Category Archive: News

Prep Schools Strings Day

In March, Kilgraston hosted the annual Kilgraston Prep Schools’ Strings Day. Schools from around Perthshire including Craigclowan , Ardvreck and Strathallan schools all sent violin and cello players to join our own string players and there were over thirty pupils attending on the day.

There was an extra element of fun this year as it coincided with World Book Day, so some pupils chose to attend the day in their costumes – which ranged from an Osprey to a Cheshire cat, and even the Queen of Hearts. The day began with everyone together for some fun warmups before the pupils went off to various locations around the school to rehearse in preparation for the concert. The visitors had lunch with the Kilgraston pupils and during break times took the opportunity to play and explore outside.

The main business of the day was to prepare two pieces for the afternoon concert: an exciting arrangement of Drunken Sailor and Easy Kanon (based on Pachelbel’s Canon). The pupils all worked hard on the pieces during the day with the help of Kilgraston teachers and the visiting string teachers. They performed with great enthusiasm and success in the afternoon concert in front of an audience of parents from all schools who were involved on the day.

Mrs Campbell, Woodwind Teacher and Kilgraston Music Administrator.

International Women’s Day 2024

Kilgraston celebrates International Women’s Day 2024 with our community sharing their inspirational women.

Kilgraston Head of Sixth Form assembly

Kilgraston Head of Sixth Form, Mrs Kirk, shares her first Kilgraston assembly, based on the topic of ‘wisdom’:

When I was trying to think up a topic for assembly, I found it really difficult. So, I asked for help – because that’s always a good idea! Mr Allaker suggested I look at the Sacred Heart goals for inspiration, whilst Mr Campbell told me to talk about Harry Potter – because you don’t need to know me for long to know that I love Harry Potter and all things Hogwarts. So much so that every birthday I get lots of Harry Potter themed gifts, and my birthday last week was no exception. So, when I went to write my assembly, I grabbed my new Ravenclaw notebook and saw my inspiration- ‘wisdom’. That’s what I’ll talk to you about today. Because my favourite thing about Harry Potter is Hogwarts, and my favourite thing about Hogwarts is Ravenclaw – the house where ‘those of wit and learning will always find their kind’ – imagine that – a house dedicated to learning, reading, - hanging out in the library – it’s the stuff of dreams! Because I love learning – I have always loved learning and I teach because it means I still get to learn – from you, every day! But I’ll come back to that in a moment.
Now as I’m new, lots of you might not know what I teach – it is Philosophy. And some of you might not know yet what Philosophy is. Philosophy literally translates to ‘love of wisdom’, so you can see why it appeals to the Ravenclaw in me. It is the subject where you try to answer big questions – Who am I? Why are we here? How do I know the difference between right and wrong? Big questions – with no easy answers. Which is why when I was in school, I really …did not like Philosophy! I had a thirst for knowledge, I liked learning, and I thought that to learn I had to know – and in Philosophy you never stop asking why?! Socrates, a very famous Greek Philosopher, said ‘The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing’ – so how then could a love of wisdom equal knowing you know nothing?

There is a book I read in my Philosophy class called ‘Sophie’s World’ – a novel to help introduce very old and quite complicated Philosophies to teenagers, and there is a quote that I’d like to share with you. ‘To children, the world and everything in it is new, something that gives rise to astonishment. It is not like that for adults. Most adults accept the world as a matter of course. This is precisely where philosophers are a notable exception. A philosopher never gets quite used to the world. To him or her, the world continues to seem a bit unreasonable – bewildering, even enigmatic. Philosophers and small children have an important faculty in common. The only thing we require to be good philosophers is the faculty of wonder.’
And that is why I love teaching – viewing the world through children’s eyes reminds me to never stop asking why (because if you know any little children, you might know that they are really good at asking why!) – to understand, though, that it’s not about getting the right answer, but rather asking the right questions – the fun is in the learning, not the knowing. And I know this can seem a bit at odds in the middle of prelim exams for the seniors, but when you get to the end of the prelims, please don’t focus too harshly on what you didn’t know – instead get excited about the learning journey you can have between now and your final exams – and beyond! And whilst doing so, know that you are fulfilling the Sacred Heart goal to hold a deep respect for intellectual values.

But this year’s goal is Faith, and another Sophie’s world quote is ‘where both reason and experience fall short, there occurs a vacuum that can be filled by faith.’ You see Philosophers who believe we can know things, believe that this knowledge either comes from our reason and logic – inside our head - or comes from our experience, through our senses. But sometimes we can’t find the answers here and for many, when we can’t find certainty, or the path seems unknowable, then faith can be a powerful tool for navigating the unknown and helping to bring a sense of peace and calm during times of uncertainty.

I’d like to end with the message to enjoy the learning journey you are gifted at Kilgraston – it really is a magical school – and to never lose the child like sense of wonder or suppress the desire to keep asking ‘Why’ and seek answers.

