew as part of the School’s celebrations on the Merchiston flagpole. Thank you also to everyone who submitted a design for our Jubilee mug. Proceeds from sales went to Hope and Homes, Ukraine Appeal. Second Former Juan is to be congratulated for his winning design. The following Monday, the Pringle Centre boys and staff headed off to Lindisfarne for the first of many exciting adventures, which included the annual sponsored walk, residential trips, trips to East Lothian and a Wimbledon-themed day of t2ennis.

This has been a year of enormous highs and we are thrilled that the boys have had so many opportunities to shine, flourish, grow, bond with their peers and represent the School. We wish all our leavers success, whether up the path or in pastures new. We hope that the memories and friendships that you have made this year sustain you into the future.

Alexandra Torrance, Pringle Centre Lead Ruth MacLennan, Pringle Housemaster

CHALMERS EAST REVIEW 2021-22

Due to the renovation work being done on Chalmers West over the past year, the Fourth Form boys were privileged to be accommodated in Chalmers East. Mr Noble was our Housemaster and helped us get used to life in the Senior School. He created a calm and supportive environment – not an easy feat in a House of forty-two boys! I am sure that I speak for all members of the Fourth Form when I say that becoming Senior School students was an exciting experience. We were given much more responsibility, were allowed much more independence, and began identifying and focusing on what we might study for our GCSEs. We welcomed new students to Merchiston, including boys from all over the world. Our year group nearly doubled in size from our final year in Pringle House.

This year was one of many activities and accomplishments. Despite starting the year with Covid restrictions and the wearing of face masks in School, we were able to participate in many fun trips and adventures. These included a trip to Fox Lake, where we swam and did zip lining over the water. We also played bubble football and laser tag, went go-karting and competed in paintball, the latter of which left us with many bruises from being shot by our friends – sometimes our own team mates!

Unfortunately, due to Covid, we did not have as many rugby fixtures as originally planned, which was disappointing. Despite this, our rugby season was very successful, and Mr Raikes coached us to many victories. Also, for the same reason, we were not able to have as many socials with St George’s and Kilgraston, although in the Summer Term, we were able to have one with Kilgraston, which was great fun for all.

A very new and exciting experience this year was the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Expedition, for which, after a training day in the Pentlands, we went to the Trossachs. During the expedition, we camped out and had to fend for ourselves, learning new skills such as pitching a tent, purifying water, orienteering and map reading, and cooking over an open fire. One lesson we learnt the hard way: do not leave your matches out in the rain overnight!

A highlight of the year was watching the 1XV compete in a very exciting Scottish Schools Cup Final match against Stewart’s Melville at Murrayfield. Merchiston emerged victorious after a hard-fought game. There was much enthusiasm in the School’s support and our chanting was magnificent!

A new experience for the School was the Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI), in which our year group participated. YPI is a project in which many schools around the UK take part, and involves choosing a social issue to research and support. The teams then partner with a local charity which works to address this social issue, developing a relationship with the charity and learning about its work. The final stage involves giving a presentation about its activities and why the team believes in its mission. The winning team is awarded £3000 as a donation to its nominated charity. There were many interesting entries, many of which were in presentation form, including videos produced by the teams, which were entertaining and informative.

The Summer Term brought a true end to our Covid restrictions, enabling us to spend more time outside with our friends, and to have a full schedule of cricket fixtures. The light-filled evenings and warm weather allowed us to put many of the hardships of the pandemic behind us.

Finally, we thank all of our staff in Chalmers East, not least Heather and her staff, who worked tirelessly to keep the House clean and tidy. We also thank Mr Noble, the House tutors, and all three of our Housemothers this year, who were all very kind and helpful. We now look forward to an exciting year in Rogerson with Mr Aitchison.

