74% of our pupils achieved Grade A at National 5 level

Space and outdoor learning in abundance...The Sunday Telegraph spots a trend.

Kilgraston Junior School trip

It was another exciting milestone for Kilgraston Junior School when our Reception and Lower First class headed out on a school trip post the COVID pandemic.

Heading out in the sunshine the class went to idyllic Tentsmuir Beach in Fife, a minibus ride from our school.

It was an opportunity for the class to put into practice some of the skills they have been learning in class with their current topic of bridges. The huge sandy shores of Tentsmuir proved the perfect landscape for the class to trial their bridge-making skills with the class designing and building their own.

After two hours, the pupils unveiled their individual masterpieces, impressing class teacher Mrs Stewart and classroom assistant Mrs Armstrong.

So to celebrate all their hard work, the class headed to a play park for lunch (with delicious chocolate crepes) before getting back on the minibus. Concluding their day of bridges, they opted to return via the Tay Bridge, noticing the remnants of the old rail bridge and counted all the bridges on the way home - an impressive 33. The class then stopped in Perth to admire the three bridges over the Tay.

Sounds like a wonderful day out.

Women and Business - career inspiration at Kilgraston School

Preparing our pupils for their future starts from the first day of Reception, with the focus on professions becoming more focussed from aged 12 when girls start to work with the Unifrog careers platform.

Everyone agrees that the adult workplace can be a bewildering arena. To assist girls with these crucial choices, Kilgraston’s innovative Women and Business lecture programme was implemented.

Throughout the academic year, senior pupils – Lower and Upper Fifth and Sixth Form – enjoy talks from industry experts from a myriad of professions. Hearing first-hand from experts in their field is frequently the catalyst on which a whole life can pivot. Despite social distancing restrictions, our lectures continued online, often encompassing an even wider school audience.

“Let nothing stand in the way of learning,” Dorothy MacGinty, Head teacher

 

Industry expertise

Do you fancy creating and marketing a unique blend of tea? Our pupils did with Clare Pinchbeck of Hettie’s Tearoom with the innovative brand being launched at Etape Caledonia in September 2021.

Learning about the role of Daily Telegraph columnist, Judith Woods, gave the girls an insight into life as a journalist at the very top of the game, her route to a national newspaper and some of the characters encountered along the way: “Did she really say that?!”

Mental arithmetic proved a great qualification when tax specialists from international accountancy firm Saffery Champness described the many opportunities available within their field. Within a day, two pupils had signed-up to learn more about apprenticeships within the firm.

Potential legal-eagles were offered the chance to glean the inside track from solicitor, Nyree Conway, of Edinburgh firm Thorley Stephenson and, from the other side of the judicial divide, Procurator Fiscal Karon Rollo, detailed her professional life, representing the Crown Office, including gory stories of bodies on dark hillsides!

Energy and inspiration were clearly in evidence when young entrepreneur Helen Stewart, owner of Badvo Gin, gave girls an insight into starting and running your own rural business.

For those – and there are many – keen to pursue a medical career, Sally Ibbotson was on-hand to detail life as Professor of Photodermatology and Consultant Dermatologist, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School.

The hospitality industry has been much in the news and nowhere more so than in hotels. Gleneagles Hotel’s Commercial Director, Jane McGee, was kind enough to spare the time come to Kilgraston, offering insight into her incredibly demanding and varied role including some of the world’s other top establishments.

Each year, over 60% of Kilgraston leavers proceed to take STEM undergraduate courses. Bearing this in mind, the School was thrilled to welcome Rachel Battilana MIStractE, an engineer with SSE’s hydro scheme upgrade projects who works throughout Scotland, turning up the pressure on Scotland’s waterways.

Dental enthusiasts were entertained by Rhu McKelvey BDS (Glasgow) 1995, FDSRCS 1998, M.Orth (Edinburgh) who is not only a highly-qualified orthodontist but a very successful entrepreneur, starting, running and continually expanding BEAM Orthodontics in Dundee.