Kilgraston pupils celebrate Chinese New Year

One of the great privileges of having international students at Kilgraston is the opportunity to share traditions and culture from other countries. Just before half term, we were thrilled to celebrate the Lunar New Year across the Senior School as we transitioned from the Year of the Rabbit to the Year of the Dragon. Our Chinese students, Jenny, Ava, Candy, Sofia and Naomi led a fascinating assembly on the origins of some of the traditions of New Year. We also learned that this year was not only the Year of the Dragon, the most auspicious of all the Chinese zodiac animals, but more specifically the Year of the Wood Dragon, the most creative and visionary of the dragons.

People born under this sign are thought to be the most creative and visionary of the dragons; they are optimistic, ambitious and adventurous; they like to explore new ideas and challenge themselves and they are also generous, compassionate and loyal to their friends. They sound just like our wonderful Kilgraston students!

To celebrate, we decorated the school building with beautiful lanterns, the ESOL corridor is bedecked with red and gold banners and bunting and on the last day before half term, the Senior School worked in Form Groups and produced wonderful crafts hung in Glass Square. Lower Fourth and Upper Fourth produced beautiful red banners bearing traditional New Year greetings in Chinese using black and gold ink, led by Naomi, Naia and Reny. Lower Fifth and Upper Fifth created amazing traditional Chinese cut paper decorations made from red tissue paper, guided by Ava and Candy, and Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth produced a splendid dragon collage from a large sketch done by Eve and using a variety of materials such as tissue paper, beads, feathers, ribbon and a great deal of creativity and imagination.

We are already looking forward to next year’s celebration for January 29 2025 when we enter the Year of the Snake!

Celebrating the outstanding success of the Kilgraston Christmas Concert

The spirit of Christmas filled the air at Perth Concert Hall as the annual Kilgraston Christmas Concert came to life in a dazzling display of talent, joy, and festive cheer. The evening was a resounding success, showcasing the remarkable abilities and unyielding passion of our students.

The Kilgraston Christmas Concert has always been a highly anticipated event, but this year’s rendition exceeded all expectations. The concert featured a diverse array of performances, ranging from the brilliant ‘Whoops a-Daisy Angel’ by our Junior Years pupils to stunning duet by Upper Sixth pupils, Erin and Laura. Every element came together seamlessly to create an unforgettable experience for all in attendance.

The concert showcased the exceptional talents of our students, highlighting their dedication, commitment, and artistic flair. Weeks of preparation and practice culminated in a performance that left the audience enchanted and inspired. The level of professionalism and maturity displayed by our pupils was truly astounding, leaving no doubt that they have bright futures ahead in the world of performing arts.

There were so many highlights of the evening including the Kilgraston Drummers Fanfare with the eye-catching glowing drum sticks. The staff choir’s performance of ‘Mary, Did You Know?’ wowed the audience receiving cheers from the audience and pupils alike.

The Kilgraston Christmas Concert truly exemplified the power of the arts to bring people together and create a sense of community. Pupils, parents, staff, and members of the wider community gathered in the spirit of celebration and shared in the joyous atmosphere that permeated the venue. It was a testament to the collaborative effort of all involved, from the performers to the dedicated staff who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring the concert to life.

Beyond the exceptional performances, the success of the Kilgraston Christmas Concert showcased the values embedded in our school community. It demonstrated the importance of nurturing and encouraging young talent, fostering a love for the arts, and providing a platform for pupils to shine. The leadership and guidance of our dedicated teachers, who invest their time and expertise into cultivating the skills of our students, were evident throughout the concert.

As the festivities of the Christmas season now envelop us, the Kilgraston Christmas Concert stands as a testament to the talent, dedication, and spirit of our school. The success of the evening would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our parents, who have consistently championed the arts and encouraged their children to pursue their passions.

We extend our deepest gratitude to all those who attended and were part of this outstanding event. The Kilgraston Christmas Concert has once again reminded us of the transformative power of music and art and the importance of celebrating and nurturing the talent that fills our school community.

May the joy and inspiration ignited by the Christmas Concert continue to resonate within us all and guide our students towards a future filled with artistic pursuits and cultural appreciation.

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Kilgraston Computing update

Kilgraston Computing department have a busy Autumn term 2023:

Bebras Challenge
Congratulations to Anya in Upper 4 who achieved a Gold Award certificate in the recent Bebras Challenge.
In the Challenge, the aim is to solve as many of the computational thinking problems as possible in 40 minutes.
As a Gold Award certificate winner, Anya has been invited to take part in The Oxford University Computing Challenge (OUCC) which takes place online from 15th to 19th Jan 2024. It is aimed at students who have scores that put them in the top 10% of their age group in UK Bebras.
Best wishes to Anya for the OUCC.