Ishmael W, IV Form / Chalmers East

ROGERSON HOUSE 2021-22

A whole new world…

Welcoming boys into Rogerson for the start of the new academic year was a joy, but not without the remaining challenges of the pandemic still lingering. Opening the doors for boys to arrive from all around the world brought the House alive with the possibilities that lay ahead.

The year started with the unique experience of a Whole School Assembly, held outside in front of the pavilion. It was amazing to see everyone gathered together in our beautiful grounds, with many of the boys unaware this was not the norm! The boys wasted no time in getting involved in School life, with lessons and prep, activities and sport, assemblies and socials, and the relationships between the boys getting stronger with each day that passed.

The Christmas Carol Service was another first, again taking place outside, with the main building lit up beautifully as parents and the community joined us. It felt so good to be edging ever closer back to normality.

“I always enjoy the Remembrance Service, but this year’s was a particular highlight. It came during a particularly bad week for Covid, but the boys were outstanding – a credit to the School, to Rogerson House, to their families and, most importantly, to themselves.” Dr Mechie

After a year of boys in tracksuits and polo shirts, the return of the School uniform was welcomed by all, and the first Whole School Service wearing kilts was a magnificent sight. The chance to get into casuals and socialise will always be in fashion and a September visit to watch Edinburgh Rugby in the new DAM Health Stadium under the blue sky and Scottish sun was a trip which many will always remember, especially supporting some of the Merchistonians who were selected to play.

Social events organised by Mrs Darling, our Housemother, were always well received and a variety of activities, from SPLAT Face to group balances, brought much laughter. Bringing the boys together for some light-hearted fun allowed her to build strong relationships with the boys and support them through their time in the Shell year.

The tutors have brought a variety of skills to the House whilst on duty: Mr Jackson has a loyal group of boys who enjoy board games and Mr Thomson has had the boys singing karaoke, playing head lamp football and playing Mario Kart! The day room is often buzzing with excitement around the live sport and we have witnessed some big moments together. The arrival of a table tennis table in the day room got the competitive juices flowing and it is seldom quiet.

“A highlight for me was the open mic night that Mr Thomson ran in November. I was delighted to see the Mexican boys take centre stage and treat us to some Latin ballads and then for everyone to join in for a bit of The Proclaimers led by the Scots! A fantastic night on duty in Rogerson!” Miss Warke

With restrictions still in place for much of the year, the only social with a partner school was held in the Summer Term with Kilgraston. The girls arrived on a Friday evening as the heavens opened, but spirits were not dampened and as the groups mingled and socialised, the sun came out and we were treated to a brilliant evening of fun and games, making memories that will last.

“One of my favourite memories was when it snowed and most of the boys from Shell went to the astro. It was covered with snow, and we were playing football. It was so slippery and easy to slide tackle! We still chat about that night.” Teiyoon

House trips have been varied and catered for all tastes: trips to rugby matches; an exhausting, but thrilling trip to Alton Towers; the Christmas Pantomime at the King’s Theatre (a local delicacy best sampled with friends!); the new James Bond 007 movie; and the musical Sunshine on Leith to give another cultural flavour. We hope these events have sparked the imaginations of the boys and also broadened their horizons.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Merchiston’s 1989 rugby tour to Japan, we welcomed the Japanese Consul General as well as members of the touring party to a small dedication ceremony for three cherry trees which were donated by the Sakura Cherry Trees Project. Elliot has been learning Japanese and read a poem in Japanese at the gathering. This was warmly received and hugely courageous - a moment he will treasure for a very long time.

The year group has excelled in music this year: Rev Blair believes Adam playing the tuba in assembly is a ‘first’ in his time at MCS, with more performances from Adrian on the flute, Erik on the piano and Ryan playing Sunshine on Leith at the request of Mr Aitchison! That inspired Dr Mechie to organise a House trip to the musical in June! Rogerson was well represented in the choirs and the Disney night was a real highlight of the year! Josh played a piping solo in assembly, with John performing at the Open Day and many of the boys involved in the Pipe Band throughout the year. There is no doubt that the future of Merchiston music is in good hands with this group of boys.