Since Spring 2020, being “guided by the science” is a phrase with which we have all become familiar. But for Dr Julie Maxton CBE, Executive Director of London’s Royal Society, life is actually about helping to produce the scientific facts and data that can sway governmental decisions. We were honoured that Dr Maxton was able to join us.

Putting a twist on the traditional is what businesswoman Michelle Maddox of Clootie McToot is all about. Just five years ago, the Perthshire mum took her gran’s clootie dumpling recipe, added flavours such as Plum and Gin and Banana and Toffee (yum), in the process, turning it into a massive commercial enterprise, now stocked by high street giants, John Lewis. Michelle spoke o Kilgraston girls in September 2021.

Medicine is a perennial favourite with Kilgraston leavers, and, in January 2022, Kim Dale - Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vice Principal (International) School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee visited the School to speak with girls about her fascinating journey to become one of the UKs leading experts in her field.

 

Future speakers

  • March 2022 we will welcome social, philosophical and religious commentator, Catherine Pepinster, a research consultant at St George’s House within Windsor Castle. Catherine will draw on her many achievements, including as first female editor of The Tablet review; a development consultant with The Anglican Centre in Rome and an Assistant Editor of The Independent on Sunday newspaper. As a visiting Scholar (Religion, philosophy, politics) at St Benet’s Hall, Oxford University, and an alumnus of Heythrop College, University of London, together with The University of Manchester and City, University of London, Catherine has combined intense academia with a varied and stimulating career.
  • June 2022 - Mike Harvey, Technology PR specialist - Mike will chart his successful route from reading French and Russian at the University of Oxford, to working as a journalist on The Times, becoming Communications Director for multi-platform behemoth, Google, and now running his own PR consultant for the technology industry
  • September 2022 - Sally Patten, editor of Sydney’s leadership magazine, BOSS, will - with the benefit of many decade of experience of the business-world - give pupils the inside track on life in the boardroom.
  • November 2022 - Kathleen Hornby, South African-based entrepreneur, trained with legendary chef Pru Leith in London before returning to her native country, starting and building a bespoke safari company
  • Continuing the entrepreneurial theme, young mum Sophie McEwan of the beautiful home wares and interiors outlet and online venture, Quince & Cook, will come to Kilgraston in January 2022 to describe her idea for the business, finding premises, opening-up then - boom - Covid caused lockdown and a swift volte-face to an online business model was required. Resilience and flexibility, two of the core principles taught at Kilgraston.

In line with our on-going commitment to building the next generation of entrepreneurs, in 2019 Kilgraston was also the proud sponsor of the Inspirational Women category at the 2019 Business Women Scotland Awards.

Learning life always goes on.

Seeking ‘space’ and ‘fresh air’ - Scottish boarding market sees domestic, post-lockdown, uptick

Dorothy MacGinty, Head teacher of Kilgraston School: “Life at a boarding school is always challenging but, like everywhere else, the last fourteen months have been specifically difficult for myriad reasons. Apart from ensuring pupils were academically and pastorally fulfilled, an independent school is a multi-million pound, international business and, obviously, Covid-19 has thrown-up many additional hurdles to parents from abroad contemplating sending their child to a British boarding school.”

Mrs MacGinty continued: “However, life is always surprising. Interest from the domestic boarding market has seen a remarkable upsurge. Parents (and their daughters) are quoting ‘space’, ‘smaller classes’, ‘fresh air’ and, most interestingly, ‘having a bedroom to escape to and their own personal space’ as the last few months have been so confined. Also fascinating is the move from the English GCSE and A-Level curriculum to our SQA, Highers and National Fives. Parents from down-south are clearly thinking ahead to university places and now seeing the Scottish school timetable as positive move to getting into Scottish universities.”

The full article can be read here: Daily Telegraph

Kilgraston attends Scotland’s Boarding Schools event

Kilgraston is delighted to be part of the first ever Scotland’s Boarding Schools event, which is taking place virtually Saturday 22nd May.

