Latest News Archives | Page 46 of 47

Inspirational Dr Sax

Principal Frank Thompson says the visit to the school on Friday by the world-famous expert on single-sex education Dr Leonard Sax was inspirational.

Pennsylvania-based Dr Sax came to Kilgraston on Friday, 10th May to meet pupils, parents and staff.

Mr Thompson said: “Dr Sax spoke passionately on the benefits of single sex education by combining his years of experience, his meticulous research and his common sense to show that, because of puberty and even brain size, boys and girls mature differently and develop best in a single-sex environment.

“Our girls, their parents and our staff all came away inspired in different ways.

“His presentations helped our girls to understand the value of Kilgraston as an all-girls school.

“For our staff, he confirmed things many already knew instinctively and which encouraged them to explore further their own teaching methodologies. His findings on how eye contact, body language and classroom layout need to be very different for boys and girls was particularly useful. The approach to teaching Physics he had encountered at a highly-successful US girls’ school will also give us a great deal to discuss in our Science department and beyond.

“And for our parents, it was affirmation that they have made the right choice for their daughters. As he told them: “Adolescent culture is going the wrong way and you have to assert your authority to keep your daughters from following the herd. The best possible thing you can do to help your daughter is to get her into a girls’ school.”

A Double Royal Success

Both Bernadette McElhinney and Erin MacGregor have qualified for the Royal International Horse Show at the recent Ayr County Show. Bernadette is pictured with her 122cm show hunter pony Doylan Chilli Pepper.

Along with her pony Abbeybells Queen Adelaide, Erin MacGregor (second photo) has also qualified for the Royal International Horse Show in the M&M Open Lead Rein Class and the m&m Pretty Polly Lead Rein Class.

Congratulations to both girls for their fantastic achievements.

Equestrian Championships

TWENTY-THREE schools from all over Scotland contested the prestigious Kilgraston Scottish Schools Equestrian Championships held at Gleneagles on Sunday.

This Combined Training competition is split into three different age groups - 12 and under, 14 and under and 15 and over - with competitors first completing the highly technical dressage phase before tackling a course of show jumps, first to prove accuracy and jumping ability and then against the clock.

Teams in each section are made up of four riders from the same school, with the best three scores being taken into account to make the final team score. Each competitor is also entered as an individual for which there are also awards for best Dressage, Jumping and Combined Training respectively.

Kilgraston hosted the day which has been running for the last nineteen years. The school’s Equestrian Manager Kim Seaton said:

“The 15 and over competition was exceptionally tight, with very high standards set in the dressage arenas. Kilgraston’s senior team of Sienna Elles, Rosie Allen, Olivia Morison and Sophie Stanistreet managed to hold off Robert Gordon’s college by just 0.4 of a penalty to win the team dressage competition and went on to stand head of the overall combined training by keeping a clean sheet in the show-jumping phase.

“Second overall were Strathallan who also proved to be the strongest team in the show-jumping. Individually, Katie Smith of George Heriot’s took home the Jenny Storer cup for the best individual show-jumping and Kilgraston’s Olivia Morison won her Arena for both dressage and combined training.

“Connie Snowie of Dollar Academy also had a successful day, winning Arena B with a dressage score of 20.

“In the 14 and under, it was again the home team of Kilgraston (Phoebe Reilly, Grace Reilly, Rachel Menzies and Amber Shillington) who took the top honours, coming top in both the combined training and dressage team sections ahead of Albyn School with Strathallan in third.

“In the team jumping, however, it was Strathallan who won through from Dollar Academy second and Albyn third.

“Individual results were hard-fought, especially between sisters Phoebe and Grace Reilly of Kilgraston. Grace won through in the dressage (Arena A) but dropped a pole in the jumping, leaving the door open for older sister Phoebe to reverse the placings in the combined training. Arena B was headed by Lauren Kerr of Albyn ahead of Trudie Marshall of Dollar with Strathallan’s Iona Wilson winning the show-jumping in an incredible 15 seconds.

“In the junior section, Lilliesleaf again made their trip from Melrose worthwhile by winning the team show-jumping but it was Robert Gordon’s team of Sadie Stephen, Lucy Matheson, Olivia McDonald-Meyer and Kimberley Beath who got to take home the silverware in the combined training and dressage competitions ahead of Lilliesleaf in second and Kilgraston in third.

“The individual placings went to Robert Gordon’s in both Arenas with Lucy Matheison and Olivia McDonald-Meyer, Mary Douglas of Lilliesleaf winning through individually in the show jumping.”

And Kim added: “I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to an excellent day at Gleneagles.”