The return of assemblies also gave the boys a chance to test their public speaking skills and build their confidence in front of an audience. Robert and Lewis gave a presentation about the Geography trip to Iceland and during International Week, Theo, David and Teiyoon spoke about ‘Home’. The boys are very supportive of each other in these situations and we hope they take inspiration from their peers.

Sport has played a big part in the life of this year group, with Archie and York excelling in the Golf Academy, travelling the length and breadth of the country to compete and represent the School. Many of the boys have enjoyed golf as an activity and Armando has made significant progress in the Development Squad this year. The tennis dome has brought huge motivation to the boys involved in the Tennis Academy programme, with JC, JP, Pedro and Nathan making strong progress in their play and building confidence in their abilities. The rugby season for the under 15s was very strong, with wins in all of their games in Scotland and a trip to the well-known Langley tournament taking the boys out of their comfort zone and seeing them challenge schools from England. A big travelling support of parents and family included a host of Merchistonian Dads! This experience, and getting to

support the 1XV at Murrayfield, has given the boys huge motivation to keep working together and progressing towards that longer-term goal of succeeding in the Cup. Five of the boys went into the Pathway representative programmes and enjoyed the challenge that this elite level competition brought them: well done to Lyall, Henry, Ross, Luca and Theo for their selection. In the Summer Term, the boys threw themselves whole-heartedly into the athletics and cricket programmes and enjoyed being back out and competing in home and away fixtures. The boys made good use of the nets after prep to get in some extra batting and bowling practice. They were always looking for opportunities to compete and playing in the hockey fixtures gave them another chance to show their skills.

“My favourite memory was the trip to the Langley Festival. We spent the whole day on the bus, and did karaoke. Also, when we went onto the pitch to play Wellington, Lyall’s little brother played the bagpipes as we were the only Scottish team, which was pretty cool.” Theo

The House has made great contributions to charities throughout the year, with a big drive for food donations at Harvest, donating toys for children in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife at Christmas through the Forth One Help a Child appeal, and also in collecting used sports kit to donate to Changing Lives Malawi. Helping others and showing kindness has been a mark of the group throughout the year and long may that continue on their journey in life.

With Covid restrictions being lifted, the Prefect team was back to being resident in Rogerson and played an important part in the life of the House, supporting the boys and staff and creating many memorable moments. Head of House, Robbie, and his Deputy, Oscar, were great role models as leaders and the other residents, William, Calum and Jamie took on a lot of responsibility to ensure the smooth running of the House. The arrival of the non-residents always brought a welcome injection of energy and excitement (especially for Teo!) and Euan, Monty, Griogair and Callum should feel proud of their input.

“I have fond memories of Christmas Karaoke… Feliz Navidad etc, Eric’s amazing impromptu piano recitals in the kitchen, and being jealous of Jamie’s evening steak habit…!” Mr Thomson

The progress of the group as a whole and each individual has been immense and the future is very bright with possibilities. After two School years of disruption, it has been pleasing to see how the boys have handled this academic year and they are now ready for the next step in life, confident that the relationships they have built and the experiences they have shared are only the beginning of what life can offer.

“I have a great memory from the 1XV cup semi-final against Dollar. The whole School celebrated together after the game.” Hamish C

EVANS HOUSE REPORT: 2021/22

As I come to the end of my first year as Evans Housemaster, it is a great to have an opportunity to reflect. Without doubt, this year has been one of the most fulfilling of my career: having the opportunity to work with and support such a diverse, engaged and genuine group of young people has been fantastic. I would go as far as to say they have made my first year in the post go (relatively) smoothly!

In Evans, our mission is to create a safe and positive community environment within the House. It is vital that the pupils feel a real sense of identity within the School. Our philosophy in Evans is driven by the three core values of kindness, respect and responsibility. I am sure that all will agree that these are traits worthy of recognition and praise whenever they manifest themselves.