At the event 14 leading Scottish boarding schools will come together to showcase the range and quality of boarding schools in Scotland. They offer an enviable range of outdoor pursuits with the incredible Scottish landscape always playing a part.

Families will have the opportunity to meet with some of Kilgraston’s senior team including our Headmistress, Mrs Dorothy MacGinty, and our Head of Sixth Form, Mrs Deirdre McCormick.

The past 15 months has seen a rise in demand for Scottish boarding schools, particularly from London and city-based families.

Almost 6000 families from London alone have used the Scotland’s Boarding Schools and Scottish Council for Independent Schools websites to research boarding schools in Scotland over the past year.

Admissions teams say interest seems to be driven by the effects of lock-down and parents’ desire for their children to grow up in with access to wide open spaces.

Director of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools, John Edward, said:
“During lock-down many families were cooped up together in major cities like London and dreamed of an idyllic childhood with easy access to wide open spaces and a safe environment. That is something that Scotland has in spades and our members are seeing an increase in inquiries from city-based families as a result.”

Kilgraston looks forward to meeting with families at the event.

Find out more here.

Record recruitment for Kilgraston’s summer camp programme

Fresh from getting their children back to school after months of lockdown learning, parents are now turning their attention to the looming summer holiday period in a bid to satisfy offspring’s pent-up energy.

“Bookings have only been open for three weeks,” comments Donna Douglas, Kilgraston’s Summer School Course Director, “but already they are far exceeding those of the pre-Covid summer of 2019, and there are still eight weeks to go.”

While Kilgraston’s summer camps did take place during 2020’s lockdown-easing, social distancing and higher than usual teacher-to-pupil ratio requirements capped numbers: “Demand during the six-weeks was huge,” notes Douglas, “but, unfortunately, we had to disappoint many families as rules just didn’t allow us to take the numbers we’d have liked.”

But 2021 is proving to be a whole different ball game: “We had 510 visitor days’ booked over Easter,” continues Douglas, “and summer confirmations are already well over those of 2019 levels.”

Being asked to provide packed lunches and snacks, hasn’t proved a game-changer, with parents still very keen to get kids out and about on the playing fields and equestrian centre or developing skills at the newly-announced Dance and Multi-Arts camps: “We’ve had bookings from all-over central Scotland,” Douglas says, “from north of Dundee to over the Firth of Forth. Parents are citing an emphasis on fun and energy outlets, especially with restrictions on foreign travel.”

Camps will keep age-groups together in tight ‘bubbles’, with one adult to every seven students: “Generally, children stay in small, familiar, groups all day, generating a family atmosphere,” notes Douglas, “If we reach capacity, a ‘wait-list’ is created, where additional staff will be recruited if demand dictates.”

If you’d like further information or to book a place on one of the many activities, please click here or email directly to [email protected]

Drama at Kilgraston - A Midsummer Night’s Dream Auditions

By the big tree stump outside of Mater, pupils from Lower Four to Lower Fifth recently took part in a workshop audition to be in this summer’s Kilgraston Drama Department’s production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

Auditionees played games, explored different ways of moving as certain characters, improvised scenarios, and worked in groups to create still images of locations and objects. It was such a beautiful, sunny, afternoon and we all had a lot of fun.

The performance will take place in the grounds of Kilgraston - performers, narrators and helpers will lead the audience to various locations where our actors will bring to life (using modern day English) famous characters such as The Lovers (Helena, Hermia, Demetrius, and Lysander), the actors (Bottom and co), and the Fairies (Titania, Oberon, and Puck).

Performance date and time will be announced shortly in the meantime, you can enjoy the tremedous Kilgraston talent with our Kilgraston’s Christmas movie.

Kilgraston Head Girl Team 2021 - 2022 announced

Voting for Kilgraston Head Girl Team has taken place so congratulations to Lower Sixth’s Maria, our Head Girl for 2021 - 2022 academic year. She will be supported by deputies, Yolanda and India.

