WW1 day
Girls right across the school took part in themed opportunities in subjects as diverse as music, drama, science and cookery, whilst the school welcomed expert visitors from across Scotland to share their insight and expertise.
Serving personnel from RAF Leuchars (Flying Officer Natalie Macdonald, Warrant Officer Darren Gill, and Station Warrant Officer Neil Simpson), ran a series of activities to help the girls experience something of the forces’ role in WW1. A game of ‘Chinese Whispers’ reinforced the difficulties of wartime communications, drill exercises helped pupils to focus on following instructions accurately, and teamwork exercises emphasised the impact of strategic planning.
Perth’s Black Watch Castle Museum added historical context to proceedings, bringing hands-on exhibits to illustrate the development of military uniforms, explain the stories behind medal designs, and tell the story of the Princess Mary Gift Box - a Christmas present provided to all those serving overseas in 1914.
Our Science Laboratories was transformed into a field hospital and munitions factory, where girls made gunpowder bombs, discovered how flares were made, and learnt how war conditions led to rapid medical innovations.
Authors Lindsay Inkster and Helen Lawrenson gave live readings of their work - some as yet unpublished - and held a discussion around the impact of war across families and generations. A group of 50 girls performed an interpretation of Wilfred Owen’s poem Dulce et Decorum Est, whilst a ceremonial planting of one of the ceramic Tower of London poppies provided a moment of reflection, accompanied by The Last Post and a performance of Keep the Home Fires Burning. Girls made felt poppies, which will be sold in aid of Poppy Scotland later in the year, whilst others entered a competition to design and bake a WW1-themed cake, with Sophie Downes’ ‘trench’ themed cake emerging the overall winner.
Our caterers - Inspire - also got in on the act, providing a themed lunch of corned beef hash and jam roly poly.
Mr Kearns, Head of English and Co-ordinator of the day, said: “Today, we all came together to take part in something special. We entered into the spirit of the period, immersed ourselves in a whole range of experiences and opportunities, and were moved by all we learnt”.
Sporting success
We’re delighted to share news of three significant sporting successes for Kilgraston’s sportswomen:
Catriona Norval’s Scotland call up - Netball
Catriona Norval (15) has been selected to represent Scotland in Scotland Under 17 netball team. The team will play in Hull at the Netball Europe 2015 tournament. The news came the same day as former Kilgraston pupil Katie Robertson (18) was selected for the Scotland U21 hockey team.
Kilgraston’s Director of Sport, Pauline Stott, said: “We are all absolutely delighted with Catriona’s news of her selection for the Under 17 Scotland team. Catriona has worked so hard to be selected and this dedication and passion for success has paid off which is wonderful to see. All the staff wish Catriona the best of luck for the tournament”
Tess Wylie is the new under 11 Scottish Prep Champion
Tess Wylie (9) took the title of Under 11Prep Ski Champion at the Prep Ski Championships at Glenshee. After a day of skiing in mixed conditions ranging from bright sunshine to thick fog, Tess emerged as Under 11 champion from amongst eight schools who entered the Championships. Mrs Euphan Stewart, who organises Kilgraston’s ski training, said “We are really delighted for Tess. Tess trains twice a week throughout the year on a dry ski slope and as often as possible on snow so it is lovely to see her hard work paying off. The day was fantastic experience for our girls, and we’ll be back to try to reclaim our Champions crowns next year!”
Kilgraston are Midland S3 Hockey Champions
Kilgraston’s hockey team emerged as Midlands Champions in the Indoor S3 schools / clubs hockey tournament. The team consisted of girls from Lower 4th to Lower 5th, who travelled to The High School of Dundee for the tournament. It was a clean sweep for the Kilgraston team, who won all their games to take the title. The team recorded a convincing 11 - 0 win against The High School of Dundee, and secured a 7 - 2 win against Strathallan.
Fairtrade Market
On Tuesday, the Prep School held their annual Fairtrade Christmas Market. The following account was written with the Prep School magazine committee - Alex, Rania, Olivia, Suzanne, Aliza and Michaela.
The day of the Fairtrade Market was really exciting, with a feeling of anticipation around the Prep School. We all kept reminding each other about the market, and we were allowed to miss our last lesson to set up our stalls. Earlier in the week, we had all worked together to help make decorations for the Atrium - the younger ones made the decorations, and the older ones helped to hang them from the ceiling.