As I have said on many occasions, one of the strengths of Evans is its combination of both the V Form and Lower VI Form dayboys - I am certain that this mix is a real asset to the House. Over the course of this year, I have seen how it has enabled the Lower VI to step up and take on the mantle of role models to our new V Form. At the same time, pupils entering the V Form, have had the opportunity to see the VI Form at work, providing an invaluable insight into the next stage of their Merchiston journey. Whether it be during the wonderful hot chocolate, nachos and pizza socials organised by Mrs Marshall, or the very competitive games of table tennis at breaktime, it has been brilliant to see both year groups mixing and socialising. I am proud of how well they have gelled over the course of the year.

Regardless of year group, academic studies have demanded more of the pupils’ time than in previous years. They have been expected to take on greater responsibility for their personal academic progress, and have needed to balance competing demands from multiple subjects. These are not easy skills to master, but I have been very proud of how well the pupils have all managed their competing demands.

I feel fortunate to have an experienced House team, consisting of Assistant Housemaster Mr McCann, Housemother Mrs Debbie Marshall, and both Dr Cartwright and Dr Bower as House Tutors. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their wonderful support throughout the year. Equally, I am eternally grateful to the excellent UVI Prefects - Will N, Imran J, Luke M and Hugh A: their commitment to Evans and willingness to support the pupils and House team has been invaluable.

As the current LVI Formers move to Laidlaw next year, I hope they will look back on their time in Evans fondly. In addition, I look forward to welcoming our new V Form pupils in September. The House team will be ably supported by an excellent team of new Upper VI Prefects; Torin M, Aaron G, Owen F and Harry B.

I would like to thank and congratulate all of the Evans pupils and staff on a very successful year. I hope that all will take advantage of much needed and deserved summer break!

LAIDLAW SOUTH HOUSE REPORT: 2021/22

After an incredibly challenging two years, it has been wonderful to welcome all the boys back to School; they returned with their usual enthusiasm and positive anticipation for the year ahead. This year, we also welcomed V Form boarders and UVI day boys to Laidlaw, and what a success the addition of these boys has been: the Laidlaw community became broader and the boys have all connected and get on very well. The year started off strongly with a bowling and mini-golf trip: the event was designed to welcome the new pupils and all residents to Laidlaw, and to help them connect with their fellow House members - it was a great success, providing a wonderful opportunity to initiate conversations and make new friends. At weekends, we have often had house barbecues: these have been so popular with the boys that they have been repeated multiple times throughout the year.

As COVID restrictions, quite rightly, continued, it was unfortunate that we could not socialise with our sister schools St George’s and Kilgraston. However, we more than compensated with a series of internal social events every week, not least the infamous yet friendly rivalry with Laidlaw North, where everything is a competition; football matches, basketball events, tennis tournaments, which House has the best break-time socials - these all contribute to the fun and energy that really drive the House. Mr Glover joined Laidlaw South as Assistant Housemaster this year and he brings a wonderful positivity, dynamism and initiative to the House. He organised two brilliant socials: the famous ‘Chilli Cook Off’ between the different floors (the reward is to eat a lot of chilli afterwards then establish whose is best), and also the rugby games night - friendly (no money exchanged!) score cards, timed predictions and end result betting with sweets! We also mark each and every occasion in House: International Week, Halloween, Harvest, Christmas Meal & Secret Santa and Chinese New Year - all excellent events in the year.

Real highlights of the social calendar were the trips to the Dominion Cinema, where we watched James Bond ‘’No time to die’’ and also ‘’The Batman’’. We had the cinema to ourselves, the majority of the House attended and it was a stunning experience that was greatly appreciated across all year groups.

