Merchiston

Why Merchiston?
Merchiston is one of the UK’s leading boarding schools, and a member of the World Leading Schools Association (the only school in Scotland), offering the English curriculum, but with a global, outward-looking dimension. Over 65% of pupils board and a full boarding programme is provided, seven days a week. Merchiston is a remarkable school where boys make lifelong friends and community connections, whilst excelling far beyond their expected results and being prepared to leave ready for the world.

Wellbeing
Wellbeing underpins everything we do, and your son’s wellbeing will always be our primary concern. One of our key goals is to ensure we are a safe and happy community, and this depends on everyone within the community feeling healthy, included, nurtured, respected, safe, valued and supported as well as able to achieve and lead active, responsible lives.

Academic
Committed to leading students towards ‘personal excellence’, Merchiston has an impressive record of helping boys excel far beyond their expected results. The School’s exceptional academic performance over a significant number of years, demonstrates that our boys, as a cohort, are consistently amongst the highest achieving boys in Scotland. Maths, Further Maths, Science and Technology (including Electronics) are particular strengths, although Humanities and the Arts are also excellent.

University Success
In 2020, 62% of pupils went to UK Russell Group Universities, Bath, Cambridge, Oxford, St Andrews and leading international institutions. In the past few years students have gained admission to Ivy League Universities such as Cornell and Brown, mini-Ivies such as Amherst and other prestigious academic and sporting universities in California, New York, Colorado and San Francisco.

Sport
The School is represented at national and international level in many sports and operates specialist Golf and Tennis Academies.

Co-curricular
The co-curricular programme delivers such life skills as leadership, teamwork, and mentoring. Music and Drama are major activities, involving pupils of all ages. There are numerous instrumental ensembles and choirs, as well as opportunities for individual instrumental lessons.

Links with Girls Schools
Of course, we never forget the importance of mixing with girls. Our close links with our sister schools, St George’s and Kilgraston, ensure that there are plenty of opportunities to interact with girls across the educational, co-curricular and social calendars. Ask any of our boys, and they won’t complain about lack of female friends; in fact, they consider themselves to be at an excellent school that offers them space, and freedom, to mature without the social distractions, and pressures, inherent in a mixed classroom setting. ‘A balanced curriculum, excellent pastoral care and a high A level pass rate make Merchiston one of the UK’s leading independent schools’ – www.ukboardingschools.com