In Mrs MacGinty’s Monday assembly, she discussed the qualities of being a good leader. These include:

  • Integrity - what are your morals?
  • Delegate - how can you work as a team?
  • Self awareness - do you know your strengths and weaknesses?
  • And empathy - do you understand other people’s thoughts?

Mrs MacGinty then introduced Maria, India and Yolanda, who shared some of their plans for next year. These include a regular academic and pastoral support session run by Upper Sixth. They will also be looking at ways to encourage more pupils to take up different sports with regular talks from athletes. The Head Girl team is also aiming to further integrate and support Kilgraston’s already strong charity support.

We very much look forward to finding out more about Maria, India and Yolanda’s plans for next year.

Tennis at Kilgraston - the Adam Brown Doubles Open

Well done to all the girls who took part in the Adam Brown Doubles Open. This was a LTA Event (Lawn Tennis Association), featuring county level doubles pairs from around Scotland.

Kilgraston pupils who took part performed brilliantly so congratulations to Olivia and Willow who came 6th out of 10 pairs in the 12/under event.

Willow and Olivia took the overall winners to a tie - break, which is fantastic!

In a different age group, well done to Lexie who came 3rd in the 16/under’s and 3rd in the 18/under’s which is an amazing effort!

We hope to run more LTA events at Kilgraston, we’re lucky to have such a great venue for tennis so get in touch with Kilgraston’s tennis coach Billy McNeil via [email protected]

Heads’ up – it’s time to put your back into learning at Kilgraston School

The full effect of pupils having been away from the classroom for months will take a long time to fully comprehend. However, at Kilgraston, one consequence has already been clearly identified.

“Since returning after the Easter holidays, several teachers began to notice a common theme of slouching,” said Head teacher, Dorothy MacGinty,

It soon became evident that months of home-schooling, crouching over a laptop, hadn’t done anything for pupil posture, with several commenting on sore backs and necks.

“Of course, because of social distancing, staff and dining room chat is severely curtailed,” continued the Head, “it took a few days before we realised that this was a common theme. Since restrictions were eased, there has, quite rightly, been a great deal of national discussion about lockdown lethargy, mental health issues, weight gain and children struggling with speech and language skills, however, none of us were prepared for, or expected, a bearing on personal carriage.”

To try and address the issue, pupils throughout the Kilgraston’s Junior and Senior Years are now being asked to carry-out shoulder-rolls and stretches before each class, with time spent in PE also concentrating on personal posture.

Year-group bubbles are encouraged to think about their stance and the body as a whole. “We’re not quite ‘Miss Jean Brodie’,” said Mrs MacGinty, “but we are asking them to sit-up a bit straighter for their own long-term benefit.”

 

Senior pupils at Kilgraston School taking part in a pre-English class stretch session

 

The Daily Mail newspaper also thought this was a good idea, reporting the story on Wednesday 5 May 2021

Deportment for education… school bids to stop slouching

  • Scottish Daily Mail
  • 5 May 2021
  • By Kate Foster

IT is a lesson worthy of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie – a ‘deportment’ class to correct slovenly posture.

Now, just like the girls in the classic book and film, pupils at a Scottish boarding school are being taught how to carry themselves, after teachers saw them ‘slouching’ at their desks following months of home schooling.

The posture classes are taking place at Kilgraston, an independent school near Perth where fees range from £11,550 for primary to £33,500 for senior school boarding.

Many pupils have been studying from home during lockdown and when the mostly girls’ school reopened for face-to-face learning two weeks ago, teachers saw youngsters slumping and complaining of aches and pains. Now they are being given daily exercises such as shoulder rolls and stretches before they start lessons, with PE classes concentrating on deportment.

The problem is thought to have been caused by pupils at home not looking up as often as they would do in the classroom – and teachers not being on hand to tell them to sit up straight.