This year, the great history of Merchiston sport was again continued by the Laidlaw South boys. We had some amazing achievements from all three year groups in a variety of sports and it is wonderful to see so much participation from all the boys. Our boys did unbelievably well in rugby this season: most notable was the 1XV victory at Murrayfield, beating Stewart’s Melville with a score of 20-7 to win the Scottish Schools Cup. Additionally, the U16XV made it to the semi-finals in the Scottish Cup after a strong season. The 2 and 3XV posted a phenomenal unbeaten season. A number of boys have performed so incredibly well in their sports that they have been recognised internationally: in rugby, Tom C represented Scotland at U18 level and Christian B played for Denmark U18 vs Sweden; Robbie S and Stephan H now represent Scotland at shooting; and Micah vB has been incredibly successful swimming both nationally and internationally in breaststroke, winning the 50m Gold medal at the Scottish National Championships.

The Golf Academy qualified for the National Finals by beating the Loretto B Team 3-0 in the local semifinals. Tim R settled his win on hole 17 with a score of 3&1 and William A gave his opponent no chance by winning 5&4. In the Tennis Academy, the boys have enjoyed a wonderful season, winning the postponed 2021 Scottish Schools Cup and also the 2022 Scottish Schools Cup. Alex B has competed extensively, achieving a bronze medal in the Denmark U18 Championship and Euan M (Tennis Academy Captain), who has signed to attend University of Delaware next academic year, lifted the trophies alongside some of his team mates.

To find the roots of these strong performing athletes, you have to look behind the scenes - the gym. Mr Gray has had a huge impact on our success by guiding and leading the Strength & Conditioning programme throughout the whole year. Special thanks go to him for his tireless efforts to achieve the physical best for every Merchiston pupil.

In 2021 and 2022, Laidlaw South competed in various friendly sports fixtures against the “Northsiders”. Unfortunately, Laidlaw North proved itself the stronger side by winning twice in football and a basketball match. This winning streak will definitely be broken next year! Thanks to all who organised these competitions, which always provided great fun.

In May, we were privileged to welcome the Japanese Consul General to Merchiston. The visit was

to mark the delivery and planting of ornamental cherry trees as a part of the Sakura Cherry Trees project and also to mark thirty years since Merchiston’s rugby tour of Japan. Azuchi and Hinata T recited a Haiku and did a short reading. This was a lovely event and a poignant moment, as it had been delayed since 2019 - it was fantastic we could go ahead with COVID restrictions starting to lift.

Throughout the year, the boys continued their charity collections and other charity efforts: we donate 10% of our profit from the tuck shop to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, and have collected over £200 this year. The House collection from the Prefects’ service in March was also for the ECHC and £312 was raised, totalling over £500 donated to this deserving charity. We also have a food collection: the boys are encouraged to buy nonperishable food each time they visit Tesco, with a budget of under 50p. We donated a huge amount to the Harvest Festival and Mr Lieberman donates to different food banks at the end of each term.

We now look forward to next year as we continue to develop and improve Laidlaw South. We are excited to announce that the information system of Laidlaw South will be changing: in the coming months, we aim to push digitalization even further by replacing noticeboards and posters with flat screens and digital communication. This will make it much easier to connect with each other and will be a more climatefriendly method of providing our students with all the information they need to get through the day.

A huge “thank you” must go to the man who runs and organises the House, our Housemaster Mr Lieberman. We are thankful for his efforts and the energy he provides - it has been great. Similar thanks also go to our outgoing UVI Prefect team: Oliver R (Head of House), Fedor B (Deputy Head of House), Hamish McK, Drew MS, Alex B and Christian B. Our Fifth Form prefects, Lachlan F (Deputy Head of Fifth Form), Alex C and Jamie L also did a great job.

All members of Laidlaw South also wish to thank our resident tutors, Mr Gray and Mr Glover, and the non-residents, Dr Steen, Mr Thompson, Mr Dobbin, Mr McCorkell and Mr Deans. Special thanks also go to our very special Housemother, Mrs McGregor, whose help and support is truly wonderful. It has been truly a brilliant time, so now we say that we are ‘ready, ay ready’ for next year!