We all felt very festive, wearing Christmas jumpers, hats, socks and antlers. When the market started, we couldn’t believe how quickly everything was sold! The market was supposed to run until 5pm, but by 10 past 4 we had already sold out of lots of things! The most popular item we sold was the giant cookies - people kept coming back and asking for more, but we had already sold out of them! We had to solve problems as we went along, such as running out of 20p coins and having to ask people to come back in a little while to collect their change.
It felt really worthwhile, and it was really good to raise money for such a good cause. It’s nice to spend money to help other people, instead of just buying things for yourself. All together, we sold over £400 worth of items, and raised over £150 for Mary’s Meals. If we were to do it all over again, we’d do it exactly the same… except for ordering more giant cookies!
Squid ink
Science club was bursting at the seams this lunchtime as over 25 girls tried their hand at squid dissection. Under the supervision of Mr Connolly, Mrs McCormick and Ms Blackler, girls studied the anatomy of their squid, then carefully cut it open to reveal the heart, ink sack and gills. We felt the beak and examined what the squid had been eating, then looked inside the eyeball to find the hard clear lens.
It was fantastic to see the girls carefully exploring these fascinating creatures, and comparing their squid to see the difference between them. As well as looking at the body of the squid, we also learnt how they move around the water, how they defend themselves from predation, and how they capture their prey. One squid had a whole - undigested - prawn inside, which was quite a sight!
Well done to the girls for their thoughtful and scientific approach, and thank you to the science department for such an interesting lunchtime!
School of the Year Award
We are delighted to announce that Kilgraston has been chosen as the top independent school in Scotland by The Sunday Times’ prestigious ‘Parent Power’ guide.
We were chosen for the accolade on the strength of the 2013-14 Intermediate 2 grades achieved by our Upper 5th year, which saw 98.6% of girls’ grades scored A-C, against a national average of 77.9%. 82% scored the highest ‘A’ grade.
Parent Power is the Sunday Times’ guide to the top performing schools in Britain. It publishes a ranking of 2,000 schools, using the latest results from public examinations to assess and compare academic performance. Each year, nine awards are presented to the very top performing ‘schools of the year’. Of Kilgraston, the guide said:
“Nestled in a valley surrounded by the rolling hills of stunning Perthshire in the heart of Scotland, Kilgraston School, our Scottish Independent School of the Year, offers an idyllic environment for its pupils to learn and live in. Set in 54 acres of parkland, this small independent Catholic girls boarding and day school is centred around a 17th-century redbrick schoolhouse. The modern facilities, which include a six-lane indoor heated swimming pool, its own equestrian centre, and a £1m science centre, are as outstanding as the scenery is breathtaking, and the school’s academic results are impressive, too”.
Alastair McCall, Editor of The Sunday Times Schools Guide, Parent Power said:
“It is always nice to recognise schools that offer something different. Kilgraston has had an outstanding year academically, climbing in our table from 18th last year to fourth this year off the back of stunning results at Highers and Advanced Highers, and also Intermediate 2 examinations. Kilgraston has had a stunning year in the examinations hall – from a non-selective intake –but the school is about so much more than that. Girls are encouraged to participate and succeed in all walks of life and the relatively small numbers allow the school to focus on personal development for each child. The school has a family feel to it and should be proud of its remarkable achievements”.
Chair of Kilgraston’s Board of Governors, Mr Tim Hall, said:
“The Governing Board is clearly delighted with this award, and KIlgraston’s outstanding academic record continues to help differentiate the school from its peers. We are just as pleased to see recognition in this accolade for our focus on the personal development of every child, whatever their ability, and the caring and supportive environment in which this is achieved”
Mrs Carol Ann Lund, Principal, said:
“We are a small school with a big heart. Our pupils are our best asset; they care about each other, work hard, and are aspirational. Our sixth-formers are extraordinary women who make amazing school leaders. Kilgraston girls see each other doing well and they want to do well. They will run off the hockey pitch, straighten themselves up, and go and sing in the choir. I want to say thank you to every pupil, who does their very best in every lesson, to every teacher - who challenges the girls to give of their best, to support and residential staff who make sure that girls learn in a safe and beautiful environment, and to our parents, who have trusted us with their daughters’ education”.