Full results:

Kilgraston Scottish Schools Championships 2013 Results

Class 1: 12 & Under

Teams

Combined Training

1.Robert Gordon

Lilliesleaf
Kilgraston

Dressage

1.Robert Gordon

Lilliesleaf
Kilgraston

Show Jumping

1.Lilliesleaf

Robert Gordon
Kilgraston

Class 1: 12 & Under

Individuals

Combined Training Arena A

1.Lucy Matheson – Robert Gordon

Daisy Job – Lilliesleaf
Charley Hamilton – Albyn

Combined Training Arena B

1.Olivia McDonald Meyer – Robert Gordon

Emma Cook – Morrisons
Mary Douglas – Lilliesleaf

Dressage Arena A

1.Lucy Matheson – Robert Gordon

Daisy Job – Lilliesleaf
Charley Hamilton – Albyn

Dressage Arena B

1.Olivia McDonald Meyer – Robert Gordon

Emma Cook – Morrisons
Mary Douglas – Lilliesleaf

Show Jumping

1.Mary Douglas – Lilliesleaf

Charley Hamilton – Albyn
Daisy Job – Lilliesleaf

Class 2: 14 & Under

Teams

Combined Training

1.Kilgraston

Albyn
Strathallan
Dollar
Mary Erskine

Dressage

1.Kilgraston

Albyn
Strathallan

Show Jumping

1.Strathallan

Dollar
Albyn

Class 2: 14 & Under

Individuals

Combined Training Arena A

1.Phoebe Reilly – Kilgratson

Grace Reilly – Kilgraston
Charlotte Stevenson - Strathallan

Combined Training Arena B

1.Lauren Kerr – Albyn

Trudie Marshall – Dollar
Laila Bedawi - Albyn

Dressage Arena A

1.Grace Reilly - Kilgraston

Phoebe Reilly - Kilgraston
Charlotte Stevenson - Strathallan

Dressage Arena B

1.Lauren Kerr – Albyn

Trudie Marshall – Dollar
Laila Bedawi - Albyn

Show Jumping

1.Iona Wilson – Strathallan

Antonia Craig – Wellington
Aniela Henry – Dollar

Class 3: 15 & Over

Combined Training

1.Kilgraston

Strathallan
George Heriots
Dollar
Mary Erskine
Madras

Dressage

1.Kilgraston

Robert Gordon
George Heriots

Show Jumping

1.Strathallan

Dollar
Kilgraston

Class 2: 15 & Over

Individuals

Combined Training Arena A

1.Connie Snowie- Strathallan

Rosie Allen – Kilgraston

3 = Becky Starkey – Kinross

3 = Emma Cheape - Strathallan

Combined Training Arena B

1.Olivia Morison - Kilgraston

2 = Alex Mundell – Mary Erskine

2 = Olivia Strang Steel – Glenalmond

Dressage Arena A

1.Connie Snowie- Strathallan

Charlotte Meil – Robert Gordon
Rosie Allen – Kilgraston

Dressage Arena B

1.Olivia Morison - Kilgraston

2 = Isabelle O’Bryen – Robert Gordon

2= Connie Wishaw - Earlston

Show Jumping

1.Katie Smith – George Heriots

Sophie Bultitude – Robert Gordon
Fionnulla Kerr - Wellington

A running success

Last week Susie Lockett completed the 2013 London Marathon and raised over £1100 for her chosen cause.

So far she has collected £1142 for Mary’s Meals, an international movement that sets up school feeding projects in communities where poverty and hunger prevent children from gaining an education.

And by finishing in a fast time of 3 hours 54 mins, she is in the top 30% of the 34170 people who started the gruelling 26-mile race.

Susie had two further reasons to celebrate her fine run. She was over one hour faster than her time for the last London Marathon she did in 2007 and her finishing time was a new personal best – 44 minutes faster than her previous PB set at the 2006 Edinburgh Marathon.

Susie, from Perth, said: “It was an amazing experience – the crowds, support and organisation were all unbelievable.

“I started training for the race on January 2 and ran four times a week. In all, I ran well over 400 miles in generally horrid Scottish winter weather.

“I run regularly with Perth Road Runners and was given my place in their annual London marathon ballot, so I am very grateful to them for the chance to participate and to those who helped me prepare. I owe them a huge debt of gratitude.”

And she added: “I’d like to thank everyone who made donations to Mary’s Meals. I wanted to support the charity because it’s a simple idea that works brilliantly; by providing a daily meal in a place of education, chronically poor children are attracted to the classroom where they can gain a basic education that provides an escape route from poverty. Over 700,000 children receive Mary’s Meals every school day which is just amazing and the money I’ve raised will continue that excellent work.”

Kilgraston’s Head of Prep Kathryn Ebrahim said: “Mrs Lockett is a true inspiration to the girls and a great role model. She was back to work, bright-eyed on Monday morning, so well done!”

Community and cameras

Last term, Jasmine Wilson, Daniella Traill and Minjee Kim were involved in creating wonderful Christmas presents for the residents at Moncreiffe Care Home. This involved taking beautiful portrait photographs of the residents and then framing them as gifts.

Some of the action and the final products can be seen below. The elderly residents really appreciated them.

Thank you to the U6 girls and to Mrs Saunders for the fabulous idea.

Miss Taylor

[nggallery id=82]

The 2013 Kilgraston Ball

The Kilgraston Ball was held on Saturday 16th March. Here are a few images from what was wonderful and memorable evening. Many thanks to Maggie Saunders for the wonderful photos.

[nggallery id=81]