Tim R, Felix G, Donald G, Simon R, Mikhail B, Wilson M, Oliver P, Max dM (Prefect Team 2022-23)

LAIDLAW NORTH HOUSE REPORT: 2021/22

The 2021/22 academic year in Laidlaw North has gone by in a flash. From the first, sunny week back in September, there has never been a dull moment and the boys have enjoyed the return to an (almost) full schedule of activities and normality following the difficult years of the pandemic! Bearing in mind that the majority of the House, including Housemaster Mr Raikes, were new to the House at the beginning of the year, there was a widespread air of excitement.

This year has been slightly different in Laidlaw as we have been joined by the Fifth Form. Despite it also being our first year in Laidlaw as the Lower Sixth year group, we unanimously agree that having the Fifth Form in the House with us has been hugely positive in so many ways. Guided superbly by our Prefect team and the Lower Sixth as the ‘middle year group’, they settled in quickly and fitted right into the Laidlaw North community. Since then, they have loved the Laidlaw experience - not to mention the luxury of their own rooms and en-suites!

As a House, and the Fifth/Sixth Form as a whole, we have continued the traditional competitiveness between Laidlaw North and South. In the first term especially, competition was rife and we “went to war” with South on the football pitch on two occasions. Both times we came back victorious, with an admirable, combined effort of all three year groups in the House. At the end of the long first term, it was refreshing to get involved in the early Christmas celebrations at School. Celebration was certainly the most suitable word to describe the Sunday night before the end of term, with yet another victory over South in the infamous carol-singing competition, making it six victorious years in a row for Laidlaw North, it is worth mentioning.

Less competitive but equally enjoyable Christmas events also took place in the form of the annual Senior School Christmas dinner in the dining hall and the first ever North Christmas dinner, which took place in the House dayroom. Both these events were huge successes and highlights for many when reflecting on the year that has passed.

The return after Christmas was, in an academic sense, extremely busy with both the Fifth Form and Upper Sixth sitting their mock exams. However, the hard work in the

classroom was balanced with a huge amount of sport, a darts tournament, VIA Club on Saturday nights for Sixth Form, the Six Nations, cinema trips and the very much appreciated hot chocolate in the evenings, kindly prepared for us by Mrs Coyne. It is very difficult to reflect on a year at Merchiston without mentioning sport, and it is fitting to mention it in the form of a national Cup Final which took place in the Lent Term. Despite the small number of boys who make it into the squad, the Cup Final is a Whole School event and one which was thoroughly enjoyed by all the boys in North - both rugby and non-rugby fans. An evening of chanting and cheering for the majority was responded to by a victory on the pitch, making this a definite highlight for many.

Despite the lack of socials with St George’s and Kilgraston this year, due to Covid restrictions, there have been many well organised internal social events. In the North dayroom, many of the boys of Laidlaw gathered to watch the Six Nations games, with the added enjoyment of betting on the outcomes of the games with rewards of sweets, organised by Mr Glover. Additionally, of course, gatherings in the VIA Club have continued, thanks to the hard work of all the staff in Laidlaw. Everyone has loved the quizzes, darts, nachos and everything that comes with VIA on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.

We are now well into the Summer Term, which has brought with it much hard work for the boys in the Fifth and Upper Sixth Forms, but there has also been plenty of activity outside the classrooms and exam hall. There have been barbecues and volleyball at the front of Laidlaw and everyone has enjoyed the sun by getting outside as much as possible. The cricket nets have been full on many occasions after prep (until Love Island has taken over the evenings in the dayroom!), whilst those who wish to have been able to go to the sportshall, the football pitches or simply relax and make the most of the weather.

It has been a fantastic year in Laidlaw North. We now all look forward to the summer holidays and, before we know it, returning for another action-packed year!

Written by the Laidlaw North Lower Sixth Prefect Team Elect