CyberFirst Girls Competition
The CyberFirst Girls Competition aims to inspire girls interested in technology to pursue a career in cyber security. Teams of up to four girls tackle challenges from cryptography and logic to artificial intelligence and networking.
The Kilgraston team, ‘The Jags’, was made up of Justine, Anya, Sally and Georgina from Upper 4. They worked together well to solve many of the challenges and are certainly more knowledgeable now about cyber security than they were before.
Well done girls on taking part.

Data Science and Generative AI
Alastair Hamilton, lead data scientist at Altruistiq (www.altruistiq.com), gave a presentation via Teams to the National 5 Computing Science class recently.
He talked about his way into data science via a Physics degree and jobs at BP and Lloyds Bank where he had experience of using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Altruistiq is a company which provides tools to assist with the tracking of a business’s environmental impact. Being able to use data science in the area of sustainability attracted Alastair to Altruistiq.
The class found it very valuable to have a first-hand account of working in data science and were given a wide-ranging overview of the topic and the need for ways of managing and harnessing the vast amount of data that is gathered in many different areas of business. Alastair gave examples of the types of work he was involved in and then went on to show some examples of machine learning models, demonstrating an open-source text-to-image model, Stable Diffusion 2.1.

The girls asked interesting questions at the end of the presentation and were sure that Alastair was a real person and not a product of Generative AI!

Kilgraston Half Term Newsletter - October 2023

We are delighted to share with you the Kilgraston Half Term Newsletter. New for October 2023, this edition gives a round-up of what has been happening at Kilgraston in the past six weeks and a warm welcome to new member of our community, families and staff alike. Click on the image below to open up the digital version of this.

Look out for the next edition of this in December and if you have anything you would like to be considered to include, please email [email protected].

Kilgraston Art Showcase 2023 - enter now

Love - what is it and how would you draw it?

Enter Kilgraston Art Showcase and the chance to win £200 donation for your nursery.

Entries will be shown in our Grand Exhibition on 4th November at 10am in Kilgraston Junior Years. The competition is open to three to five year olds. Please email and A4 drawing what you love to [email protected] with your name and age. Entries open to three to five year olds in 25 mile radius of Kilgraston School. Deadline for entries is 28th October 2023.

* Terms and conditions
1. How to Enter:
- Entries must be submitted to [email protected] by 3pm on 28th October 2023.
- The winner will be selected by the judging panel.
2. When to enter
- Entries can be submitted any time until closing date.
3. Who can enter
- The competition is open to all children aged three, four or five years old within 25 miles of Kilgraston School.
- Submissions will be displayed at the Kilgraston Art Showcase on 4th November.
4. Prizes
- The winner will be announced on 4th November at Kilgraston Art Showcase.
- The winner will receive £200 donation towards their nursery.
- If the winner does not attend a nursery, the winner must select a recipient nursery to receive the prize.

Kilgraston BFG scheme 2023

Did you know that Kilgraston is full of BFGs?

Each year, Kilgraston’s Head Girl Team leads on the school’s Big Friendly Girl (BFG) scheme and this year’s is now well underway. Here, this year’s Head Girl Laura introduces and explains our unique program.

The Kilgraston BFG system involves the whole school with pupils from Reception to Lower Sixth paired with and looked after by a member of Upper Sixth. A BFG is there to offer advice, to chat to or simply to be a friendly face in the corridors. The BFG program strengthens the connections between year groups and gives younger pupils the chance to make friends with their role models. This year, we are introducing a new feature to the BFG system. We know that as you start to move up the school, academic pressure increases too. As well as being paired with a BFG you share interests with, your BFG can be an academic mentor. This means that your BFG can offer you help and support with the subject you struggle with most.

Ask your Year Head or Head of School how you can sign up.

Laura, Kilgraston Head Girl, 2023 - 2024

Kilgraston Cross Country 2023

The Kilgraston Cross Country 2023 took place with the school’s stunning countryside campus drenched in late summer sunshine and a cloudless sky.

This annual event sees all pupils take part with runners from our youngest class, Reception, lining up alongside the oldest Upper Sixth pupils. Following an energetic warm-up with PE’s Mrs Fraser, pupils lined up with the start line a sea of House colours. Vibrant yellows, roaring reds, proud purples and glorious greens took their positions and on Mrs Davie’s signal, they were off.

The event takes place around Kilgraston’s beautiful countryside campus with staff manning key markers on the route and parents, grandparents, guardians and family members cheering on the runners. It all about having fun, an intrinsic part of the Kilgraston ethos, and winning valuable house points, if you can. It is a sentiment which is well-embraced by Kilgraston Sixth Form who, each year, dress up in costumes to run.

It was a glorious day and a wonderful first whole school event for this academic year, 2023 - 2024. Well done to everyone who took part and thank you to those who helped and who attended, cheering on the runners.

CROSS COUNTRY 2023-24

OVERALL WINNERS