The full Sunday Times review of Kilgraston is available here.
Sporting week
It’s been a fantastic week in Kilgraston’s sporting world:
Badminton
We were delighted that our badminton team – under the guidance of Mrs Clarke – entered the Perth and Kinross Badminton Championships for the first time yesterday.
Arietta Manganiello won the Championships for U16 singles, and Katie Stott and Arietta Manganiello won the U16 Doubles too! Both Lucy Garrett and Sophie Jacobs played really well and got into the semi finals in the doubles for Under 17s.
Well done to the girls – a fantastic first appearance for Kilgraston in this competition. Thank you to Mrs Clarke for taking the girls and coaching.
Scotland team selection: Hockey
We were also thrilled this week to receive news of four of our girls’ selection to the next round of the Scottish hockey selection:
Training squad
- Katie Stott
- Emily Dark
Development squad
- Daisy Foniciello
- Catriona Roberts
It is fantastic for the girls to have been selected (both groups represent the top 25 players in the country) – well done to them all.
Netball
On Monday night our L4 girls were in action playing High School Dundee at netball in the Scottish Cup. It was a brilliant performance from the girls coming out winners 22 – 16 in an exciting game.
Hockey matches
On Tuesday we welcomed Fettes Under 15 and Under 14 B hockey teams to Kilgraston and the girls played very well throughout. Both teams won 5 - 0 with some spectacular goals from the girls. The teams also had L4 players taking part, which was a great experience for the girls.
Christmas concert 2014
Rehearsals are now well underway, and we’re all really looking forward to this year’s Christmas Concert, to be held on Friday 5th December in Perth Concert Hall.
As ever, the concert will be the perfect beginning to the festive season, and the programme is packed with carols, singing and musical performances, with plenty of opportunities for singing along!
Tickets are on sale from Perth Concert Hall, and we do hope you’ll be able to join us for the ultimate ‘winter warmer’.
Many thanks to Rettie and Co for their support of this event.
Christmas all wrapped up
Animal Antics
Pupils in Kilgraston’s Preparatory School were introduced to some new friends this week - albeit friends with whiskers, feathers and claws! As part of their project to learn about all kinds of animals, the children were visited by the RSBP and the Scottish SPCA, who were able to introduce them to some familiar - and some not so familiar - creatures.
Kate Walters from the RSPB’s Sea Eagle project introduced the children to these wonderful birds, with the aid of puppets and cardboard tube ‘binoculars’, and the children learned about the lifestyle and habitat of the UK’s largest bird of prey. Sea eagles, which have wing span of 2.5 meters, became extinct in Britain during the early 1900s and were successfully re-introduced to Scotland in 1975.
Scottish SPCA Educator Lauren also visited Kilgraston to teach the children about caring for all kinds of animals. Pupils learnt what to do if they find an injured wild animal, how to care for their own pets, and how to look after animals that may visit their garden.
Thank you to both of our visitors for teaching us so much about the creatures they care for!
Wearable Art Show
Our art students have so impressed the organisers at Dundee’s first ‘Wearable Art Competition’ that all of the school’s entries have been shortlisted to the final stage of competition.
Wearable artwork by eleven of our sixth form artists will now be showcased at Bonar Hall, where models will show off the school artists’ creations during a ‘Wearable Art Show’ on the 11th October. Entries will be judged on their quality, originality and innovation, with the overall winner taking a prize of £100 and winning a professional photography session for their artwork.
Dundee Wearable Art is an initiative that “encourages artists, designers, makers and dreamers from Dundee and beyond, to participate in making works of art using the body as a canvas for creativity”.
Dundee Wearable Art aims to celebrate creative people of all ages and from all kind of creative backgrounds, including fine art, contemporary art, hand-craft, fashion, costume design, make-up, live performances, and new technologies.
Kilgraston’s Head of Art Miss Gillian Macleod said “This is such an exciting opportunity to showcase our girls’ work. We’re thrilled that all of our entries have been shortlisted to appear in the final show, and can’t wait to be part of what promises to be an enthralling event”.
More information on Dundee’s Wearable Art Show is available at www.dundeewearableart.com